[Mellow R&B]
No.128 "Su•moh•gii Tokyo night" by Tazumi Toyoshima
Hi. Today's song is, "Su•moh•gii" Tokyo night(?), by "Tazumi Toyoshima".
"Su•moh•gii"..., we had long believed that this word was just a peculiar pronunciation of "Smoky", but it seems it wasn't.
This is a hearty cheering song for young people who live in cities, and feeling lonely.
The singer is inviting them to join her to party, and sing, drink, dance, high jinks, and merrymaking under the night sky in Tokyo.
We looked for a word on the internet (smorgy? smaugie?...), If there is one that fits into there, but no success so far.
Please let us know if you have a flash of inspiration. It is very much appreciated.
By the way, we recently noticed that our "Contact form" was not working properly.
The form has been fixed. So, it should be OK to use. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused.
Some contents 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 JavaScript in your browser.
Thank you.
Song data
| Title | "Su•mo•u•gii" Tokyo night |
|---|---|
| Artist | Tazumi Toyoshima |
| Album Title | |
| Catalog Number | BRIDGE-250 |
| Track No. | 1 |
| Duration | 4:35 |
| Released | 1981 |
| Publisher | |
| Lyricist | |
| Composer | |
| Arranger |
About the creators
Tazumi ToyoshimaLyricist & composer
"Tazumi Toyoshima" is the songwriter for this, but also a singer.
So, we would like to come back to her later in the about the artist section.
Eiji KawamuraArranger
"Eiji Kawamura" is a composer, arranger, and guitarist active since 1978.
He is a known arranger for "Enka" & pops, as well as a theme music composer for Movies, TV series, and Animes.
Debut
"Kawamura" started his music career around 1970 when he was a university student.
According to wiki, he arranged a vocal song for popular idol star "Saori Minami" in 1978. And this seems to be a beginning of his career as a professional arranger.
Soon, he came to provide arrangement works for various popular song artists. His great contribution to "Tazz Toyoshima"s albums had also been done in this period.
Incidental music
In parallel, he composed a first theme music for TV series in 1981. Since then, he quickly became a popular composer for theme music.
Sound tracks for SF hero action drama series, "Kamen Rider Black" (Masked rider black), "Kamen Rider J", "Kamen Rider ZO", or "Ninja Sentai Kakuranger" (Ninja rangers Kakuranger)..., are some of his notable works.
Move to "Enka" music
Pop music and theme music had been 2 important categories for him as an arranger, and composer.
But around late '80s, he gradually reduced works on pop music, but began to work more on "Enka" songs, we don't know why though.
By the way, "Enka" is one of the music category popular in Japan. It is usually characterized by its wistful minor melody, and nostalgic, sentimental lyrics. A music video just in below also goes into "Enka" category.
For more details, please check "Wikipedia". Thank you.
As a result, people now regard him as a great theme music creator, or an "Enka" arranger usually.
Video clip
Finally, here is a music video for a popular Folk & "Enka" singer "Takao Horiuchi"s song "Utsu-semi no ie" (A house like a cicada's shell). "Utsu-semi" means a cicada shell, but it is used as an analogy for an empty house.).
This song is actually sending a message to us on Japan's deepening rural exodus issue. "Horiuchi" sometimes sings a song like this, and reminds us to think again.
"Eiji Kawamura" has participated in this song as an arranger. It is an excellent job as usual.
If you like, please have a look.
* "Utsu-semi no ie" by Takao Horiuchi
Cover art today
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Copyright notice on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Mellow R&B
This is an urban, relaxing, and mellow Rock-a-ballad in a moderated 4th-note rhythm.
Floating feeling
The drums, bass, keyboards and electric guitar begin a mellow introduction with floating feeling.
Then, a young people's lively chorus joins, and the main melody starts.
In the song part, "Tazz Toyoshima"s Jazzy soulful vocal dominates throughout the tune.
The bass phrase, freely moving up and down, is also enjoyable.
Spirited chorus
On this song, an energetic chorus occasionally joins. It seems it is just like rendering a song world of this, which the singer is calling on the young people to join her, and sing and dance together.
Reference
About Google translate
About the artist
Tazumi Toyoshimafresh breeze
"Tazumi Toyoshima", often called "Tazz", is a singer, and songwriter active since 1977.
She was also popular as a personality of the '80s certain midnight radio program for young.
