Born in 1994, from Tokyo, a professional jazz pianist Hibiki Ueda who majored in jazz composition at Queens College Aaron Copoland School of Muisc in New York City, played an excellent 1st album ♪
The warmth and tenderness of the melody and the development of the music, which seemed to remind people of Pat Messany, were felt without any problems, and the composition sense conveys the extraordinary talent as an artist. The content is wonderful as if it were coming.
Shiori Sasaki (Participated in the works of Yuji Ohno including Lupine III while attending Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, and since then has been active as a vocalist while participating in live performances and recordings as a chorus of various artists such as Yumi Matsutoya, Yosui Inoue, and KinKi Kids. The album title songs M2 "The Fog Had Cleared Up" and M7 "Noticed" with) as vocals are pop, jazzy and electronic that fully utilize the voice quality of Shiori Sasaki's relaxed and unrelenting taste. A number that is very appealing to the balance.
M5 "Voyage" and M6 "Guns And Child" are outstanding songs that can be said to be the heart of this album, and "Voyage" is the radiance and exhilaration as if a ship sailing down the harbor at sunrise heads for a voyage. "Guns And Child" is a song that captures the hope and contradiction of the world with the artist's piano and ensemble, which is beautiful but ephemeral, but has a strong desire to move forward.
And M9 "Meaning of Freedom" is a song that quotes Rev. King's speech on the declaration of liberation of black slaves, and it is one of the artist's concepts, "I want to take some action on society in making sound". It is expressed by a danceable jazzy track with intonation.
The birth of a masterpiece that will be handed down later as "Hibiki Ueda's 1st album".
1994年生まれ東京都出身、ニューヨーク市立Queens College Aaron Copoland School of Muiscにてジャズ作曲を専攻したプロのジャズピアニストHibiki Uedaによる、緻密かつ優雅に奏でられた秀逸1stアルバム♪
佐々木詩織(洗足学園音楽大学在学中よりルパン三世をはじめとする大野雄二作品に参加、以降松任谷由実や井上陽水、KinKi Kidsなど様々なアーティストのコーラスとしてライブやレコーディングに参加しつつ自身でもボーカリストとして活動)をボーカルに迎えたアルバムタイトル曲のM2「The Fog Had Cleared Up」及びM7「Noticed」は、佐々木詩織の伸びやかでほっておけないテイストの声質を十二分に生かしたポップでジャジーかつエレクトロニックなバランスがとても心惹かれるナンバー。
M5「Voyage」とM6「Guns And Child」は本アルバムの心臓部とでも言える抜群の楽曲、「Voyage」は朝焼けの港を帆を下ろした船が航海に向かっていくかのような晴れやかさと高揚感が感じ取れ、「Guns And Child」は世の中の希望と矛盾をアーティストのピアノとアンサンブルで美しくも儚いけれど前を向いて進みたいという強い意思が汲み取れる楽曲に仕上がっている。
そしてM9「Meaning of Freedom」はキング牧師による黒人の奴隷解放宣言の演説を引用した楽曲でアーティストのコンセプトの1つでもある《音を作る上で社会に対して何らかのアクションを起こしたい》という気持ちを抑揚を効かせたダンサブルなジャジートラックで表現している。
後に「Hibiki Uedaの1stアルバム」と語り継がれるであろう名作の誕生。
credits
released July 13, 2022
All Tracks Written, piano, Arranged & Produced by Hibiki Ueda
Except
M2 Lyrics by Hibiki Ueda / Vocal by Shiori Sasaki
M3 Drums by Toyoaki Sekine / Bass by Keito Hasegawa / Alto Sax by Takayuki Sato
M6 Drums by Toyoaki Sekine
M7 Lyrics by Hibiki Ueda / Vocal by Shiori Sasaki / Drums by Toyoaki Sekine / Guitar by Msayuki Sakakida
M8 Lyrics by Hibiki Ueda / Vocal by Shiori Sasaki
Mastered by Yoshio Machida at amorfon
Artwork & Layout by Naoki Sawamura
Directed by Yoshihei Ueda
This ambient pop album from Chute Records label head Jan the Man captures melancholy, contemplative moods simply, and without words. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 15, 2021