ACMJ International Blog

Recent Japanese female vocalists CD reissues to note

As you may know, there were many Japanese artists' albums recorded in Los Angeles produced and backed up by first-call L.A. musicians in late 70's and early 80's. Some of them are really worth being revisited and others are not......
Hiromi Iwasaki, one of the top female idol singer in late 70's / early 80's, recorded an album "I Won't Break Your Heart" in 1984. She was a little bit different from other young female idol singers of that day in terms of her vocal talent and thus Hiromi is now one of the top musical actress and has been releasing very good contemporary pop albums over the years. The album "I Won't Break Your Heart" was recorded at Lighthouse Recorders, North Hollywood from Jan.16 to Feb.13, 1984 with Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, David Foster, Bill Champlin, Neil Stubenhaus, David Boruff, Randy Kerber, Carmen Grillo and many others. Only 2 songs out of 10 original songs on this album are in English and rest 8 songs are in Japanese. The 2 English songs "Both Of Us" and "Every Now And Then" are very good duet tunes featuring Bill Champlin. This album was reissued on CD once but has been out of print over the years. Now in 2007, This album is reissued again as one of twenty two Hiromi Iwasaki's albums reissue series. This might be a good 80's pop album for you. Why don't you try?

The Other one you might have to pay attention is Tantan's 1978 album "Trying To Get To You". Taeko Morino, aka Tantan, completed this solo album with Tom Saviano who arranged 8 songs rhythm section on this album. Steve Lukather, Ed Green, Lenny Castro and many others were involved. This album is all English vocal album including many R&B / Contemporary covers such as "Day Break" written by David Pomeranz, well-known by Cheryl Lynn's version, "Better Days" originally performed by Melissa Manchester and "Trying To Get To You" known for Valerie Carter's version. This is not so much surprising album but worth trying.

Patti Austin / Patti Austin (1984) Reissue!

This must be also one of the long-awaited CD reissues. 1984's self-titled album "PATTI AUSTIN" is her follow-up to her 1982's smash hit pop album "Every Home Should Have One" including #1 pop hit single "Baby Come To Me" duet with James Ingram for Quincy Jones' Qwest label. Patti enjoyed good chart action and significant airplay with the singles "It's Gonna Be Special" and "Shoot the Moon", both of which were written by Clif Magness and Glen Ballard. Speaking of "Hot! In the Flames of Love" and "Star Struck", both penned by Narada Michael Walden got high attention R&B and dance chart and thus she established her firm position in the R&B field.
This album had been reissued once in 1991 only for Japan but have been out-of print for very long time. In the summer of 2007, Mosaic Records will reissue this album under their Contemporary Reissues series presenting the definitive versions of the most important recordings in contemporary jazz and Adult Contemporary Music.

Label: Mosaic Contemporary, USA (Original Release: Qwest Records)
Release Date: August 24, 2007 (Original Release: 1984)
Executive Producers: Quincy Jones, Ed Eckstine
Producers: Narada Michael Walden, David Pack, Clif Magness, Glen Ballard, Ollie E. Brown, Quicy Jones

Tracks:
1. It´s gonna be special
2. Rhythm of the heat
3. All behind us now
4. Hot: In the flames of love
5. Change your attitude
6. Shoot the moon
7. I´ve got my heart set on you
8. Fine fine fella (Got to have you)
9. Starstruck
10. Any way you can

Lee Ritenour /RIT 24bit digital remastering reissue now available!

Everybody knows that there are many albums of Lee Ritenour to be reviewed. Having said so, among AOR/Westcoast lovers, this album should be the highest priority CD to be listened because of its production with David Foster. Otherwise, this is the best Eric Tagg featured albums. Mr. Briefcase", the opening track of this album is really the masterpiece tune. Generally, this album is well-known for "Is It You"? which reached #15 position on the US chart.
This album has been reissued on CD several times. Probably, the first reissue was done in 1994 by Discovery Records, USA. Therefore, most of this blog readers seems to possess this album already on CD like me. And there is not necessary for you to read how this album is awesome. Comparing 2007's 24 bit digital remastered CD with the 1994 release, the 2007 CD is far better in terms of clearness and powerfulness. Worth considering whether you will replace this masterpiece now!

