Sake & Tears Tombed Visions

The second instalment of an unofficial two-parter, Episode 8 continues to survey the glorious sounds of Showa Kayo, laying siege to a an extensive haul of 7 inches acquired over the summer months. We’re clocking nearly 40 individual songs. We have show staples like Yujiro Ishihara, Keiko Fuji, Shinichi Mori making return appearances, including a rare super low-key alternative edition of Tetsuya Watari’s ‘Tokyo Drifter’, but the meat of this month’s show is designated for the under appreciated stars of the Showa Kayo world. We have some stirring roots rock via Akiko Wada, some harrowing, super moody Kayo from doomed songstress Hiroko Tomo and two lesser-known cuts from Reiko Ike’s ‘porno-groove’ masterpiece ‘World of Ecstasy’, which caused a stir on its release in 1971, in no small part due to it’s x-rated front cover. There are also haunted lounge versions of two well-known Kayo standards by glamorous model and actress Ako Midorikawa, an opulent, unrequited love ballad by golden voiced Kazuo Funaki and a strangely bewitching and certified ear-worm by Yumiko Kokonoe. We even have a back to back comparison of Tomio Umezawa’s most well known tune, a Led Zep-referencing power ballad and some New Romantic bargain bin gold from boy band ‘Safety Zone’ and a silky, 80's funk ballad from starlet Yuri Honma. There’s even a ghostly, rare concert rendition of show tune and big band singer Yoko Kishi's most famous song ‘Two Stars’, which has been reduced to a funeral ballad and sounds like a stray Nico live cut from the late 80’s. All this amongst the usual late-night whiskey nursers you’d expect. Minimal narration on this month’s edition to allow you to plumb the bargain bin depths, uninterrupted. Full Track List Below:
1.    欧陽菲菲 - 雨のヨコハマ
Ouyang Fei Fei – Rainy Yokohama
2.    本間由里 – こんな夜は
Yuri Honma – Such A Night
3.    美川憲一 - 一番列車の女
Kenichi Mikawa – The Woman on the First Train
4.    和田アキ子 – 放浪(さすらい)・ヨコスカ
Akiko Wada – Wandering/Yokosuka
5.    和田アキ子* – 流れ星
Akiko Wada – Shooting Star
6.    吉村繪梨子 - 逢う時はいつも
Eriko Yoshimura – Whenever I Meet You
7.    九重佑三子 – くちづけからもう一度
Yumiko Kokonoe – Kissing You Again
8.    渡るり子 – どろんこブルース
Ruriko Watari – Doronko Blues
9.    渡 哲也 – 東京流れ者
Tetsuya Watari – Tokyo Drifter (Alternate Slower Version)
10. アン真理子 - 恋のプリンセス
Mariko Ann – Princess of Love
11. 舟木一夫 - 赤坂の夜は更けて
Kazuo Funaki – Late Night In Akasaka
12. 森進一 – 年上の女
Shinichi Mori – The Older Woman
13. 池玲子 - 私という女
Reiko Ike – A Woman Named
14. 池玲子 - 愛のきずな
Reiko Ike - Bonds of Love
15. 近藤正臣 - そんな女の子だから
Masaomi Kondō - Because of the Girl
16. 青山和子 - 夢を下さい
Kazuko Aoyama – Please Give Me A Dream
17. 丸山圭子 – どうぞこのまま
Keiko Maruyama – Please Leave Things As They Are
18. 野路由紀子 – 三つの涙
Yukiko Noji – Three Tears
19. 大木英夫 & 津山洋子 - 新宿そだち
Hideo Oki & Yoko Tsuyama – Shinjuku Raised
20. 園 まり - 淋しかったの
Mari Sono – I was Lonely
21. 泉ちどり– 緋ざくら仁義
Izumi Chidori - Hitoshi Scarlet Sakura
 
