V.A.:V.A. That's Nippon: Cinema Songs 1931-1940 / ザッツ・ニッポン・キネマソング
ザッツ・ニッポン・キネマソング
V.A.: That's Nippon: Cinema Songs 1931-1940 (2018)
This is the kind of compilation that made me appreciate old music from Japan again, proving it had something original to offer in the 30s which was worth as a scene on its own to check out, with roots from Berlin to New York and Tokyo. Highly recommended. All songs are great.
1 淡谷のり子 / Noriko Awatani / Noriko Awaya:
スピード・ホイ(松竹蒲田映画「マダムと女房」より) / Speed Hui (from The Neighbour's Wife and Mine)
The first song is 30s hopping jazz played by banjo, violin and brass with a sharp grotesque soprano lead voice and some responding backing vocalists, a great song in 30s style.
2. 長崎秀夫 / Hideo Nagasaki:
恋は魔術師(P.C.L映画「音楽喜劇ほろよひ人生」より) / Koi wa Majustsushi (from Intoxicated Life)
The second song is a jazzy cabaret-like song in a calmer rhythm and trombone/banjo/violin rhythm.
3 東海林太郎 / Tokai Hayashi Taro / Taro Shoji:
南へ南へ(ボルネオ探検映画「バンサ」より) / Minami e Minami e (from Bansa)
This is a slow, "romantic" song of the 30s with lead vocals, violin and a sparsely orchestrated rhythmical drive.
4 藤原釜足 / Kamatari Fujiwara:
人生勉強(P.C.L映画「只野凡児 人生勉強」より) / Jinsei Benkyo (from Tada no Banji Jinsei Benkyo)
This song has a brilliant exotic, somewhat oriental rhythm mixed with jazz.
5 山村道子 / Michiko Yamamura:
月の夜(P.C.L映画「浪子の一生」より) / Tsukinoyo (from Namiko no Isho)
This is an entertaining rhythmic honky tonk jazz song with cabaret-like soprano voice
6 神谷眞佐子 / Masako Kamiya, Taro Shoji, Obana Tamamo:
樽をたゝいて(P.C.L映画「あるぷす大将」より) / Taru Ota Ite (from Aru Pusu Taisho)
This track has something of a Japanese traditional with old string and rhythmic instruments but with modern dynamics of the recording, with group singing responses.
7 東海林太郎 / Tokai Hayashi Taro / Taro Shoji:
遠い日よ(P.C.L映画「絹の泥靴」より) / To Hiyo (from KInu no Dorgutsu)
This is a more serious ballroom-alike song with banjo and strings.
8 藤田稔 / Minoru Fujita:
浅草ブルース(P.C.L映画「乙女ごころ三人姉妹」より) /
Asakusa Blues (from Three Sisters with Maiden Hearts)
This is a typical rhythmical enka song with sad voice and trumpet solos. It is comparable a style of what they promoted in Korea too during the occupation.
9 小林重四郎 / Kunisadachuji Choshiro Kobayashi:
あめやの唄-国定忠治-(日活京都作品「江戸の春 遠山桜」より) /
Ame Ya no Uta (from Edo no Haru Toyamasakura)
This song sounds like a traditional Japanese song with old instruments but with jazzy parts in between too.
10 岸井明 / Akira Kishii:
唄の世の中(P.C.L映画「唄の世の中」より) / Uta no Yononaka (from Uta no Yonanaka)
This is a jazz cabaret track in which the singer partly imitates the jazz trumpet too.In some way this goes in the direction of Louis Armstrong but then in a cabaret-context for what concerns the singer.
11 リキー宮川 / Rikki Miyagawa, Noriko Awaya:
かっぽれ人生(P.C.L映画「かっぽれ人生」より) / Kappore Jinsei (from Kappore Jinsei)
This is jazz cabaret of male/female duet.
12 奥田良三 / Ryozo Okuda:
王様の馬(P.C.L映画「かっぽれ人生」より) / Osama no Uma (from Kappore Jinsei)
banjo with jazz orchestra and operatic voice, jazz-cabaret style.
13 藤山一郎 / Ichiro Fujiyama:
恋の饗宴(P.C.L映画「東京ラプソディ」より) / Koi no Kyoen (from Tokyo Rhapsody)
Berlin/American 30s song -styled cabaret-jazz with tasteful singing and accompanied by combo/orchestra. I think this can be a cover (O Rosarita?)
14 榎本健一 / Kenichi Enomoto:
僕の一生(P.C.L映画「エノケンの吾妻錦絵江戸ッ子三太」) /
Boku no Issho (from Adzuma Nishikie Edokko Santa)
This light jazz with footstep kind of honky tonk rhythms, original in its colorful arrangements. The voice is very cabaret-like and theatrically entertaining.
15 能勢妙子 / Taeko Nosei:
タイピストの唄(P.C.L映画「ハリキリ・ボーイ」より) / Tapisuto no Uta (from Harikiri Boi)
This is a typewriter rhythm cabaret-like and rather musical-filmic song.
16 東海林太郎 / Tokai Hayashi Taro / Taro Shoji:
隅田夜鳩(J.O映画「夜の鳩」より) / Sumida Yoru Hato (from Yoru no Hato)
This is a enka/jazz/foktrot song with accordion lead and some sparse responding and instrumental parts of arrangements.
17 堀越節子 / Setsuko Horikoshi, Eiko Hirai:
お嬢さん(上)(下)(P.C.L映画「お嬢さん」より) / Ojosan (Ue, Shita) (from Ojosan)
This is one of these innocent looking and sounding actresses who sings now and then. A charming track, clearly taken from a movie in which a contemplative moment expresses itself in song and spoken word. A track from nearly 7 minutes and almost like a movie fragment with a sonic life its own.
18 轟夕起子 / Yukiko Todoroki:
哀しき青空(日活映画「限りなき前進」より) / Kanashiki Aozora (from Unending Advance)
Also this is a charming song of filmic character with a jazz accompaniment that often remains a bit more in the background except for the instrumental parts and arrangements.
19 伏見信子 / Nobuko Fushimi:
唄ふ姫君(松竹下加茂映画「弥次喜多大陸道中」より) / Utafu Himegimi (from Yajikita Tairiku Dochu)
This is a sweet foxtrot enka song with jazzy accompaniment.
20 榎本健一 / Kenichi Enomoto:
エノケンの出世角力(東宝映画「エノケンの誉れの土俵入」) /
Enoken no Shusse Sumou (from Enoken no Homare no Dohyoiri)
his is more theatrical podium-cabaret accompanied by a jazzy combo. It has some foot stomping rhythms too.
21 岡譲二 / Joji Oka:
僕の夢 / Boku no Yume
This is a enka song with walking rhythm, cabaret-jazz styled.
22 伊東薫 / Kaoru Ito, Aiko Hoka and others:
僕ノ誕生日(上)(下) / Boku no Tanjobi (Ue, Shita)
This is a film fragment with lots of voices while the musics tearing the direction and mood. It takes a while before a real song emerges from it, but there's a lot dialogue. It is the most filmic part of all tracks. But hidden in it is some cabaret-like parts too, and a folk song.
All tracks were perfectly remastered.