Label: Warner Music Japan (WPCR25049) (Original Release: Elektra Records, USA)
Release Date: June 27, 2007 (Original Release: 1981)
Producers: David Foster, Harvey Mason and himself
Lee Ritenour: Guitars, Vocoder Vocals, Guitar Synth.
Musicians:
Drums: Harvey Mason
Keyboards: David Foster, Michael Boddicker, Greg Phillinganes, Richard Tee, Greg Mathieson
Bass: Abrahama Laboriel, Louis Johnson, David Hungate, John Pierce
Drums: Jeff Porcaro, Alex Acuna, Rick Shlosser
Percussion: Steve Forman, Paulinho Da Costa
Trumpet, Flugel Horns: Jerry Hey, Chuck Finley, Gary Grant
Trombones: Lou McCrary, Charles Loper, Bill Reichenback
Vocals: Bill Champlin, Eric Tagg
Strings Arangement: Johnny Mandel

Tracks:
1. Mr. Briefcase
2. (Just) Tell Me Pretty Lies
3. No Sympathy
4. Is It You?
5. Dreamwalk
6. Countdown (Captain Fingers)
7. Good Question
8. (You Caught Me) Smilin'
9. On The Slow Glide
10. No Sympathy (Reprise)

MICHAEL THOMPSON BAND / "How Long" (1989) reissue

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the reissue of MICHAEL THOMPSON BAND’s masterpiece “How Long” on June 8th 2007. In order to coincide with the release of Michael Thompson’s new band debut album TRW’s “Rivers of Paradise”, Frontiers and Michael agreed that it was a perfect time to re-release this masterpiece on the same day. Michael Thompson is nowadays one of the most well known and respected guitar players. He played with Michael Bolton, Great White, Cher, Shania Twain, Leann Rimes, Jennifer Lopez, Richard Marx, Faith Hill, Celine Dion, Madonna and several others.

In 1988, after working to try and get a deal with his band Slang for several years, Thompson got signed by Geffen Records to release one album entitled "How Long", under the Michael Thompson Band (MTB) monicker. The singer for this group was Rick 'Moon' Calhoun, previously front man for the AOR cult band THE STRAND, Michael's long time friend. Completing the line-up were another bunch of highly respected studio professionals such as: John Andrew Schreiner (on keyboards), Leon Gaer (bass), John Keane (drums). In 1989, the album "How Long" was released.

On "How Long" more first-call musicians appeared as guests, in particular drummer-maestro Terry Bozzio, Pat Torpey (of MR BIG), bassist Jimmy Haslip, ex KANSAS vocalist John Elefante, TOTO's Bobby Kimball and GREAT WHITE associates Michael Lardie and Wyn Davis (who also produced the album). Songwriters would include, among others, AOR luminaries such as: Jeff Paris, Mark Spiro, Bill Trudell and Brett Walker.

As of today “How Long” is regarded as one of the highest examples of hi-tech AOR / West Coast, with a superb production and immaculate songwriting. During the years it became more and more of a collector’s item and the prices paid on E-bay exceeded 80 dollars! This 2007 reissue comes completely remastered and adds 2 songs "Right To Be Wrong" and "Love Goes On" which were recorded during the original sessions and the first fruit of a reunion between Michael, Moon Calhoun and songwriter Jeff Paris entitled “Wheelchair”: an appetizer for an upcoming brand new album to be expected sometime in 2008 !

Label: Frontiers Records, Italy (FRCD-337) (Original Release: Geffen Records, USA)
Release Date: June 8, 2007 (Original: April, 1989)
Producers: Alan Niven and Wyn Davis
Michael Thompson Band is:
Vocals, Drums, Guitars: Moon Calhoun
Guitars: Michael Thompson
Keyboards: John Andrew Schreiner
Bass: Leon Gaer
Drums: John Kenae
Additional Musicians:
Drums: Terry Bozzio, John Robinson, Bernie Pershey, Pat Torpey
Bass: Trey Thompson, Jimmy Haslip
Guitars: Wyn Davis, Alan Niven
Percussion: Michael Fisher, Steve Forman, Wyn Davis
Background Vocals: Bobby Kimball, Billy Trudell, John Elephante, Tyana Parr, Patty Unaitis, Mike Lardie, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Myrna Mathews

Tracks:
1. Secret Information
2. Give Love a Chance
3. 1000 Nights
4. Wasteland
5. Never Stop Falling
6. Can’t Miss; Gloria
7. Stranger
8. Baby Come Back
9. How Long
10. Right To Be Wrong (bonus track)
11. Love Goes On (bonus track)
12. Wheelchair (2007 brand-new song)

Boy Meets Girl 1st Album just reisssued !

