Label:Columbia – AF-7268
Country:Japan
Used LP 1984
Disc:VG+ (good shape)
Jacket:VG (stains on mainly back, light wears/scuffs) w/obi, insert
Ryoichi Hattori is one of most important Japanese musician who left more than 3,000 works during his lifetime, ranging from orchestral music, jazz, Kayo style and pop music from the prewar period in the 1920s. This is a collection of Ryoichi Hattori covers released in 1984 and produced by Aki Ikuta, Mariah Yasuaki Shimizu's longtime production partner. The entire album was arranged in a new wave-like style, perhaps because it was after the release of Mariah's "Utakata No Hibi" released the previous year, in which Ikuta of course also participated. Yasuaki Shimizu is credited as an arranger, but it seems that he was busy working to and from Paris and only participated in performance. However, Ikuta's skill is evident in the experimental spirit such as ethno wave tune of mysterious beauty "My Unchanged Heart", romantic oriental "China Baby In My Arms", and excellent arrangement of a modern Showa period tune "Love's Gone". At the time, prewar fashion and music were being reevaluated in the same way as today's Showa-era retro boom, and this seems to have had some influence on the music. Aki Ikuta, who was a considerable record nerd, produced a sober but "understanding" production that is also worth listening to. It's the best!
1920年代の戦前からオーケストラ、ジャズ、ポップス、歌謡曲に至るまで生涯3000以上に上る作品を残した大音楽家 服部良一。本作は84年発表の、マライア清水靖晃の長年の制作パートナーでもある生田朗がプロデュースを手掛けた服部良一カバー集。生田ももちろん参加していた前年リリースのマライアの「うたかたの日々」のリリース後というのもあるのかニューウェーヴライクなアレンジが全編施されていて、アレンジで清水靖晃がクレジットされていますがどうやらパリとの行き来で多忙の頃だったようで演奏面のみの参加のようです。しかしながら生田の手腕であるであろう怪しくも美しいエスノ・ウェーヴ”いとしあの星”、ロマンシチズム漂うオリエンタルな”蘇州夜曲”、昭和モダンの好アレンジ”夢去りぬ”などなど実験精神みなぎる楽曲が並びます。当時今の昭和レトロブームに見るように戦前のファッションや音楽が見直されていた頃のようでそのような影響もあるように思います。相当なレコードオタクであったという生田朗の全編に漂う派手さはないものの”わかってる”プロデュースも聴き所です。最高かよ！
A1 - チャイナ・タンゴ
A2 - 夢去りぬ
A4 - 牡丹の曲
B1 - 広東ブルース
B2 - いとしあの星
B3 - 蘇州夜曲
B4 - 銀座カンカン娘
