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Çà Et Là Du Japon
is the thirteenth and final studio album by Japanese pop band Pizzicato Five. The album was released on January 1, 2001 by Readymade Records. Like many of the band's later albums, ''Çà et là du Japon'' is set in a famous city of the world during a specific time of the year, in this case Tokyo in winter. ''Çà et là du Japon'' differs from other Pizzicato Five albums in that it features several guest vocalists and songwriters, and lead vocalist Maki Nomiya appears on only a few of its songs. ''Çà et là du Japon'' was reissued on March 31, 2006. Track listing Notes * "Gatta Call'em All!" is a re-recording of , written by Akihito Toda and Hirokazu Tanaka and originally performed by Imakuni? and Raymond Johnson. Personnel Additional musicians * Takashi Nagazumi – vocals on "1 Janvier" * Shigeru Matsuzaki – vocals on "Nonstop to Tokyo" and "À Tokyo" * Izumi Yukimura – vocals on "Sakura Sakura" and "In America" * Masumi Arichika – vocals on "Kimono" * Sparks – v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pizzicato Five
Pizzicato Five (formerly typeset as Pizzicato V and sometimes abbreviated to P5)Yang Jeff, Dina Can, Terry Hong, (1997) ''Eastern Standard Time'' pg 277 New York: Mariner Books was a Japanese pop band formed in Tokyo in 1979 by multi-instrumentalists Yasuharu Konishi and Keitarō Takanami. After some personnel changes in the late 1980s, the band gained international fame as a duo consisting of Konishi and vocalist Maki Nomiya. With their music blending together 1960s pop, jazz and synth-pop, the group were a prominent component in the Shibuya-kei movement of the 1990s. Pizzicato Five was a hugely prolific group during its existence, usually releasing at least a studio album each year in addition to various EPs and remix albums. Their music has appeared in numerous movies, television episodes, and video games. History 1980s Pizzicato V began in 1979 when university students Yasuharu Konishi and Keitarō Takanami first met at a local music society conference. Ryō Kamomiya, M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shuntarō Tanikawa
(born December 15, 1931 in Tokyo City, Japan) is a Japanese poet and translator. He is one of the most widely read and highly regarded of living Japanese poets, both in Japan and abroad, and a frequent subject of speculations regarding the Nobel Prize in Literature. Several of his collections, including his selected works, have been translated into English, and his ''Floating the River in Melancholy'', translated by William I. Eliott and Kazuo Kawamura, won the American Book Award in 1989. Tanikawa has written more than 60 books of poetry in addition to translating Charles Schulz's ''Peanuts'' and the Mother Goose rhymes into Japanese. He was nominated for the 2008 Hans Christian Andersen Award for his contributions to children's literature. He also helped translate ''Swimmy'' by Leo Lionni into Japanese. Among his contributions to less conventional art genres is his open video correspondence with Shūji Terayama (''Video Letter'', 1983). Since the 1970s Tanikawa also provid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hitomi Yoshizawa
is a Japanese former singer and actress. In 2000, Yoshizawa debuted as a 4th generation member of the idol girl group Morning Musume and became their leader in 2005 until leaving the group in 2007. Following her departure, Yoshizawa continued to appear in several music projects, including Hangry & Angry, Abcho, and Dream Morning Musume. On September 28, 2018, Yoshizawa announced she was retiring from entertainment following public scrutiny of her involvement in a vehicle accident and subsequent arrest. Career 2000-2007: Morning Musume Yoshizawa became a member of the Hello! Project group Morning Musume in 2000, as a member of the fourth generation along with Rika Ishikawa, Nozomi Tsuji, and Ai Kago, making her debut in the group's ninth single "Happy Summer Wedding". She was also featured in the group's theatrical release of ''Pinch Runner''. She also appeared with the group in the weekly television show ''Hello! Morning'' in various segments including a survival match featurin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Corduroy (band)