22. 津田耕次 – 河内遊侠伝
Koji Tsuda – Kawachi Yuuden
23. 石原裕次郎 - 忘れるものか
Yuji Ishihara – What To Forget
24. 緑川アコ - カスバの女
Ako Midorikawa – Kasabah Woman
25. 緑川アコ - 夢は夜ひらく
Ako Midorikawa – Dreams Open at Night
26. 青山ミチ - 俺のブルース
Michi Aoyama – My Blues
27. 勝彩也 - 恋あざみ
Aya Katsu – Koi Azami
28. 辺見マリ - 経験 - 辺見マリ
Mari Henmi – Experience
29. 佳川ヨコ - 女

Episode 7 sees a firm return to the glorious realms of Showa Kayo with nearly 2 hours of back-to-back gold from the Tokyo bargain bins. We have stand-out singles from gravelly voiced enka hardman Koji Tsuda, a ghostly prairie ballad by Tokiko Kato, a gorgeously gloomy 90’s love song by Mariya Takeuchi and a dramatic miniature masterpiece by Chiemi Eri, one of the best to every do it. Comparison tunes are back in the fold and you’ll be able to pick you favourite version of ‘Hibotan Bakuto’ sung by both chambara film star Junko Fuji and show regular Mina Aoe as well and two interpretations of ‘Ginza Blues’, with the original sung by Frank Nagai & Kazuko Matsuo. We also have some laconic lounge tunes by the delicately voiced Keiko Saijo, fist clenching enka by Yakuza film bit part actor Takuzo Kawatani and a run of taste testing 80’s audaciousness from Kenji Niinuma, Down Town Boogie Woogie Band and Tatsuhiko Yamamoto, closing the show with two very special low-key songs from Japan’s fertile experimental music scene. Full Tracklist below:
 
1. 水原 弘 – 男なら
Hiroshi Mizuhara – If You’re A Man
2. 伊東きよ子 - 花のマドンナ
Kiyoko Itoh - Flower Madonna
3. 松尾和子 & フランク永井 - 銀座ブルース
Kazuko Matsuo & Frank Nagai – Ginza Blues
4. 黒木憲 - オンザロック・ロック
Ken Kuroki – On The Rocks Rock
5. 北玲子 - 女の手形
Reiko Kita – Woman’s Handprint
6. 小川知子 - 銀色の雨
Tomoko Ogawa – Silver Rain
7. 加藤登紀子 - 帰りたい帰れない
Tokiko Kato – I Want To Go Home, But Can’t
8. 千賀かほる – チャリソヨ・ソウル
Kaoru Chiga - Charisoyo Soul
9. 藤圭子 ‎– さいはての女
Keiko Fuji – Sai Hate No On’na
10. 杉良太郎 – 男のうた
Ryotaro Sugi – Man’s Song
11. 江利チエミ - さのさ
Chiemi Eri - Sanosa
12. 西田佐知子 - 銀座ブルース
Sachiko Nishida – Ginza Blues
13. 西城慶子 -人の気も知らないで
Keiko Saijo – Don’t Even Know People
14. 西城慶子 - 湖畔の宿
Keiko Saijo – Lakeside Inn
15. フランク永井 – 東京午前三時
Frank Nagai – Tokyo 3am
16. 藤純子 - 緋牡丹博徒
Junko Fuji – Hibotan Bakuto
17. 青江三奈 - 緋牡丹博徒
Mina Aoe – Hibotan Bakuto
18. 志賀勝 - 残俠ふたり旅
Masaru Shiga – The Two Remaining Travellers
19. 津田耕次 - 東海遊侠伝
Koji Tsuda – Tokai Yukuden
20. 川谷拓三 - 殺られ節
Takuzo Kawatani – Killer Bushi
21. 川谷拓三 - 必殺からくり人・負犬の唄
Takuzo Kawatani – Song of the Deadly Man / Black Dog
22. 杉良太郎 - 流れ者小唄
Ryotaro Sugi – Floating Song
23. ダウンタウン・ブギウギ・バンド - 白昼の死角
Downtown Boogie Woogie Band – Blind Spot In The Daytime Theme
24. 新沼謙治 - 津軽恋女
Kenji Niinuma – Tsugaru Koijo
25. かしぶち 哲郎 - 眩暈
Tetsuro Kashibuchi – Dazzling
26. 山本達彦 – May Storm
Tatsuhiko Yamamoto - May Storm
27. 松田聖子 - 花の中の民子
Seiko Matsuda - The Tomb of Wild Chrysanthemum Theme
28. 竹内まりや ‎– シングル・アゲイン
Mariya Takeuchi – Single Again
29. Ghost - Way To Shelkar
30. Hontatedori – Iron Fence
 

