Tag Archives: Japan

Cat Stevens: Saturnight

On November 8, 1974, “A&M” label released (only in Japan) “Saturnight”, the first Cat Stevens live album. It was recorded in June 1974, at “Sunplaza Hall”, Nakano, Tokyo, and was produced by Cat Stevens. All the proceeds from the album went to support UNICEF.

Personnel:

  • Cat Stevens – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
  • Alun Davies – guitar, backing vocals
  • Larry Steele – guitars, percussion, backing vocals
  • Jim Cregan – guitar
  • Jean Roussel – keyboards
  • Bruce Lynch – bass guitar
  • Gerry Conway – drums, percussion
  • Anna Peacock – backing vocals
  • Suzanne Lynch – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Cat Stevens, except where noted.

  1. Wild World
  2. Oh Very Young
  3. Sitting
  4. Where Do the Children Play?
  5. Lady D’Arbanville
  6. Another Saturday Night – Sam Cooke
  7. Hard Headed Woman
  8. Peace Train
  9. Father and Son
  10. King of Trees
  11. A Bad Penny
  12. Bitterblue

GRP All-Star Big Band: Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live!

On October 5, 1993, “GRP” label released “Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live!”, album by the GRP All-Star Big Band. It was recorded in January 1993, at “Gotanda Kan-i Hoken Hall” in Tokyo, Japan, and was produced by Dave Grusin, Larry Rosen, Michael Abene and Gretchen Hoffmann Abene.

Personnel:

  • Dave Grusin – piano
  • Tom Scott – conductor, soprano, tenor and baritone sax
  • Eric Marienthal – soprano and alto saxophones
  • Nelson Rangell – soprano and alto saxophones, flute
  • Bob Mintzer – soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet
  • Ernie Watts – soprano and tenor saxophones
  • Arturo Sandoval –trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Chuck Findley – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Byron Stripling – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • George Bohanon – trombone
  • Phillip Bent – flute
  • Eddie Daniels – clarinet
  • Russell Ferrante – piano
  • John Patitucci – bass
  • Dave Weckl – drums
  • Gary Burton – vibraphone
  • Gary Lindsay – arrangements
  • Bernie Kirsh – engineer, mixing
  • Keiichi Yamada – engineer assistant
  • Darren Mora – engineer assistant, mixing
  • Wally Traugott – mastering
  • Dan Serrano – art direction
  • Scott Johnson – art direction
  • Alba Acevedo – design
  • Yasuhisa Yoneda – photography
  • Katsuya Koike – photography
  • Geoff Mayfield – liner notes
  • Michael Landy – post-production
  • Joseph Doughney – post-production
  • Diane Dragonette – assistant coordinator, production coordination
  • Hiroshi Aono – production coordination

Track listing:

  1. Oleo – Sonny Rollins
  2. My Man’s Gone Now – George Gershwin
  3. Sing, Sing, Sing – Lousi Prima
  4. Manteca – Dizzy Gillespie
  5. Blues for Howard – Dave Grusin
  6. Cherokee – Ray Noble
  7. Blue Train – John Coltrane
  8. S Wonderful – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  9. Sister Sadie – Horace Silver
  10. GRP Band Introduction

Yellow Magic Orchestra: Solid State Survivor

On September 25, 1979, “Alfa” label released “Solid State Survivor”, the second Yellow Magic Orchestra studio album. It was recorded March – June 1979, at “Alfa Studio A” in Shibaura, Tokyo, Japan, and was produced by Haruomi Hasono.

Personnel:

  • Ryuichi Sakamoto – keyboards, vocoder, electronics, arrangements, remix, cover conception
  • Haruomi Hosono – bass guitar, synth bass, keyboards, vocoder, electronics, arrangements, remix, cover conception
  • Yukihiro Takahashi – vocals, drums, electronic drums, electronics, arrangements, remix, cover concept, costume design
  • Hideki Matsutake – Microcomposer programming
  • Sandii – vocals
  • Makoto Ayukawa – electric guitar
  • Norio Yoshizawa – recording, remixing
  • Mitsuo Koike – recording
  • Masako Hikasa, Akira Ikuta – recording coordinators
  • Heikichi Harata – art director
  • Lou Beach – logo type
  • Masayoshi Sukita – photography
  • Kunihiko Murai, Shōrō Kawazoe – executive producers
  • Bricks – costumes
  • Takehime, Fumiko Iura, Mayo Tsutsumi – stylists
  • Mikio Honda (Clip) – hair

Track listing:

All tracks by Chris Mosdell, except where noted.

