Serene state of mind

Recently, under worldwide trend, various singers in pops field in Japan are performing with symphony orchestra.
Last February, there was a musical event that several singers performed with symphony orchestra, and Chikuzen Satou took part in, too.
One of the pioneers might be Kouji Tamaki from Anzen-Chitai,
But Chikuzen is not the one who leaped at this movement.
Many of those singers arrange their own songs for symphony orchestra and perform.
Instead, Chikuzen watched the recent movement of approximation of classical music and pop music, and thought what he wanted to express, and decided to record a cover work.
Chikuzen says that he takes prior to be honest to satisfy his own desire in music than appealing himself in pop music scene in Japan.
But it doesn't mean he ignores music scene in Japan and fans.
Listeners who seek for music different from current Japanese pops, distinction between Japan and world or category is disappearing...
Under such situation, he tried to make his place in music scene clear.

Eight songs he selected seem to be inconsistent,
But as we see the background of those songs, there is a common point; they are selected based on musical roots of each song.
Baroque music leading to hard rock is behind "Story Of My Life".
Melody of "Hey Brother" is peculiar to country western, and cowboy movie music leads to this, and European classical music is behind them.
He didn't want to perform light classical music.
The point of arrangement is how to bring out appeals of original songs with the form of symphony music.
In "Story Of My Life" and "Africa", African percussionists from Senegal and Gen Oogimi who acquired skill in western Africa, take part in -there is no transcribing the groove on musical score!
When Sing Like Talking made their debut, they held a debut concert with Jeff Porcaro.
People who know about this would be delighted if they listen to "Africa" -so would have been Jeff
-This was my first impression when I listened to this album.

Chikuzen didn't record fourth Christmas album in 2016 because of this album.
But following "Your Christmas Day III" in 2015, a song inspired by new chocolat of Susumu Koyama, who won a victory at a contest again, is included.
Koyama asked Chikuzen to write a song of his new chocolat again, but it's not something organized.
Koyama's intention was to spread the story behind his chocolat.
Violence of nature like earthquake disasters, blessings of nature like plants... people are tiny creatures existing under such things.
The title thought at first was "Legacy", but it ended up in "Human".
"Ashitae"(toward tomorrow) was originally written as a college song of an art college in Yamagata.
It also works a role as a rooters' song for reconstruction from 3.11 earthquake disaster.
　The lyricist is a scenario writer from Kumamoto prefecture, where was stricken by earthquake disaster last April.
　　As "For Kumamoto Version", this song was included in this album, with new lyrics and symphony arrangement.

(Translation: Unable-to-think-up-handle)

November 23, 2016 Universal J, UPCH-2099



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