With over 70 tracks and a suitably immersive run time of well over three hours, episode 6 of Sake & Tears is another special, this time focusing on the fertile ground of Japanese film and TV soundtracks. Featuring carefully selected audio from long running weekly Samurai action shows, coming of age dramas, art-house curiosities and a predictably heavy focus on all things crime, this edition runs from nocturnal jazz, gorgeous 90’s ambience, the odd 80's fist clencher and deep into gritty 70’s funk. We have killer cuts from the filmographies of legendary Japanese composers like Kenji Kawai, Joe Hisashi, Shigeru Umebeyashi and Masaaki Hirao with lesser-known work from Daisuke Kume, Chuji Kinoshita and jazz bassist Osamu Shiomura, finishing the show with startling and beautiful rare composition form the incomparable and peerless giant of Japanese film, Toru Takemitsu.
1.-4. – Akihiko Takashima – The Beast Must Die (1980) - AX-7286-AX
5.-10. - Toshiro Mayuzumi – The Beast Must Die (1959) - FJSP330
11.-14. - Shigeru Umebayashi – Let Him Rest In Peace - C28A0412
15.-16. – Daisuke Kume- Violent Cop - CINK-46
17.-20. – Joe Hisaishi – Kid’s Return - PROS-7036
21.-24 – Osamu Shiomura – Death’s In Tokimeki - 20MX 1162
25.-28. - Masaaki Ohmura – “You Gotta Chance” - SM25-5413
29.-32. – Kenji Kawai – Patlabor 2 - WRWTFWW048LTD
33.-36. – Chuji Kinoshita – My Son! My Son! - MR-7053
37.-40. - Hozan Yamamoto & Yu Imai – The Devil’s Flute - MRBLP234
41.-48. - Masaaki Hirao – Deadly Worker Vol. 3 - K22G-7243
49.-52. - Katsuhisa Hattori – Edo No Kaze - HRLP 216
53.-57. - Masaaki Hirao – Mortal Punishment - K23G-7282
58.-61. - Tatsuya Takahashi & Tokyo Union – Big City - MR 7042
62. – Sounds Ace Band – Theme from ‘Oh Youth!’ - YLT132
63. – Sounds Ace Band – Theme from ‘Endless Days’ - YLT132
64. – Anzen Band – Theme from ‘Endless Days’ - BMA-4
65.-67 - Inoue Takayuki Band – Howl At The Sun - AX-8033
68. – Bunta Sugawara – Excerpt from Battles Without Honour and Humanity - CF-49
69. – Unknown – Theme from ‘The Fang of Edo’ - DR-6371
70. – Takeo Yamashita – Theme from ‘7 Detectives’ - DR 6209
71. – Toru Takemitsu – Time Within Memory - KVX-1063

Marking the first Jazz Special, this month’s episode of Sake and Tears aims to explore the Japanese Jazz scene from the 60’s to the modern day, with a mixture of straight-ahead bangers, deep dark fusion workouts, avant-garde curiosities and solo piano beauty. Tracks have been carefully selected from lesser-known albums from back catalogue of titans like Yosuke Yamashita, Masabumi Kikuchi, Terumasa Hino and Masahiko Togashi as well as giving some well-deserved exposure to the likes of Satoko Fujii, Tomami Koyake, Akira Miyazawa, Shoji Aketagawa and Tokashi Kako. Full Tracklist below:

