Japanese Girl

Description

When Akiko Suzuki leaves her hometown of Aomori for Tokyo in the early 70s, she is 15 years old and determined to become a professional musician. She is quickly spotted at the Rob Roy jazz club and in 1973 releases a single with the band Zariba that catches the attention of producer Koki Miura. After her marriage to producer Makoto Yano and the birth of their son, Yano and his team decide to reach out to Little Feat to propose a collaboration with the band. Against all odds, they agree, and Yano travels to Los Angeles in March 1976 to record a full side with the group. The New Orleans slow funk of Little Feat works wonders with Yano's melodies, as evidenced by "Funamachi-Uta Part 2." Originally a traditional song from the Nebuta Festival in Aomori, the version with Little Feat becomes a formidable groove comparable to their classic "Spanish Moon," showcasing Yano's beautiful voice. It’s the perfect union between the sound of Little Feat at its peak and Yano's Japanese touch. The Japanese side of the album provides a good overview of the Tokyo music scene in the 70s, with many musicians orbiting around Haruomi Hosono and also the Japanese band Les Moonriders. Recorded in the legendary Onkyo Haus studio in Tokyo, the sessions blend pop and folk sensibilities with traditional Japanese sounds and instruments such as the shinobue flute, the koto, or the hand drum Tsuzumi played on "Hekoriputaa" by legendary percussionist Kisaku Katada, named a living national treasure in 1999; together, they create a beautiful East-West mix driven by Yano's unique creativity and talent. A trial run, Japanese Girl is also a masterstroke and makes Akiko Yano one of the key artists of the national scene in an album that has since become a classic of Japanese music. Wewantsounds is now very happy to present this essential album outside of Japan for the first time.