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▼The first work 『Otsukura Recording 2020』 received the Music Pen Club Music Award for the best work in the Popular category in 2021! As a sequel, it was recorded with the same concept and sound, and released as 『Otsukura Recording 2021』 by the G.C.R. Orchestra, completing a trilogy that also adds important perspectives to the history of kayōkyoku, with a more elaborate arrangement!

▼The recording was conducted on April 18 and 19, 2023, at the Yōkura-ya Otsukura in Sawara district, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture. Like the previous two works, the arrangements of pre-war popular songs and kayōkyoku are as close to the originals as possible, and the recording method was a single take simultaneous recording using a pre-war style Mazda Type A velocity microphone without multitracking. In addition to the vibraphone, piano, oboe, and second violin used in the previous work, more extra performers and instrument changes were added, including shakuhachi, electric guitar, ukulele, glockenspiel, and celesta, aiming for a unique selection and higher fidelity reproduction!

▼This time, the familiar vocals with Showa kayōkyoku taste were performed by Sanjō Yamada, along with Mipo Kimura, who also sings female vocals for the Gentle Forest Jazz Band, and Kōharu Yanagiya, who takes on challenging and ambitious songs based on Edo-era music, as well as the enchanting voice of Sayuri Nishimoto as a vocalist.

▼The series maintains a consistent “Oto Shugi” (sound principle), focusing on “melody, arrangement, and recording,” and features a selection of songs that differ from hit songs and enduring classics. To verify the sound trends of kayōkyoku in the 1930s realistically, in addition to the composers previously covered—Yashi Eguchi, Kyōsuke Kami, Takeo Abe, and Tokujiro Okubo—songs by Tatsuji Higashi, Itsurō Hattori, Sui Sano (supervised by Kyoichi Watanabe, a grandson disciple of Sano Sui, who composed Sano Sui’s songs) and others are included. By listening through all three works, you can enjoy the dazzling pre-war sound.

Planning and production: Tōru Hori
Music director: Ken Aoki
Commentary: Masato Morii
Photos: Atsuki Takizawa / Kentarō Hasegawa
Design: Takashi Okada
Used microphone: Mazda Type A velocity microphone (Manufactured by Tokyo Shibaura Electric Works, Showa 23 year)

●Track list
DISC① Otsukura Recording 2023
1. Canton Route
2. Longing Lament
3. Red Roof Blue Roof
4. My Autumn
5. Mountain Gorge Soldier
6. Komoro Oiwake
7. Yesterday’s Rose
8. Heart’s Lullaby
9. Departure Night (instrumental)
10. Parental Love Journey
11. It’s Shame If You Don’t Know, It’s True
12. Evening Moon

Vocalists: Sanjō Yamada (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11), Mipo Kimura (tracks 3, 12), Kōharu Yanagiya (track 5, 11), Sayuri Nishimoto (tracks 2, 7)
Performance: G.C.R. Orchestra = Ken Aoki (banjo & guitar & S. guitar & mandolin ukulele), Daiki Mitsui (Vn. & mandolin), Saki Nishida (Vn.), Jito Tsuchiya (guitar & banjo), Kensuke Miyaki (saxophone & flute), Kyoichi Watanabe (saxophone & clarinet), Mami Okubo (oboe), Maya Kawahara (trumpet), Yoshinori Tanuma (trumpet), Tomoki Mitsuka (trombone), Atsushi Matsunaga (tub & contrabass), Taku Yamamoto (accordion piano), Aya Amemiya (piano), Atsuki Takizawa (drums), Soji Kubota (vibraphone, xylo, glockenspiel), Yasumi Miyazawa (shamisen), Kinya Suwaka (shakuhachi)
Arrangements: Ken Aoki (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11), Kyoichi Watanabe (tracks 3, 8, 9)

DISC② Original Special Bonus Sound Source
1. Canton Route / Shirō Omi
2. Longing Lament / Jōichi Nimura, Wakako Maruyama
3. Red Roof Blue Roof / Taeko Takasugi
4. My Autumn / Kōichirō Isshiki
5. Mountain Gorge Soldier / Chiyo Sō
6. Komoro Oiwake / Taro Shōji
7. Yesterday’s Rose / Wakako Maruyama
8. Heart’s Lullaby / Rentarō Kita
9. Departure Night / Nippon Polydor Orchestra
10. Parental Love Journey / Satoru Uehara
11. It’s Shame If You Don’t Know, It’s True / Akira Sasaki, Otomaru
12. Evening Moon / Keiko Nakamura

Media coverage and reviews

The trilogy of 『Otsukura Recording』, faithfully arranged with pre-war original recordings of Showa-era kayōkyoku, focusing on pre-war performance and singing, and reproducing pre-war microphone and recording methods, has finally been completed! Based on historical research of the era, with top jazz players of the time performing kayōkyoku just like the original recordings, this latest work attempts to recreate the sound from over 80 years ago in the modern era! (C)RS
The trilogy of 『Otsukura Recording』, faithfully arranged with pre-war original recordings of Showa-era kayōkyoku, focusing on pre-war performance and singing, and reproducing pre-war microphone and recording methods, has finally been completed! Based on historical research of the era, with top jazz players of the time performing kayōkyoku just like the original recordings, this latest work attempts to recreate the sound from over 80 years ago in the modern era! This deluxe 2-disc set includes the original bonus disc and commentary!
【Disclaimer】The bonus items may end without notice, so please inquire beforehand. If there is no inquiry, we will deliver with the new package. Thank you for your understanding.