Corduroy are an English four-piece acid jazz outfit based in London, formed around twins Ben Addison (drums/vocals) and Scott Addison (keyboards/vocals), who were previously in Sire Records act Boys Wonder (Scott had been guitarist with Boys Wonder, while Ben had been the lead vocalist). Joining the twins in the band are Richard Searle and guitarist Simon Nelson-Smith. Searle had been bass player with Doctor and the Medics, who topped the UK Singles Chart in 1986 with a cover version of "Spirit in the Sky". Searle had joined the Addison twins in the final incarnation of Boys Wonder, before the band gradually evolved into Corduroy in 1991, initially forming for a one-off New Year's Eve party. The self-dubbed "fabric four" primarily recorded in a film soundtrack style, and many of their tracks were instrumentals. On the release of their first album ''Dad Man Cat'', Paul Moody wrote in the ''New Musical Express'': "Whereas the rest of the Acid Jazz roster fidget around in a world ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sparks (band)
Sparks is an American pop and rock duo formed by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals) in Los Angeles. The duo is noted for their quirky approach to songwriting; their music is often accompanied by sophisticated and acerbic lyrics—often about women, and sometimes containing literary or cinematic references-- and an idiosyncratic, theatrical stage presence, typified by the contrast between Russell's animated, hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's deadpan scowling. Russell Mael has a distinctive wide-ranging voice, while Ron Mael plays keyboards in an intricate and rhythmic style. They have been much more successful in Europe than in their native U.S., though they maintain a loyal cult following in the States. Career highlights include "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1974; the disco hit "The Number One Song in Heaven" in 1979, resulting from a collaboration with Giorgio Moroder and marking a stylistic shift ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Izumi Yukimura
is a Japanese popular singer and actress. Yukimura made her debut with the song in 1953. Her style of singing varied from jazz to rock and roll. She became one of the three most popular female singers in the early postwar Japan, along with Chiemi Eri and Hibari Misora. On her 1974 album ''Super Generation'', she sang Ryoichi Hattori's songs along with four popular musicians: Masataka Matsutoya, Shigeru Suzuki, Tatsuo Hayashi and Haruomi Hosono. Eri, who died in 1982, and Misora, who died in 1989, also recorded songs with Yukimura as a group in the 1950s, but those recordings had not been released for about 50 years because they each belonged to separate record labels. In 2004, their album including those songs was finally released for the first time. Filmography * ''Alice in Wonderland'' (1951) (theme song for the Japanese release of Disney film) * (1955) * (1956) * ''Arashi'' (1956) * aka ''The Princess of Badger Palace'' (1958) * (1958) * ''Hanayome-san wa sekai-ichi' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shigeru Matsuzaki
, known professionally as and sometimes as Shigeru BROWN, is a Japanese singer and actor. He is most known in the West for his contributions to the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, performing the theme songs of ''Nerima Daikon Brothers'' and acting as its lead character, and playing the title character in the film version of ''Space Adventure Cobra''. Matsuzaki is left-handed, as seen whenever he plays bass or guitar, his string instruments are usually tuned with the lower E string at the bottom. He has also collaborated with the popular music group ''Momoiro Clover Z''. Matsuzaki is also a baseball fan, having sung the theme song of the Saitama Seibu Lions of the NPB that began to be used when they moved to Tokorozawa in 1979. In an interview with Weekly Baseball, he said that he "loved drinking whiskey behind the net at the Seibu Dome." Discography *''Yes or No'' (1991) * (1994) * (2000) *''Old Fashion Love Song'' (2000) * (2003) *''My Favorite Songs'' (2005) *''Yes We Can!!'' (2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Imakuni?