1.    Hozan Yamamoto – Prologue
2.    Hozan Yamamoto – Sawonose
3.    Gary Peacock – Requiem
4.    Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band – Memory
5.    Toshiko Akiyoshi Quartet – Sumi
6.    Satoko Fujii Orchestra – Jo
7.    Akira Sakata – Saitaroh-Bushi
8.    Jam Rice Sextet – Jam Rice Relaxin' Side B (Edit)
9.    Masabumi Kikuchi Quintet - Admire, But Detest (Mr. Out)
10. Tokashi Kako - L'Aube
11. Tamami Koyake – Activity
12. Yosuke Yamashit & Masahiko Togashi – May Green
13. Kiyoshi Sugimoto Quartet – Rosetta Stone
14. Akira Miyazawa – ‘Round Midnight
15. Akira Miyazawa/Masahiko Sato/Masahiko Togashi/Yasuo Arakawa – Scarborough Fair
16. Nobuyasu Furuya Quintet – Jap Agitator Caught Again
17. Terumasa Hino – Wind Blows Your Skin
18. Shoji Aketagawa – Khalifa
19. Sabu Toyozumi - Malachi's Tune
20. Yosuke Yamashita Trio + 1 – Picasso
21. Yosuke Yamashita Trio & Guests - Anomachi Konomachi
22. Honda Takehiro Trio – You Don’t Know What Love Is

Making up for the delays between shows, this month's edition is another bumper episode, featuring multiple tracks from screen legends Tetsuya Watari and Yujiro Ishihara, Avant-pop duo Ippu-Do, doomed ballader Hako Yamasaki, Argentinian folk singer Graceila Susana and Showa Kayo starlet Aki Yashiro. We also have the long overdue appearance of the iconic Maki Asakawa, who reinvented what Showa Kayo could do with a series of delicate and introspective albums in the 70's, blending folk, jazz and American blues into bewitching nocturnal cocktail built around her trademark smoky vocals. This show premieres two songs from her recently reissued album 'American Night', which saw Maki move her signature sound into the realms of urban, late night funk. Also on the show we have singles from the Japanese James Dean, Keiichiro Akagi, Cop and Samurai film star Ryotaro Sugi, avant-garde renaissance man Toshinori Kondo, psych-blues songstress Lily and returning hits from Tamaki Sawa, Keiko Fuji, Sachiko Nishida and Midori Sasa. Full Track list below:

1.   東京流れ者 - 渡哲也
Tetsuya Watari – Tokyo Drifter
2.   石原裕次郎 - ワン･レイニー･ナイト･イン･トーキョー
Yujiro Ishihara – One Rainy Night In Tokyo
3.   渡哲也 - 通りゃんせ仁義
Tetsuya Watari – Toryanse Jingi
4.    牧村三枝子 - 通りゃんせ仁義 –
Mieko Makimura - Toryanse Jingi
5.   石原裕次郎 - 男の嵐
Yujiro Ishihara – Man’s Storm
6.   近藤等則 & IMA – Yami
Toshinori Kondo & IMA – Yami
7.   一風堂 – ロンリー・シーライオン
Ippu-Do - Lonely Sealion
8.   一風堂 – ドリーム・オブ・ザ・ジプシーズ
Ippu-Do – Dream of the Gypsies
9.   中森明菜 - 燠火
Akina Nakamori – Okibi
10. 山本達彦 - ナイト・メモリーズ
Tatsuhiko Yamamoto - Night Memories
11. カルメン・マキ - 時には母のない子のように
Carmen Maki – Sometimes Like A Motherless Child
12. みなみらんぼう - 武蔵野
Ranbo Minami – Musashino
13. 沢 たまき - グッド・バイ・マイ・ラブ
Tamaki Sawa – Goodbye, My Love
14. リリィ- うらがえしの愛
Lily – Turn It Over Love
15. 山崎ハコ - きまぐれ
Hako Yamazaki – Whimsical
16. 山崎ハコ - さいなら
Hako Yamazaki – Goodbye
17. 日吉ミミ - 男と女のお話
Mimi Hiyoshi – Story of a Man and a Woman
18. 赤木圭一郎 - 今日かぎりの恋
Keiichiro Akagi – Today’s Only Love
19. 西田佐知子 - 信じていたい
Sachiko Nishida – I Want To Believe
20. 藤 圭子 - 東京流れもの
Keiko Fuji – Tokyo Drifter
21. 杉良太郎 - 君は人のために死ねる
Ryotaro Sugi – Will You Die For Others?
22. 石川さゆり - 津軽海峡冬景色
Sayuri Ishikawa – Tsugaru Winter Scene
23. 笹みどり - 母子舞い
Midori Sasa – Mother & Child Dance
24. 八代亜紀 - おんな港町
Aki Yashiro – Woman Port Town
25. 八代亜紀 - あなたのブルース
Aki Yashiro – Your Blues 
26. グラシェラ・スサーナ – ワン・レイニー・ナイト・イン・トーキョー
Graciela Susana – One Rainy Night In Tokyo
27. グラシェラ・スサーナ – 別離（わかれ） = Un Anno D'Amore
Graciela Susana – Seperation (Wakare)
28. 浅川マキ – 雪が降る
Maki Asakawa – It’s Snowing
29. 浅川マキ – 女
Maki Asakawa - Woman
30. 浅川マキ – アメリカの夜
Maki Asakawa – American Night