  1. Technopolis – Ryuichi Sakamoto
  2. Absolute Ego Dance – Haruomi Hosono
  3. Rydeen – Yukihiro Takahashi
  4. Castalia – Ryuichi Sakamoto
  5. Behind the Mask – lyrics by Chris Mosdell, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto
  6. Day Tripper – Lennon – McCartney
  7. Insomnia – lyrics by Chris Mosdell, music by Haruomi Hosono
  8. Solid State Survivor – lyrics by Chris Mosdell, music by Yukihiro Takahaski

Momus: Glyptothek

On December 5, 2015, “American Patchwork” label released “Glyptothek”, the 29th Momus album. It was recorded in 2015, in Osaka, Japan, and was produced by Nicholas Currie.

Personnel:

  • Momus (Nicholas Currie) – performer
  • Hagen Verleger – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Nicholas Currie.

  1. The Art Creep
  2. Masks of Bebko
  3. Moral Mountain
  4. Chef Biff
  5. The Kappa
  6. The Etruscan Shepherd
  7. AFK
  8. Gregor Samsa
  9. Hinkfuss at the Glyptothek
  10. The Labourer
  11. The Manticore
  12. Electric Dionysus
  13. Candualism
  14. Nikki Danjo
  15. Old Nick
  16. Papposilenus

Pharaoh Sanders: Tauhid

In October 1967, “Impulse!” label released “Tauhid”, the second Pharoah Sanders album. It was recorded in November 1966, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Bob Thiele.

Personnel:

  • Pharoah Sanders – vocals, alto and tenor saxophone, piccolo
  • Sonny Sharrock – guitar
  • Dave Burrell – piano
  • Henry Grimes – bass
  • Roger Blank – drums
  • Nat Bettis – percussion
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Joe Lebow – design
  • Nat Hentoff – liner notes

Track listing

All tracks by Pharoah Sanders

  1. Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt
  2. Japan
  3. Medley: Aum/Venus/Capricorn Rising

Mr. Big: What If…

On December 15, 2010, “WHD / Victor” label released in Japan “What If…”, the seventh Mr. Big studio album. It was recorded September – October 2010, in Los Angeles, and was produced by Kevin Shirley.

Personnel:

  • Eric Martin – lead vocals
  • Paul Gilbert – guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Sheehan – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Pat Torpey – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Vanessa Parr – engineer
  • Jared Kvitka – engineer
  • Kevin Shirley – mixing
  • Steve Hall – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Pat Torpey and Kevin Dotson, except where noted.

  1. Undertow
  2. American Beauty – Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Pat Torpey
  3. Stranger in My Life – Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Pat Torpey, André Pessis
  4. Nobody Left to Blame – Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Pat Torpey
  5. Still Ain’t Enough for Me – Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Pat Torpey
  6. Once Upon a Time – Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Pat Torpey
  7. As Far as I Can See Now
  8. All the Way Up
  9. I Won’t Get in My Way – Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, PatTorpey, André Pessis
  10. Around the World
  11. I Get the Feeling
  12. Kill Me with a Kiss – Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan, Pat Torpey, André Pessis

Stephen Bishop: Blue Guitars

On May 28, 1996, “Foundation” label released “Blue Guitars”, the sixth Stephen Bishop studio album (album with the same title, but with different tracks was released in Japan in 1994). It was recorded 1993 – 1996, and was produced by Andrew Gold and Jeff Jones.

Personnel:

  • Stephen Bishop – vocals, acoustic guitars
  • Andrew Gold – keyboards, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass, drums, multi-instruments, backing vocals
  • David Crosby – harmony vocals
  • Carnie Wilson – backing vocals
  • Wendy Wilson – backing vocals
  • Pia Zadora – backing vocals
  • Michael McDonald – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Stephen Bishop, except where noted.

