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I know it’s been a while since I last posted an update to the site and I’ll try to get back in an updating groove with today’s entry. Acoustic Parsha will be on NHK’s 30m music show “Yume·Ongaku Kan” (Dream Music Theatre) on 16 December (Japan) and on 20 December (a Monday at 3:30p HST) here in the U.S. for digital cable subscribers of TV Japan. What sets this show apart from the other Japanese music shows is that the artists appearing on it (usually two and in this episode Acoustic Parsha will be performing with J-Rock singer YAIDA “Yaiko” Hitomi) will do a cover song and perform each others’ song(s). [via Parsha cluB Fan Blog]
Rimi Natsukawa recently wrapped up her successful “unRIMIted” nationwide tour on December 17 at Tokyo’s Nakano Sun Plaza. Rimi performed a total of 16 songs (including the just released single “Kokoro Tsutae”) at the final concert with a sanshin version of the mega-hit song “Nada Sou Sou”. Her “unRIMIted” tour consisted of 70 shows from Hokkaido to Okinawa and she also toured with Misako Koja (Shoudai Nenes) in a joint concert totaling 60 shows for a total of 130 concerts!. Rimi’s plans for 2005 is to write her own lyrics and music—something we here are looking forward to hearing. Don’t forget to watch her on this year’s Kouhaku (linked to OkinawanMusic.org)! [via Yahoo! Japan]
It’s been a bit too quiet at the Chitose Hajime Fan Blog as we wait patiently for Chitose’s return and of course, our prayers go out to her for a complete recovery. Chitose’s birthday is coming up soon (January 5) and what better early present than having her song “Kono Machi” in the film “Ichigo no Kakera (Ichigo Chips)”. “Ichigo” is based on a manga (see image above) by Tsutomu Takahashi who also penned the popular manga Sky High (which was turned into a film starring gravure idol Yumiko Shaku).
“Kono Machi” also happened to be used for the NHK drama serial “Manten” (much of the series was shot on location in Kagoshima Prefecture) and is one of my favorite songs of hers. “Ichigo Chips”, directed by Shun Nakahara (who also happens to be from Kagoshima Prefecture), will make its theatrical run in Japanese theaters come February 2005.
High and Mighty Color, the “younger brother” of popular J-Pop group ORANGE RANGE (who just released their 2nd album “musiQ” on December 1st), is set to release their major label debut early next year. HandMC is a six-member group from Okinawa with two vocalists (Maakii [17] and Yuusuke [19]), two guitarists (MEG [20] and Kazuto [20]), a basist (mACKAz [20]) and a drummer (SASSY [20]). In this sense, they seem closer in makeup to the indies band HY rather than ORANGE RANGE, and I suspect that their music may be quite similar to CRIMSON (another indies group). Their debut song “PRIDE” (SECL-140) is set to be used as the opening theme for the anime Gundam Seed Destiny , and will be coupled with the songs “Hikaru Kakera” and “all alone”. The release date is 26 January 2005 and the price for the 4-track disc will be ¥1,223.
Today was the inaugural performance of a new KZOO radio (our local Japanese-language radio station) segment that will feature local Okinawan music on the first Sunday of every month. Our Thursday group’s fe/male performers played two songs each and did a pretty swell job (I think it was the first time they performed live on radio).
“Umichiru” (pictured with group member Dexter T.) will be taking over the retiring Keiko Ura’s place as DJ for the Sunday Okinawa show. I met her at the Tamagusuku Ryu Senjukai Hawaii’s Awamori Fest and she seems like a very nice person. (Here’s wishing her luck as the new face of KZOO’s Sunday Okinawa broadcast.)
Most of the group were already at the studio when I arrived there (around 5:30p) and they were practicing/warming up before the on-air at 6:00p.
It was the first time that I visited the station since they moved from their Ward location (they’re now in one of Manoa Marketplace’s 2nd floor offices) and the studio is very nice and cozy.