, is a name of a costumed character played by Tomoaki Imakuni and created for the promotion of ''Pokémon'' series related products and services. Imakuni? appeared in many promotional live events conducted in Japan between 1997 and 2002, although his visibility has since declined. Activities Imakuni? has written songs for the Pokémon anime, and is known for singing in Japanese commercials for the franchise. He is also credited as a designer for Nintendo 64 game ''Pokémon Stadium'' and Nintendo DS game '' Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia''. Imakuni? is listed as the illustrator on several cards for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. In 2003, he performed in the non-Pokémon related song , with animation produced by Creatures for NHK's Minna no Uta. Like most of the Japanese ''Pokémon'' songs up to that point (including anime opening and ending songs), this was composed by Hirokazu Tanaka. While live appearances have declined, Imakuni?'s activity continued through a now-defunct ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eiichi Ohtaki
Eiichi Ohtaki (July 28, 1948 – December 30, 2013) was a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He first became known as a member of the rock band Happy End, but was better known for his solo work which began in 1972. In 2003, Ohtaki was ranked by HMV Japan at number 9 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts. Patrick Macias referred to Ohtaki as Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, George Martin and Joe Meek "synthesized into a single human being," and called his work "an encyclopedia of everything that was great about pop music in the 20th century." Biography Ohtaki was born in Esashi District, in what is now part of Ōshū. Before joining Happy End, Ohtaki was guitarist in a group called Taboo with future Blues Creation singer Fumio Nunoya. Happy End produced three albums, '' Happy End'' (1970), ''Kazemachi Roman'' (1971) and '' Happy End'' (1973), before officially disbanding on New Year's Eve 1972. Ohtaki had already released his first s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Takashi Matsumoto (lyricist)
is a Japanese lyricist and former musician. After several years playing the drums in the rock bands Apryl Fool and Happy End during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Matsumoto decided to focus on writing lyrics for others in 1974. As of 2015, he had written over 2,100 songs, 130 of which entered the top 10 on the Oricon chart. Total sales of the singles he has written exceed 49.8 million copies, making him the third best-selling lyricist in Japan. In 2017, he was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government for his work in music. Life and career In elementary school, Matsumoto listened to Igor Stravinsky and read poetry by Jean Cocteau. However, he bought a drum kit and became obsessed with rock music because of the Beatles. Matsumoto is a Keio University graduate. Matsumoto's first band was , which covered songs like Them's " Gloria and Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Comin'". In 1968 he joined the psychedelic rock band Apryl Fool, going by the alias Rei Matsumo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kazemachi Roman
is the second album by Japanese folk rock band Happy End, released on URC Records in 1971. In this concept album, Happy End attempted to paint a musical picture of Tokyo before the 1964 Summer Olympics, through which sweeping changes transformed the city forever. “The band’s 1971 album ‘Kazemachi Roman,’ a classic of the genre, describes with a shrug how the Tokyo of their childhood was being swept away and replaced by a high-tech metropolis.“ Background and release OK Music's Naoto Kawasaki notes how Eiichi Ohtaki and Shigeru Suzuki did not contribute to "Kaze wo Atsumete", with Haruomi Hosono playing the bass, guitar and organ and providing its vocals while Takashi Matsumoto plays the drums. Suzuki is also absent from "Kurayamizaka Musasabi Henge", which Kawasaki felt was inspired by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Bannai Tarao, a fictional detective who has appeared in many Japanese crime thrillers, is credited on several of the album's songs. Ohtaki even opens "Haikar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bertrand Burgalat
Bertrand Burgalat Born: July 1963 French musician, composer and producer. Background Bertrand Burgalat was born in the Corsican town of Bastia in 1963. His father, a high-ranking civil servant, was the sub-prefect of the island at the time, but as often happens in this profession, the Burgalat family moved several times in the course of Burgalat senior's career, so young Bertrand grew up in several different towns in France. Obsessed with Classical Music from an early age, Burgalat apparently became fascinated with the possibilities of pop music after seeing Pink Floyd in concert when he was 10 years old. He is married to fashion designer Vanessa Seward. Work Burgalat is well known for his cool, breezy 1960s-style pop sound, something he has lent to his production work with Air, April March, A.S Dragon, Cinnamon, Dalcan, Jad Wio, Mick Harvey, Louis Philippe and the French writer Michel Houellebecq. His musical influences include the "yé-yé" sound of French pop made ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