  1. I Go Numb – Stephen Bishop, Tom Snow, Andrew Gold
  2. Dive into the Pool of Love – Stephen Bishop, Tom Snom
  3. On Blonde Street
  4. When You Love Somebody
  5. (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet – Freddie Gorman, Bob Hamilton
  6. Wall Around Your Heart
  7. The King of Tonga
  8. Picasso Played a Blue Guitar
  9. Italian Rain
  10. Let Your Heart Remember – Stephen Bishop, Jeff Jones
  11. When Love Was Grand
  12. Separate Lives (acoustic version)
  13. R’s Theme

Vampire Weekend: Father of the Bride

On May 3, 2019, “Columbia” label released “Father of the Bride”, the fourth Vampire Weekend studio album. It was recorded January 2016 – August 2018, at “Effie Street” in  Silverlake, California, “Vox” in Hollywood, “Sony” in Akasaka, Minato, Japan, and was produced by Ariel Rechtshaid, Ezra Koenig, BloodPop, DJ Dahi and Rostam Batmanglij.

Personnel:

  • Ezra Koenig – lead vocals, guitars, mixing
  • Rostam Batmanglij – 12-string acoustic guitar
  • Tommy King – piano
  • Buddy Ross – synthesizers, Wurlitzer, piano, strings, backing vocals 
  • Matt Chamberlain – drums
  • Greg Leisz – electric and pedal steel guitar
  • David Longstreth – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jake Longstreth – guitar
  • John Nixon – guitar
  • Ariel Rechtshaid – guitar
  •  Steve Lacy – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Sam Gendel – saxophone
  • Serena McKinney – violins 
  • Danielle Haim – lead and backing vocals
  • Jude Law – lead vocals
  • Jenny Lewis – vocal sample
  • Ariel Rechtshaid – engineer, mixing
  • Buddy Ross – engineer, mixing
  • Shawn Everett – engineer, mixing
  • Rostam Batmanglij – engineer, mixing
  • Dalton Ricks – engineer
  • Nick Rowe – engineer
  • Chris Kasych – engineer
  • John DeBold – engineer
  • Hiroya Takayama – engineer
  • Takemasa Kosaka – engineer
  • Dave Schiffman – engineer
  • P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) – engineer
  • Michael Harris – engineer
  • Jude Law – engineer
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing
  • Chris Galland – mixing
  • Robin Florent – mixing assistant
  • Scott Desmarais – mixing assistant
  • Emily Lazar – mastering
  • Chris Allgood – mastering assistant
  • Nick Harwood – art direction
  • Primo Kahn – cover design
  • Public-Library – cover design
  • Brendan Ratzlaff – illustration

Track listing:

All tracks by Ezra Koenig, except where noted.

  1. Hold You Now – Ezra Koenig, Hans Zimmer
  2. Harmony Hall
  3. Bambina
  4. This Life – Ezra Koenig, Makonnen Sheran, Mark Ronson
  5. Big Blue
  6. How Long? – Ezra Koenig, William Shelby, Stephen Shockley, Leon F. Silvers III
  7. Unbearably White
  8. Rich Man – Ezra Koenig, S. E. Rogie
  9. Married in a Gold Rush
  10. My Mistake – Ezra Koenig, Ludwig Göransson
  11. Sympathy – Ezra Koenig, Ariel Rechtshaid
  12. Sunflower
  13. Flower Moon – Ezra Koenig, Ariel Rechtshaid
  14. 2021 – Haruomi Hososno, Ezra Koenig
  15. We Belong Together – Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij
  16. Stranger
  17. Spring Snow – Ezra Koenig, BloodPop, Sam Gendel
  18. Jerusalem, New York, Berlin

Ryuichi Sakamoto: async

On March 29, 2017, “Commons” and “Milan” labels released “async”, the nineteenth Ryuichi Sakamoto studio album. It was recorded April – December 2016, at “The Studio”, “Germano Studios” and “Museum of Arts and Design” in New York City, “Bastyr University Chapel” in Kenmore, Washington, “Gateway Mastering” in Portland, Maine, “Kyoto City University of Arts” in Kyoto, Japan, and was produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Mai Yuda. Magazine “Fact” voted “async” the best album of 2017.

