[Disco Funk]
No.113 "Vibration" by Kimiko Kasai
Hi. Today's song is "Vibration" (sub-title, Love celebration) by "Kimiko Kasai".
This is a nice disco funk of the '70s and we hope you like it.
Some articles have been put away in a " ▼Memo " tab in each section, so please click it to read.
If the " ▼Memo " tab does not open, please enable the Java script in your browser.
And if you notice anything, please let us know, since the fine-tuning of the appearance is on the way.
Thank you.
1.Song data
| Title | Vibration (Love celebration) |
|---|---|
| Artist | Kimiko Kasai |
| Album Title | Tokyo special |
| Catalog Number | SICJ-116 |
| Track No. | 1 |
| Duration | 4:18 |
| Released | 1977 |
| Publisher | Sony records |
| Lyricist | Kazumi Yasui |
| Composer | Tatsuro Yamashita |
| Arranger | Hiromasa Suzuki |
- About the creators
Kazumi YasuiLyricist
"Kazumi Yasui", more well known as "zuzu", was a famed lyricist and a visible celebrity active since 1961 to 1994.
Lyricist and Celebrity
She is widely known as one of the most brilliant lyricist who wrote hundreds of high quality popular songs from the '60s to the '80s.
She is also famous as a celebrity who achieved a gorgeous life after she had a success as a professional creator, and continued it until she passed away in 1994.
Dramatic life
Because, her life was so dramatic and exciting, it is not quite easy to summarize it in short.
So, if you are interested in more details, please check with the external references linked in below.
We also would like to introduce some episodes in the future articles if possible.
Our former post "No.107 Gardenia by Kazuhiko Kato" also have some information about her. If you like, please check. Thank you.
Music sample
Lastly, this is a song written by her and her partner "Kazuhiko Katō" for popular animation film "Super Space fortress Macross" in 1984.
"Ai Oboete-imasuka"
(Do you remember love?)
by Mari Iijima (1984)
Tatsuro YamashitaComposer
"Tatsuro Yamashita" is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, arranger, and music producer in rock and pop music active since 1973.
He has been one of the most prominent musician in the category since debut, and regarded as a key person for the development of the Japanese popular songs.
From the debut
In 1973, he started his music career by teaming up a new band called "Sugar babe" with 4 other members including "Taeko Ohnuki" who will become a super pop singer later.
The music of the band was totally new, and far ahead of the time.
They had to break-up in 1976, but left a legendary album "Songs" which is still popular among the pop music fans.
Solo career
After finished the band, he has become a solo artist, and been pursuing his own music for more than 40 years.
In a sense, the 40 years of his career is almost parallel with the evolution of J-pop.
Not only releasing a series of super hit songs by himself, but supported so many talented musicians like "Mariya Takeuchi" or "Kazuhito Murata" and so on appearing into the music world.
Therefore, he is often referred as one of the most influential artist in modern J-pop history.
If you are curious, please check with the reference below for the start point.
Love celebration
Today's song "Vibration" was originally written for other singer as "Love celebration" by "Tatsuro Yamahsita".
But for some reason, the song was not released at that time. Then, "Kimiko Kasai" and "Yamashita" himself were individually released this song in their own arrangement.
The lyrics of "Kasai" version was offered by "Kazumi Yasui". But her lyrics repeated the word "Vibration" many times, then the main title of the song was changed to "Vibration".
"Yamashita" version was recorded in completely different arrange, and released as "Love celebration" in his album "Go ahead!" of 1978.
Both versions are quite characteristic like they are different songs. If you like, please listen.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Tatsuro Yamashita)
Hiromasa SuzukiArranger
"Hiromasa 'Colgen' Suzuki" was a Jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, active since early '60s to 2001.
He was also famous as a leader of powerful fusion band "The players" (Colgen band). which was most active since the '70s to the '80s, and lead Japan's fusion scene.
Interestingly, he was more well known in his nickname "Colgen" than real name.
So, we also would like to call him as "Colgen" with our respects to him.
Debut
"Suzuki Colgen" started his music career by joining a University Jazz circle called "Keio Light Music Society" in which quite a few of Japanese Jazz masters are used to belong to.
Because his piano was so excellent, he was soon scouted by "George Kawaguchi & BIG-4" which was one of the most famed Jazz qualtet in Japan Jazz history.
As a result, this became a beginning of his professional career.
The players and others
Since then, he worked with many different musicians, and participated with hundreds of album recordings as a pianist or arranger.
In 1976, he formed his leader band called "Colgen band", and in 1979, it was reformed to "The players" which soon became a popular fusuion band in the '80s.
He had been active throughout his career, but in 2001, he departed this life at age 60.
Colgen
As mentioned earlier, "Hiromasa Suzuki" is more famous as "Colgen" than his real name.
We have searched the internet about the origin of this nickname, but there were no clear answer why he was called "Colgen".
However, almost certainly, we imagine it has come from the name of a popular drug for commoncold, namely "Colgen Kowa".
This household medicine was first launched in 1954. Since then, the firm created a frog like character called "Kero-chan" for advertising. ("Kero" is the croaking of a frog in Japanese.)
And made tens of thousands of 50cm big character dolls, and put them on the entrance of the pharmacies in town across Japan.
So, it is imaginable that the person with similar air to "Kero-chan" might be offered the nickname "Colgen" from friends.