Sadly, I didn’t have a chance to take any pics of the female group since they were up shortly after the guys and I helped out on sanshin (which also explains why I’m not in any of the pics too). After the 30 minute show, we headed downstairs for dinner at Hanaki (known for their delicious Japanese food buffet). All in all, despite the rainy weather, it turned out to be a pretty nice Sunday. :)
Saturday, December 18, 2004
>> Acoustic Parsha on NHK’s Yume·Ongaku Kan
I know it’s been a while since I last posted an update to the site and I’ll try to get back in an updating groove with today’s entry. Acoustic Parsha will be on NHK’s 30m music show “Yume·Ongaku Kan” (Dream Music Theatre) on 16 December (Japan) and on 20 December (a Monday at 3:30p HST) here in the U.S. for digital cable subscribers of TV Japan. What sets this show apart from the other Japanese music shows is that the artists appearing on it (usually two and in this episode Acoustic Parsha will be performing with J-Rock singer YAIDA “Yaiko” Hitomi) will do a cover song and perform each others’ song(s). [via Parsha cluB Fan Blog]
>> Rimi Winds Up Nationwide Tour
Sunday, December 12, 2004
>> Kono Machi and Ichigo Chips
It’s been a bit too quiet at the Chitose Hajime Fan Blog as we wait patiently for Chitose’s return and of course, our prayers go out to her for a complete recovery. Chitose’s birthday is coming up soon (January 5) and what better early present than having her song “Kono Machi” in the film “Ichigo no Kakera (Ichigo Chips)”. “Ichigo” is based on a manga (see image above) by Tsutomu Takahashi who also penned the popular manga Sky High (which was turned into a film starring gravure idol Yumiko Shaku).
“Kono Machi” also happened to be used for the NHK drama serial “Manten” (much of the series was shot on location in Kagoshima Prefecture) and is one of my favorite songs of hers. “Ichigo Chips”, directed by Shun Nakahara (who also happens to be from Kagoshima Prefecture), will make its theatrical run in Japanese theaters come February 2005.
>> Sampler Sunday #8
Today’s sample: SS #8 (5.5MB). Enjoy!
Read my previous post on ‘Sampler Sunday’ for more info.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
>> ORANGE RANGE Picks Kadena
Popular J-Pop group ORANGE RANGE announced today that for their first appearance on NHK’s Kouhaku Utagassen, they plan to do it via an Okinawa location (the venue for the show is in Tokyo). If the plan goes through, the band will be performing on a special stage setup near Kadena Air Force Base which happens to be the hometown (i.e. Kadena and not the base) of my mum. Way to go guys and I hope you pull it off!
Friday, December 10, 2004
>> Meet HandMC
High and Mighty Color, the “younger brother” of popular J-Pop group ORANGE RANGE (who just released their 2nd album “musiQ” on December 1st), is set to release their major label debut early next year. HandMC is a six-member group from Okinawa with two vocalists (Maakii [17] and Yuusuke [19]), two guitarists (MEG [20] and Kazuto [20]), a basist (mACKAz [20]) and a drummer (SASSY [20]). In this sense, they seem closer in makeup to the indies band HY rather than ORANGE RANGE, and I suspect that their music may be quite similar to CRIMSON (another indies group). Their debut song “PRIDE” (SECL-140) is set to be used as the opening theme for the anime Gundam Seed Destiny , and will be coupled with the songs “Hikaru Kakera” and “all alone”. The release date is 26 January 2005 and the price for the 4-track disc will be ¥1,223.>> Former Murasaki Vocalist Arrested
Masao Shiroma (55), former lead vocalist of the popular 70’s rock band Murasaki, was arrested in Okinawa yesterday (Japan time). He is charged with the unlawful entry of a house where an 18 year-old girl had been sleeping. [via Yahoo! Japan News]
Sunday, December 05, 2004
>> First Sunday at KZOO Radio
Today was the inaugural performance of a new KZOO radio (our local Japanese-language radio station) segment that will feature local Okinawan music on the first Sunday of every month. Our Thursday group’s fe/male performers played two songs each and did a pretty swell job (I think it was the first time they performed live on radio).
“Umichiru” (pictured with group member Dexter T.) will be taking over the retiring Keiko Ura’s place as DJ for the Sunday Okinawa show. I met her at the Tamagusuku Ryu Senjukai Hawaii’s Awamori Fest and she seems like a very nice person. (Here’s wishing her luck as the new face of KZOO’s Sunday Okinawa broadcast.)
Most of the group were already at the studio when I arrived there (around 5:30p) and they were practicing/warming up before the on-air at 6:00p.
It was the first time that I visited the station since they moved from their Ward location (they’re now in one of Manoa Marketplace’s 2nd floor offices) and the studio is very nice and cozy.
Sadly, I didn’t have a chance to take any pics of the female group since they were up shortly after the guys and I helped out on sanshin (which also explains why I’m not in any of the pics too). After the 30 minute show, we headed downstairs for dinner at Hanaki (known for their delicious Japanese food buffet). All in all, despite the rainy weather, it turned out to be a pretty nice Sunday. :)