Personnel:

  • Ryuichi Sakamoto – piano,
  • Christian Fennesz – guitar, computer
  • N.S.S. – Singing bowls
  • Ian Antonio, Levy Lorenzo, Ross Karre – triangle
  • Ko Ishikawa – Shō  
  • Honjoh Hidejiro – shamisen
  • Ian Antonio, Levy Lorenzo, Ross Karre – percussion
  • David Sylvian – spoken word
  • Andri Magnason, Bernardo Bertolucci, Carsten Nicolai, Christine Leboutte, José Lavat, Keyko Nimsay, Priscilla Leung, Sergei Mihailov, Shirin Neshat, Tang Kit Ming – spoken word vocals
  • Paul Bowles – words
  • Luca – vocals
  • Arseny Tarkovsky – words
  • Simon James – concertmaster
  • David Sabee – concertmaster
  • Alex Venguer, Ryan Kelly, John Winters,.Seigen Ono – recording engineer
  • Jason Staniulis, Matthew Sim, Alec Fellman – engineer assistant
  • Conrad Hensel – recording, mixing
  • Northwest Sinfonia – recording
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Mai Yuda – assistant production
  • Norika Sora – associate production
  • Alec Fellman – production manager
  • Kaz Tsujio – piano technician
  • Shiro Takatani – artwork direction, photography 
  • Yoko Takatani – artwork production

Track listing:

All tracks by Ryuichu Sakamoto

  1. andata
  2. disentigration
  3. solari
  4. ZURE
  5. walker
  6. stakra
  7. ubi
  8. fullmoon
  9. async
  10. tri
  11. Life, Life
  12. honj
  13. ff
  14. garden
  15. Water State 2

Yellow Magic Orchestra: Service

On December 14, 1983, “Alfa Records” label released “Service”, the seventh Yellow Magic Orchestra album. It was recorded September – October 1983, at “Alfa Studio A” in Tokyo, Japan, and was produced by Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Yukihiro Takahashi.

Personnel:

  • Haruomi Hosono – vocals, bass, synth bass, keyboards, electronics, arrangements, mixing
  • Ryuichi Sakamoto – vocals, keyboards, electronics, arrangements, mixing
  • Yukihiro Takahashi – vocals, electronic drums, cymbals, keyboards, electronics, arrangements, mixing
  • Takeshii Fujii, Akihiko Yamazoe – technical assistance

Super Eccentric Theater

  • Yūji Miyake, Hisahiro Ogura, Osamu Hagihashi, Daisuke Yamazaki, Kōichi Nagata, Etsuyo Mitani, Keiko Ishii, Akemi Imamura – counterparts
  • Mitsuo Koike – recording, mixing engineer
  • Akitsugu Doi – assistant engineer
  • Teppei Kasai – mastering
  • Kazusuke Obi – A&R coordinators
  • Tsuguya Inoue – art director, painting
  • Beans – design

Track listing:

  1. Limbo – lyrics by Yukihiro Takahashi, Haruomi Hosono, Peter Barakan, music by Yukihiro Takahashi
  2. S.E.T.
  3. The Madman – lyrics by Yukihiro Takahashi, Peter Barakan, music by Yukihiro Takahashi
  4. S.E.T.
  5. Chinese Whispers – lyrics by Yukihiro Takahashi, Peter Barakan, music by Yukihiro Takahashi
  6. S.E.T.
  7. You’ve Got to Help Yourself – lyrics by Haruomi Hosono, Peter Barakan, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi
  8. S.E.T. + YMO
  9. Shadows on the Ground – lyrics by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi, Peter Barakan, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi
  10. S.E.T.
  11. See Through – lyrics by Peter Barkan, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi, Harumi Hosono
  12. S.E.T.
  13. Perspective – lyrics by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Peter Barakan, music by Ryuichi Sakamoto
  14. S.E.T.