But Jazz players often speak different language from ordinary people. so it is only a guess.
By the way, according to someone, the word "Colgen" is a coinage, which has been made from "commoncold" and "allergen".
There are no official explanation, but it is quite likely.
Music sample
Finally, here is a small music sample of "Suzuki Hiromasa trio" from their album "Rock joint, 'Furukotofumi'" (The record of old history), released in 1972.
This album is basically inspired by the stories in Japan's historical classic books like "Kojiki" or "Man-yō-shū", which both of them were compiled in 7C-8C (AD), so more than 1200 years ago.
So, this song title "Uruwashi-to sa-ne-shi sa-ne-teba" is also written in that very archaic Japanese.
So, we spent nearly half an hour to understand what it is saying, even it is wrtten in Japanese.
"Uruwashi-to Sa-ne-shi Sa-ne-teba"
(Sleep with sweetheart)(1972)
Cover art today
- Sound impressions
Disco & Funk
This seems to be a typical disco & funk of the '70s in moderated speed.
It might fit well even on-aired in the '70s popular American music program "Soul train".
Groovy
After the glorious fanfare by the drums and brass section, the bass, guitar, percussion and electric piano start the introduction.
On the bouncy disco rhythm, "Kimiko Kasai" 's husky vocal rides. Cool backing chorus is also fashionable.
Soprano sax solo in the bridge is also nice.
A crystal of the 70's cultures
From the lyrics and music of this song, we can feel the most advanced and stylish 70's cultures.
For example, the words used in the lyrics like "Aitsu (guy, man)", "Nikui"(cool, envious), "Vibration", "ii-sen(preferable level)", "Notteru (grooving, elevated)" ... These are all signature words to indicate the most edgy and urban women of the '70s.
In the music, phrase of the bass, effects of the guitar, pattern of the drums, and sound of the percussion... All of them are very '70s.
And perhaps, that is the reason why this song is still cool and maintaining its uniqueness.
Tokyo special
"Kimiko Kasai" is basically a mainstream Jazz vocalist, and the most of her album are sang in English, and often in orthodox acoustic backing.
But only twice in her career, she released the albums in Japanese in more pop sound. And this is one of them.
For this album, quite a few of talented artists are gathered, therefore it has achieved fairly high quality.
We believe this album will be a unique treasure for the history of Japanese popular music.
- Reference
- About the artist
Kimiko KasaiCool Jazz woman
"Kimiko Kasai" had been a very popular Jazz vocalist in Japan. She was often ranked top in Jazz vocalist charts in the '70s,
But she started a jewelry business in the United states in 1987 (Now in Tokyo), and completely retired from music in 1998.
After left from singing, she is still a popular Jazz vocalist. And quite a few of her albums, including today's, are kept available in the market.
"Kasai" debuted as a singer in 1967, but her 1970 LP "Just friends, Kimiko Kasai Concert"(Live), which was backed by "Yūji Ohno trio", has been perceived as her first album.
And after this, she released 21 original, 1 live, and 4 best albums until she stopped her music activity in 1998.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Kimiko Kasai)
Debut
She started her music career in Tokyo in 1964. And in 1967, she released a single record as a vocalist of "Yuzuru Sera trio".
In 1970, she released her first album "Just friends, Kimiko Kasai Concert" in collaboration with "Yūji Ohno trio".
("Yūji Ohno" is publicly well known with the theme music for a TV anime "Lupin the III". )
Big names
Since then, she began to collaborate with the big names one after another.
In 1971, she worked with "Kōsuke Mine", who later forms a popular fusion band "Native son", and released the 2nd album. And later in the same year, released the 3rd album "One for Lady" with "Mal Waldron".
And in 1972, "Gil Evans", in 1973, "Oliver Nelson"(for 6th), and in 1974, with "Cedar Walton...
Like the above, she build up a solid track record as a Jazz vocalist.
Tokyo special
And in 1977, as a challenge for her, she released a "sang in Japanese in pop melody" album titled "Tokyo Special".
As we mentioned earlier, this is a superb album.
Later
Even after this unique album, she actively continued to release 10 nice Jazz or Jazz funk albums until 1990.
But in 1998, she finally moved to the jewelry business from music.
We wanted to listen her song more, but it is her life.
Cup Noodle
Finally, it is a bit trivial thing, but "Kimiko Kasai" & Duke Aces were the singer & chorus team for the first TV advertising of "Cup noodles (Nissin)" which was launched in 1971, and is now popular in many countries.
If we remember, the price of a cup noodles was roughly 100-120yen(0.9-1.1USD) in 1971, which was almost equivalent to the price of ham sandwiches. So, it was a expensive brand new food.
Now in 2018, the price of a cup noodles still remains at 130-150yen, while a packet of Ham sandwiches costs 3-400yen(3-4 USD) at the bakeries. So, the price stability of Cup noodles is remarkable.
Anyway, here is a music. Please click the track No.1 after you go to the Amazon site linked in below.
- Samples from online music stores
About the samples
Please go to the page below, and just play or click track No.1.
Trial button is on the left side of the song title.
AD :
Free listening samples
Amazon JP(en)
Tower records online
8. Japanese Letters
| Song Title | Vibration (Love celebration) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 笠井紀美子 (Kimiko Kasai) |
| Album Title | Tokyo special |
Comments