[Song Rev. #160EX]
"Santa Monica Frwy" by Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing
Hi. An unseasonal powerful typhoon is now hitting Japan, and the wind is pretty strong at the moment. How about your place?
It's an instrumental time. Today's music is "Santa Monica Frwy" by "Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing" (wísíŋ).
This is a thrilling Latin fusion performed by Japan's one of the greatest Latin fusion group, "Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing"
If you like, please listen.
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Song data
| Title | Santa Monica Frwy |
|---|---|
| Artist | Naoya Matsuoka and Wesing |
| Album Title | |
| Catalog Number | WPCL-12543 |
| Track No. | 5 |
| Duration | 6:12 |
| Released | 1981 |
| Publisher | |
| Lyricist | Instrumental music |
| Composer | |
| Arranger |
About the creators
Instrumental musicNo lyricist
This is an instrumental music, and there is no lyricist.
Naoya MatsuokaComposer & Arranger
"Naoya Matsuoka" is the composer & arranger, and also the performer of this track.
We would like to come back to him on the "About the artist" section later.
Cover art today
Song image & Lyrics
Open
Link to the lyrics
Copyright notice on the lyrics link
Sound impression
Thrilling Latin
This seems to be a thrilling & exciting Latin fusion, in a moderated 16-beats rhythm.
Rich sound
A thrilling introduction is performed by an ensemble of the horns, bass, drums, percussions, electric guitar, and electric piano., and the main melody starts.
In the main part, the Flugelhorn plays the main phrase in cool, and moist tone.
The acoustic piano of "Naoya Matsuoka" keeps important basic rhythm from beginning to the end, but does not try standing out.
Reference
Google translate(en)
Wikipedia JP, Naoya Matsuoka and Wesing
About Google translate
About the artist
Naoya Matsuoka and Wesing Father of Latin Jazz in Japan
"Naoya Matsuoka" was a Latin Fusion & Jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and band master active from 1952 to 2014.
He had been one of the finest Latin Jazz pianist, and a very knowledgeable musician on Latin music since the '70s.
As a solo artist, "Naoya Matsuoka" debuted in 1977 with his first leader album "Joyful feet". Since then, 7 singles, and 39 original, 1 live, and 12 best albums have been released until now.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing)
Early times
"Naoya Matsuoka" began playing the piano when he was seven years old. It seems there weren't any teachers, but leaned it by himself.
In 1952, he started his professional career by joining a Jazz band, "Pan Igari & Marquees" as a pianist, when he was 15.
Surprisingly, "Matsuoka" formed his own Quartet in the next year, and began live performances at the various small venues.
At the same time, he joined a Latin Jazz group, "Kuranosuke Hamaguchi & Afro Cubano Junior" as a pianist, and arranger.
This experience gave him an inspiration for Latin music, which he began to devote himself later.
Ki-iroi sakuranbo" (Yellow cherries)
And, while he was a member of "Hamaguchi"'s band, "Matsuoka" arranged a super hit song, "Ki-iroi sakuranbo" (Yellow cherries) in 1959, performed by a female pop vocal trio, "Three cats", according to the biography in "Matsuoka"'s own website.
Perhaps because, the composer of this song was "Kuranosuke Hamaguchi". (But, the name of "Matsuoka" was not credited as the arranger. It was common at that time.)
"Ki-iroi sakuranbo"(1959)
(Yellow cherries)
by "Three cats"
(You can still listen this song by clicking the banner. Please select track No.2 once the page is open.)
Around this time, "Matsuoka" began to focus on Latin music, and he launched, and reformed his own Latin band several time.
And he continue to work as, a composer, arranger, and studio musician until the mid '70s.
Leader album
In 1972, "Matsuoka" formed his new leader band, "Naoya Matsuoka all-stars". And restarted his live activities.
In 1977, "Naoya Matsuoka all-stars" released "Matsuoka"'s first leader album, "Joyful Feet". And started his discography, which counts 51 (incl. Best) at the instant of 2019.
In 1979, "Matsuoka" expanded his group "all-stars" into "Wesing" by adding horn section as regular members. And released "Matsuoka"'s 4th album, "The Wind Whispers", as now a legendary band,"Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing".