"Boy Meets Girl" 1st album (1985) is now available in remastered form on CD from the artist's official website at www.boymeetsgirlmusic.com. Now, all 3 albums of Boy Meets Girl are now available on line.

Here is the message from George and Shannon:-

WE DID IT!!! 'We' means EVERYONE along the way who inspired, prodded, cajoled, and actually did the footwork to make this BoyMeetsGirl album arrive on a big shipping pallet at our doorstep! It's not ONLY wonderful to welcome it back into our lives, but it completes our retro goals to make this music available again. Freeing us to write the new stuff...the big wide open beckons!!!

A big and special thanks out to Howard Tucker and to Barry Korkin from Universal Music Special Markets for taking care to find the right parts from an A&M warehouse of old masters (just think, they could have mistaken our reels for The Carpenters', or the Police!), a lofty task, good sleuthing guys.

Enjoy...

Geo/Shannon lookin forward

Marc Jordan / A Hole In The Wall

Marc Jordan's 3rd solo album "A Hole In The Wall" (Remastered CD) will be available again soon. This 1983 album was released only for Japanese market which followed his masterpiece 2nd solo alobum "Blue Desert" produced by Jay Graydon. It was one of the best AOR/Westcoast albums featuring many well-known musicians including Foster & Graydon, Richard Page & Steve George (i.e. Pages) and Steve Lukather.

Label: Westwood Records, Japan (SDCF-1021)
Release Date: January 26, 2005
Tracklisting is as below (no bonus tracks for this reissue):-

1. SLIPPING AWAY
2. MARGARITA
3. SHE USED TO BE MY WORLD
4. A HOLE IN THE WALL
5. WHERE DID WE GO WRONG
6. IT'S ONLY LOVE
7. LOVE LIKE A WHEEL
8. THIEVES
9. DANCE WITH ME
10. HOLD ON

Honk - expanded reissue

The current drummer of the band Chicago, Tris Imboden related old album is now available on CD. It is HONK's so-called "puppet" album. Honk started in 1970 as a quartet comprised of Steve Wood, Tris Imboden, Don Whaley and guitarist Mike Caruselle who had left shortly. In 1971, Richard Stekol and Craig Buhler joined the band. In 1972, Beth Fitchet started gigging and then joined the band. Honk had a opportunity to participate in the movie soundtrack for a surf movie titled "Five Summer Stories" and the track "Pipeline Sequence" had a huge radio success in Honolulu. Thus, 20th Century Records signed the band. And in 1973, Honk released the so-called “puppet” album. Their 2nd album followed in 1974 under Epic, which turned out to be the last studio album the band would make. In 1975, the band broke up. Before leaving from 20th Century Records, they finished their unreleased 2nd album, several songs of which were later included on their officially released 2nd album but rest of them remained unreleased until now. And now, the reissued "puppet album" includes those unreleased tunes also, thus this reissue is said to be "expanded reissue"!

The CD is now available at Hip-O Select!

"Fanfield's- A Fans Tribute To TOTO" re-release

"Fanfield's" is well-known "A Fan tribute to their beloved TOTO". In May 1997 a member of the Toto Mailing List sent a message to the list suggesting making a cover of a Toto song by using the mpeg3 audio sample format, so different musicians could add their own parts to the song. This idea fast turned into a more serious project. The musicians on the list agreed that using samples wouldn't be good enough, and that the song(s) should be recorded in "real" studio's. They decided to try to form bands consisting of members of the mailing list and record a couple of songs as a tribute to their beloved band: Toto. Since it turned out to be impossible to use only mailing list musicians some bands were formed of mailing list members with the addition of other musicians. In the end four groups ended up recording songs for the Toto Tribute Album:
1) A band with musicians from Holland (and a keyboard player from Germany)
2) A band with musicians from Sweden
3) A band with musicians from Holland and the U.S.A. who recorded their songs by the adding the different parts in their own home studio's and sending the master tapes to each other
4) A band consisting of Ed and John James

John, of the James Brothers was on tour with Toto as a background singer in the mid to late 90's. And another remarkable vocalist must be Phil Vincent, who already had some success as an AOR/melodic rock solo artist.

