[Light & hearty]
No.102 "Kona sunset" by Atsuko Nina
Hi. Today's song is "Kona sunset" by "Atsuko Nina".
This is a light & friendly pop song performed by a popular resort pop singer, "Atsuko Nina", who was particularly shning in the '80s.
We do not know why, but there aren't many distribution channel for her CDs besides Tower record at the moment. So, please get one quickly if you liked it a lot.
Some links to the music shops offering song samples are located on the bottom of this page.
Few contents have been put away in a " ▼Memo " tab in each section, so please click it to read.
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Thank you.
Kona, Hawaii
None of us here have been to Kona beach nor Hawaii. So, just checked a promotion video. It looks so nice and wish to be there one day.
Here is the one we saw. If you like.
By the way, according to some news, the eruption of Kilauea Volcano has slowed down.
It is a good news, and we wish the life of residents return to normal as quick as possible.
1.Song data
| Title | Kona sunset |
|---|---|
| Artist | Atsuko Nina |
| Album Title | LOCO ISLAND |
| Catalog Number | NCS-10013 |
| Track No. | 10 |
| Duration | 4:10 |
| Released | 1984 |
| Publisher | Invitation |
| Lyricist | Yoshiko Miura |
| Composer | Kan Ogasawara |
| Arranger | Hiroshi Satō |
- About the creators
Yoshiko MiuraLyricist
"Yoshiko Miura" is a lyricist active since 1977.
"Miura" is a writer representing a Japanese popular song of the '70s and '80s.
She provided many hit songs to the top idol stars of that period, since the stars were believing that singing her song was the surest way to have hit songs.
"Miura" started her professional career in 1977 with a pop song, "Dōmo Dōmo" offered for a top idol star, "Mizue Takada", who later married with a Sumō champion, "Waka-shimazu", and has been a mistress of his Sumō stable since then.
After the debut, "Miura" has written hundreds of songs to both male and female idols stars. And quite a few of them became a big hit.
Above all others, her musical contribution to a super star, "Seiko Matsuda" is huge.
The most of early hit songs of "Matsuda" were the creation of "Miura". So, without having the "Miura"'s songs, there weren't a rocket-up of "Matsuda".
Kan OgasawaraComposer
"Kan Ogasawara", currently called "Utollo(yutolo) Teshikai" is a composer, arranger. producer and keyboardist active since 1977.
Short bio
"Ogasawara" has created, and offered many pop songs to the various singers in the J-pop.
In 1993, he changed the pen name from real name to "Utollo Teshikai".
Coincidently, his series of work got a sudden attention in the same year, since, one of the animation film of "Shigeru Tamura", titled "Ginga no sakana(Fishes in the galaxy, or "URSA minor BLUE"), received a movie award.
And "Utollo Teshikai" who wrote music for this film, also gathered an attetion.
By this film, the name of "Teshikai" became well known also as a composer for instrumental music.
He has been active on live music scene, and also handling some classical music for small sized orchestras.
Video clip
Finally, here is a video clip of "Mugen Kamon, Kaze tachi tono deai (The encounter with winds)" by "Yutoro Teshikai".
This was a main theme music of a popular non-fiction TV travel documentary series, "Sekai-Ururun Taizaiki" (A moving travelogue of the world), which had been aired from 1995 to 2007.
If you like, please listen.
* "The encounter with winds" by "Utollo Teshikai"
Hiroshi SatōArranger
"Hiroshi Satō" was a keyboardist, singer-songwriter, composer, arranger, mixing engineer, producer and a former member of a legendary pop-rock group, "Tin pan alley", active since 1970 to 2012.
Short bio
Like other members of "Tin pan alley", "Hiroshi Satō" had been also a remarkable musician, as well as a producer who find talented artists, and help to bloom.
Since 1976, he had participated the productions of quite a few albums of various pop singers.
Today's artist "Atsuko Nina" was debuted in 1979 with her first album, "Play room - Tawamure".
Interestingly, "Hiroshi Satō" was originally planned to be a producer of this album. But it was canceled due to his travel to the United States for his own album creation.
Actually, "Atsuko Nina" began to be recognized by fans from her second album "Loco island", which "Hiroshi Satō" was first involved, and changed the direction to resort-pop line.
So, "Hiroshi Satō" might have had special eyes to find out the type of music suit for the singer in front of him.
Cover art today
- Sound impressions
Light & warm
This is a light & smiley pop song in middle speed on 8-beat.
laid-back
The drums, bass, 2 electric guitars and the keyboard start sunny introduction, then synthesizer and the vocal quickly join.
In the bridge, 5 of participated musicians are demonstrating their beautiful(?) chorus.
This performance gives a very natural impression, and is bringing a laid-back atmosphere of tropical islands.
The voice of "Atsuko Nina" is also relaxing, which is like suggesting us to take a rest with music for all day long.
- Reference
- About the artist
Atsuko NinaHawaii & resort
"Atsuko Nina" is a pop singer active since 1979, who specialized a stylish resort-pop in the '80s.
She debuted in 1979 with a single, "Sasowarete natsu" (A temptation in summer). Since then, 6 singles, and 7 original,plus 2 best albums have been released until now.
(Ref: Wikipedia-jp, Atsuko Nina)
City pop
The debut year of "Nina", namely 1979, was a timing, which so called "City-pop"(refined, and urban pop music), was about to boom.
Actually, the most noticeable city-pop artists, like her, were debuted, and released fine albums in this golden period, in other words, from late '70s to the early '80s.
Among those stars in in city-pop, "Atsuko Nina" had successfully established an unique position, such as "surf resort pop queen", by the support from talented arrangers like "Hiroshi Satō" or "Fujimaru Yoshino"(Leader of Shōgun(band)).
Go with Hawaii
Just after debut, "Nina" has released 2 albums under her former stage name "Eri Hayakawa".
They were very good albums, and therefore, they have been expensive collector's items. But they were too classy in the bustling atmosphere of the early '80s.
Then, someone in her team, (maybe the arranger "Hiroshi Satō") suggested to change the direction to resort pop line, particularly featuring "Hawaii".
They have prepared all songs in the image of Hawaii. Recording team booked a studio in Hawaii, and asked ace musicians of Hawaii, including "Alvin Fejarang"(a former member of "Kalapana"), to join.
Thanks to those efforts, the album achieved a unique taste and good quality.
This line matched with the nature of "Atsuko Nina", and brought out her new charms very well.
And, the album welcomed by fans, and she soon became an icon of a resort pop music featuring Hawaii.
Marriage
Since then, she constantly has been releasing an excellent Hawaii taste pop albums almost every year.
But just after she released her 7th album "Fluorescent Lamp" in 1986, she stopped her musical activity because of the marriage.
Recent
Fans lamented over her retire, since her music was so special and almost only one in the J-pop. But what they could do was to play for her happiness.
But after into the 2000s, she is rarely showing her face on some music events.
We are wishing her full come back in the future if possible.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Atsuko Nina)
(Ref: Special Essay "memory of LOCO ISLAND, Hiroshi Satoh☆Recording Session Database,)🇯🇵
- Samples from online music stores
About the samples
Please go to the page below, and just play or click track No.10.
Trial button is on the left side of the song title.
Tower record is the only source of the sample, and a music shop selling this CD at the moment.
AD :
Free listening samples
TOWER RECORDS ONLINE
Amazon JP(No sample)
8. Japanese Letters
| Song Title | コナ・サンセット (Kona sunset) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 二名敦子 (Atsuko Nina) |
| Album Title | LOCO ISLAND |
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