At this point, the members of "Wesing" were,
- Piano, Keyboard
- Naoya Matsuoka
- Guitar
- Kenji Ōmura
- Guitar
- Masayoshi Takanaka
- Drums
- Shūichi 'Ponta' Murakami
- Bass
- Yūji Nakamura
- Percussion
- Osamu Nakajima
- Percussion
- Pecker
(Masahito Hashida) - Trombone
- Tadanori Konakawa
- Trumpet, Flugelhorn
- Kenji Nakazawa
- Trumpet
- Kazumi Takeda
- Alt, Soprano Sax
- Hidefumi Toki
- Tenor Sax, Flute
- Takeshi Itoh
Now, all of them are Japan's most revered masterful musicians, but they were young at that time, and wishing to play with the ace players in the first class band like "Wesing".
Break up
In the fusion boom of the early '80s, "Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing" became hugely popular.
They were appearing and performing as a prime group, in almost all the big Jazz festivals held in Japan in those times.
But because each members became too busy for their individual activities, it was getting more difficult to arrange member's schedule for the band activities.
Then, the members decided to break up the band, even it was still so popular.
After that, "Matsuoka" quickly formed a compact-sized Latin Jazz group, "Naoya Matsuoka group", and continued the band activities.
Meu amor é･･･
In 1985, Matsuoka received a request to write a music for a super idol, and a talented singer "Akina Nakamori". who was in the 3rd year of her career.
For the young female idol stars, the third year is the timing to change their song repertoire to more adult ones.
We do not know if it was the reason, but "Nakamori" selected "Matsuoka"'s authentic, but not easy Latin pop as her 11th single record.
This song became a big hit, and "Nakamori" received her first Grand Prix of Japan Record Award with this.
Matsuoka also received an award as a composer, and he became famous as a music creator of "Meu amor é･･･".
But what's more important is, that a nice song like "Meu amor é･･･" might transcend the time, since so many people are still singing this as one of their favorites.
It would be a standard number of the J-pop for a long time.
Heart Cocktail
In the next year (1986), "Matsuoka" also received a request to create a theme & background music for a newly starting mini mid-night TV anime series, "Heart Cocktail", originally cartooned by "Seizō Watase" for young adults.
It was a just 5 minutes mini program. But its modern & stylish world created a cultural phenomenon among the young.
Actually, the music of "Matsuoka" really matched with the atmosphere which this Anime series was rendering.
By participating in Heart Cocktail, "Matsuoka" picked up a few new fans.
And...
"Matsuoka" continued to work at full power throughout the '90s.
Even after into 2000s, he had been very active as a leader of Latin fusion.
But in April 2014, he departed this life at the age of 76.
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing)
(Ref: Wikipedia-en, Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing)🇯🇵
(Ref: music-calendar.jp, Naoya Matsuoka)🇯🇵
(Ref: nettaijazz.exblog.jp,
Special concert, Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing)🇯🇵
(Ref: www.atoss.jp,
Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing live, 2012)🇯🇵
(Ref: adliblog.livedoor.blog,
Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing, Fiesta Fiesta)🇯🇵
(Ref: ameblo.jp, crushcrystal,
Naoya Matsuoka part1)🇯🇵
(Ref: www.ant-inc.com,
Discography, Naoya Matsuoka)🇯🇵
Video clip
Finally, here is a video digest of "Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing live for the 60 years anniversary of Naoya Matsuoka in music" posted by atossinternational, who is marketing a series of live DVDs of super musicians in Crossover music & Fusion categories.
As referred in the earlier section, "Wesing" was a super Latin fusion group, which became very popular, and active since the late '70s.
But the members of the band were too superb, and popular, in other word, all of them were "sought-after" musicians.
So, it was a very ironic situation, but "Wesing" could not hold a concert, because the members were too busy..
Then, "Wesing" had to break up in 1982, at the pinnacle of their popularity.
Now, all of the past members of "Wesing" have become revered musicians who are often called as legends.
Those professionals were joined to celebrate the 60 years anniversary of their lovely leader, "Naoya Matsuoka".
The participated musicians were,
"Shūichi 'Ponta' Murakami" (ds), "Getao Takahashi" (b)", "Akira Wada" (g), "Carlos Kanno" (perc), "Gen Ōgimi" (perc), "Hidefumi Toki" (Sax), "Tatsuya Satō" (Sax), "Yūzō Kataoka" (tb), "Shō Okumura" (tp), "Masanori Suzuki" (tp), and "Naoya Matsuoka" (pf).
The sound is just gorgeous, and sweet, like well matured red wine.
If you like, please listen.
* The 60 years anniversary live by "Naoya Matsuoka & Wesing"
Music Samples
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Japanese Letters
| Song Title | Santa Monica Frwy |
|---|---|
| Artist | 松岡直也 & Wesing(Naoya Matsuoka and Wesing) |
| Album Title | Danzon |
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