The initial release of ‚Fanfields – A Fans’ Tribute To Toto“ is out of print for a long time, now Target Records, Germany have secured an exclusive new release. This time re-release of “Fanfields” was remastered. The participating international musicians, among them Phil Vincent, who got to know each other through the Toto mailing list, leave the big hits aside. Instead they perform their own versions of lesser known gems like “Endless“ or ‚St. George And The Dragon“ and Live-favorites like ‚Home Of The Brave“ and ‚White Sister“.‚Hey Little Girl“ is even a song that you won’t find on any Toto-album it was only performed live e.g. on the bands “Hydra”-Tour. You can find more information on this exclusive release, soundbytes and what Bobby Kimball and Fergie Frederiksen say about “Fanfields” on the Fanfields-webpage

Dara Sedaka "I'm Your Girl Friend" Reissue

Dara Sedaka "I'm Your Girl Friend", one of the David Foster's early 80's producing works will be reissued on August 18, 2004 at last. As you may know or as you may easily guess, Dara Sedaka is a daughter of the famous singer Neil Sedaka. In 1978, Dara released a 45 rpm single "My Guy" c/w "Beautiful You" produced by David Foster and Neil Sedaka on RSO Records.
Dara recorded "Should've Never Let You Go'" which reached #19 on the pop chart with his father in 1980. In 1982, Dara released her first solo album entitled "I'm Your Girl Friend" only for Japan. This album includes "Angel Queen", the theme of a Japanese animation movie, which became a nationwide smash hit of the year here in Japan.

The musician participated in this album must be remarkable:-
Drums: Mike Baird, Bass: Dennis Belfield, Guitar: Michael Landau, Steve Lukather
Keybaords: David Foster
Synthesizer: Steve Porcaro, Kitaro, Horns: Jerry Hey, Gary Grant, Sax: Gary Herbig
Back Vocals: Pages- Richard Page & Steve George, Clif Newton, Bryan Adams

Label: West Wood Records, Japan (SDCF-1010) (Original: Canyon Records, Japan)
Release Date: August 18, 2004 (Original: 1982)
Tracks:
1. Huggin' 2. Just Say I Love You 3. The Real Me
4. Keep Me In Love With You 5. Goodbye 6. I'm Your Girl Friend
7. Someday 8. Someday 9. Try To See It My Way 10. Angel Queen

MARK PORTMANN: Westside / Driving Beverly Hills

CD Baby: MARK PORTMANN: Westside - hear and buy it at CD BABY. -

Mark Portmann, A Grammy nominated & ex-Rippington keyboardist now releases his third solo album featuring an All Star musician lineup combining bluesy, funky, smooth, sexy rhythms with original sensuous piano, sax and guitar melodies.
The brand new CD is entitled "Westside", the return of his rich, lyrical, pop flavored jazz melodies.

It is not necessary to name who involves but I hereby do:-
Drums: Harvey Mason, Vinnie Coluita, Steve Ferrone, Bernie Dresel
Bass: Freddy Washington, Jr., Neil Stubenhuas
Guitar: Paul Jackson, Jr., Michael Landau
Sax: Michael Paulo, Scott Kreitzer,
Percussion: Raphael Padilla
Vocals: Leslie Smith

Last but not least, you might be pleased to hear this additional news:-

Mark Portmann also now gives you the opportunity to get his debut solo album "DRIVING BEVERLY HILLS" again now, which had been unavailable for a long time and became one of the highest price e-bay items.
Musicians include: Michael Paulo (sax), Jeff Kashiwa (sax), Freddy Washington, Jr (bass), Jerry Watts (bass), Ron Komie (gtr), Paul Jackson, Jr (gtr), Steve Reid (percussion), Steve Ferrone (drums), Tony Morales (drums), Greg Bissonette (drums), Herman Matthews (drums), Alan Hinds (gtr), Steve Bailey (bass), John Defaria (gtr), Philip Ingram (vocals), Machun (vocals), Mark Portmann (piano, keyboards, programming, arranging, producer, composer), Ed Smart, Matt Fronke, Wendell Kelly Eric Jorgenson Harry Kim (horns), mixed by Humberto Gatica.