May’s edition of Sake and Tears is a bumper episode, featuring a whopping 26 songs of bargain bin brilliance. Along with the usual cuts from cult crime and samurai films we have two sets of three song comparisons throughout the show, dotting different versions of ‘Yanagase Blues’ and ‘Dreams Open At Night’ amongst filmic curiosities from Tatsuya Fuji, Hiroki Matsukata and Shigeru Amachi, stone cold classics from show regulars Keiko Fuji, Mina Aoe, Hiroko Ogi and Shinichi Mori and even a cursory look at City Pop, a fusion of jazz, soft rock, funk and soul that became the soundtrack of Bubble Economy-era Japan. Full Track list is below:

1.  美川憲一 - 柳ヶ瀬ブルース
Kenich Mikawa - Yanagase Blues
2.   奥村チヨ - 恋狂い
Chiyo Okumura – Love Madness
3.  黛ジュン – 土曜の夜何かが起きる 黛ジュン
Jun Mayuzumi – Something Happens On A Saturday Night
4.  若山富三郎 - 極道ブルース
Tomisaburo Wakayama – Gokudo Blues
5. 森進一 - 誰よりも君を愛す
Shinichi Mori – I’ll Love You More Than Anyone
6. 李成愛 - 避けられない運命
Lee Sung Ae – Unavoidable Fate
7. 藤圭子 - 柳ヶ瀬ブルース
Keiko Fuji – Yanagase Blues
8. 沢たまき - カスバの女
Tamaki Sawa – Kasbah Woman
9. 天知 茂 - 非情のライセンス
Shigeru Amachi – Ruthless Licence
10. 渥美二郎 - 釜山港へ帰れ
Hiroki Matsukata – Nemuri Shiro’s Theme
11. 西田佐知子 - 一対一のブルース
Sachiko Nishida – One On One Blues
12. 三島由紀夫 - からっ風野郎
Yukio Mishima – Afraid To Die
13. 扇ひろ子 - 夜がわらってる
Hiroko Ogi – The Night Is Falling
14. 安藤 昇 - 黒犬
Noboru Ando – Black Dog
15. 鹿内孝 - 本牧メルヘン
Takashi Shikauchi – Honmaki Fairy Tale
16. 由紀さおり - 夜明けのスキャット
Saori Yuki – Scat at Dawn
17.寺尾聰 – Habana Express
Akira Terao – Habana Express
18. 河合奈保子 - 霧雨の埠頭
Naoko Kawai – Fog Rain Pier
19. 八神純子 – シークレット・ラブ
Junko Yagami – Secret Love
20.渡辺真知子 - フォグ・ランプ
Machiko Watanabe – Fog Lamp
21. 藤竜也 - 花一輪
Tatsuya Fuji – Flower Round
22. 藤竜也 - 夢は夜ひらく
Tatsuya Fuji – Dreams Open At Night
23. 三上寛 - 夢は夜ひらく
Kan Mikami – Dreams Open At Night
24. 藤圭子 - 圭子の夢は夜ひらく
Keiko Fuji – Keiko’s Dreams Open At Night
25. 青江三奈 - 柳ケ瀬ブルース
Mina Aoe – Yanagase Blues
26. 小林旭 - 修羅の伝説
Akira Kobayashi – Legend of Turmoil Theme
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJPAsYnWDds&t=80s)