As a singer, she debuted in 1977 with single "Hito-ashi Osaki-ni" (I'll depart first, and wait for you.). Since then, 10 singles, and 6 original plus 3 best albums have been released until now.
(Ref: Wikipedia-jp, Tazumi Toyoshima)
Debut
According to wiki, she came to Tokyo around 1972 to study in the college.
In parallel, she slowly started her music career by writing jingles for advertising.
After a while, her debut was fixed up by the record company. And in 1977, her 1st single "Hito-ashi Osaki-ni" (I'll depart first, and wait for you.) was released.
This song was a happy, but ironic nice song. Our writer #Satsuma first listened this song on a radio commercial, and was amazed. (In the '70s, most of the young Japanese were getting new release information through the music programs, or advertising on the radio.)
Since then, he has been a fan of her.
"Chigire-gumo"(scud)
Her 1977 debut album, "Chigire-gumo" (Fractus cloud (or scud)), was actually a nice disk, containing stylishly arranged Vocal Jazz, Bossa nova, folk song, soul, and a few of light pop songs.
On this album, 2 competent arrangers were taken part in. They were, a Jazz pianist, "Hiromasa 'Colgen' Suzuki", and a popular Jazz & rock drummer "Hiro Tsunoda".
Thanks to these great musicians, this album achieved a fine quality, and a unique taste.
So, it is a little strange, that this album did not became a super hit in its day.
"Tomadoi Twilight"
In 1979, she released a nice, sophisticated, bit tender-hearted slow ballad, "Tomadoi Twilight" (Mystified in the twilight) as her 4th single record.
This song was perhaps originally written as a theme music for a TV drama series.
It quickly gained popularity, and became a smash hit. The song is still a favorite number for once young listeners.
The writers of this song were visible hit makers, "Yoko Aki", and "Ryūdō Uzaki", who are also the partners of each other.
They are very good at writing a bit sentimental song like this.
A nice song met with a fitting singer like "Tazz". That maybe the reason for a big hit.
(There are no usable sample for this song at the moment. We will update if we found it. Here is a Lounge Jazz arranged version by Yukari Itoh instead of it, for your interest.)
"Tomadoi Twilight"
(Mystified in the twilight)
(2014)
by "Yukari Itoh"
(You can still listen this song by clicking the banner. Please select any track, once new page opens.)
Long rest
Since then, she spent busy days as a popular singer, and a radio personality.
But in 1982, after released the 10th single, she suddenly got married, and entered a long interval until she returns in the late '00s.
Start again
In 2007, she re-started music activity by holding a live concert in a city near Yokohama.
And in 2009, for the first time in a quarter of a century, she released a new CD, titled, "Kitchen kara ai-wo komete" (From Kitchen, with love. Because she was always singing in the kitchen, during a child-raising period in home.).
Since then, she is continuing music activities in her own pace. And, the last year, she released a new album "Saikai"(Reunion) - "Don-na ashita-mo dakishime-tai" (Will embrace the tomorrow, whatever it will be.).
It is a beautifully matured, but perfectly lovely "Tazz"s music.
If you like please listen.
"Saikai"(Reunion)
(2018)
by "Tazz Toyoshima"
(You can still listen this song by clicking the banner. Please select any track, once new page opens.)
(Ref: Wikipedia-jp, Tazumi Toyoshima)
(Ref: bridge-inc.net, Tazumi Toyoshima)
(Ref: discogs.com, Tazumi Toyoshima)
Video clip
Finally, here is a music video about a digest of "Tazz Toyoshima"'s 1981 album "Lonely one".
The first track of this video is today's song, "Su•moh•gii" Tokyo night, but lasts only 45 seconds.
But as a whole, it is a good sample of "Tazz"s world. If you like, please give it a try.
* "LONELY ONE(+12) digest" by Tazz Toyoshima
Music Samples
1
(試聴する)
Samples are not available from original album "LONELY ONE", so, we selected her best album "Light Mellow" (2015) instead of it.
Due to a bit prolonged introduction of today's song (45sec+), samples might finish before you hear singer's voice. Sorry about that.
AD: Listening samples (Free)
Amazon JP(en)
billboard-japan.com
Tower records online
Japanese Letters
| Song Title | スモーギー・トキョー・ナイト("Su•mo•u•gii" Tokyo night) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 豊島たづみ(Tazumi Toyoshima) |
| Album Title | LONELY ONE |
Comments