Tokyo's Coolest Sound

This is Konishi Yasuharu's latest project! A modern take on 1969-released album "Enraku no Playboy kōza 12 shō", a 12-chapter narrative course for becoming a playboy with perfect lounge music BGM (then performed by pianist Maeda Norio & His Playboys), this time Konishi and his own playboys make a soundtrack to accompany tales told by Inoue Jun (ex-The Spiders). Each of the tracks corresponds to a month of the year, and has in its title a place in Tokyo, a girl's name, and a meal.

The music includes two songs originally by Pizzicato Five ("1 janvier" and "Tokyo wa yoru no 7ji (the night is still young)") and also several well known standards and movie themes. The main performances are by jazz guitarist Tanabe Mitsukuni, and the texts were written by Samuzora Hadaka. Oh, and the cover girl is Junon of CyberJapan Dancers.

The album comes in CD and LP editions (the LP a few weeks later), with the CD containing bonus instrumentals, and the LP in a gatefold jacket that should live up to the album's sexy theme.

Release official page

Konishi Yasuharu & Playboys "Inoue Jun no Playboy kōza 12 shō"
小西康陽とプレイボーイズ 「井上順のプレイボーイ講座12章」

1. Introduction / January: Asakusa no Shima ~ Yoshiwara Dote no sakuranabe (Music: "1 janvier")
2. February: Aoyama no Yoko ~ yatai no oden (Music: "Ich bin der glücklichste Mensch auf der Welt")
3. March: Ueno no Hitomi ~ Ikenohata no unajū (Music: "nantonaku nantonaku")
4. April: Marunouchi no Nami ~ Chidorigafushi no Tearoom (Music: "hana")
5. May: Ginza no Ayako ~ Muromachi no tenpura (Music: "Tokyo Rhapsody")
6. June: Sudacho no Izumi ~ Toden-dōri no Hotcake (Music: "ame no naka no futari")
7. July: Shiba-kōen no Reiko ~ Tower shita no Russia ryōri (Music: "Summer Girl")
8. August: Shinjuku no Mako ~ shinya no Jazz kissa (Music: Medley "Heartbreak Hotel ~ Round Midnight ~ No Problem (Les liaisons dangereuses)")
9. September: Haneda no Kyōko ~ Iikura no Italian (Music: "Tokyo wa yoru no 7ji (the night is still young)")
10. October: Shibuya no Akiko ~ Bunka kaikan no Hamburger (Music: "When You Wish upon a Star")
11. November: Gaien no Junko ~ Omotesandō no kissaten (Music: "Les Feuilles mortes")
12. December: Nakano no Chieko ~ yūgure no shōtengai (Music: "osewa ni narimashita")
13. 1 janvier (Instrumental)
14. Ich bin der glücklichste Mensch auf der Welt (Instrumental)
15. nantonaku nantonaku (Instrumental)
16. hana (Instrumental)
17. Tokyo Rhapsody (Instrumental)
18. ame no naka no futari (Instrumental)
19. Summer Girl (Instrumental)
20. Medley: Heartbreak Hotel ~ Round Midnight ~ No Problem (Les liaisons dangereuses) (Instrumental)
21. Tokyo wa yoru no 7ji (the night is still young) (Instrumental)
22. When You Wish upon a Star (Instrumental)
23. osewa ni narimashita (Instrumental)

CD edition
Teichiku Entertainment/Imperial Records TECI-1662
Out 11/20, ¥3000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

A1. January: Asakusa no Shima ~ Yoshiwara Dote no sakuranabe (Music: "1 janvier")
A2. February: Aoyama no Yoko ~ yatai no oden (Music: "Ich bin der glücklichste Mensch auf der Welt")
A3. March: Ueno no Hitomi ~ Ikenohata no unajū (Music: "nantonaku nantonaku")
A4. April: Marunouchi no Nami ~ Chidorigafushi no Tearoom (Music: "hana")
A5. May: Ginza no Ayako ~ Muromachi no tenpura (Music: "Tokyo Rhapsody")
A6. June: Sudacho no Izumi ~ Toden-dōri no Hotcake (Music: "ame no naka no futari")
B1. July: Shiba-kōen no Reiko ~ Tower shita no Russia ryōri (Music: "Summer Girl")
B2. August: Shinjuku no Mako ~ shinya no Jazz kissa (Music: Medley "Heartbreak Hotel ~ Round Midnight ~ No Problem (Les liaisons dangereuses)")
B3. September: Haneda no Kyōko ~ Iikura no Italian (Music: "Tokyo wa yoru no 7ji (the night is still young)")
B4. October: Shibuya no Akiko ~ Bunka kaikan no Hamburger (Music: "When You Wish upon a Star")
B5. November: Gaien no Junko ~ Omotesandō no kissaten (Music: "Les Feuilles mortes")
B6. December: Nakano no Chieko ~ yūgure no shōtengai (Music: "osewa ni narimashita")

LP edition
Teichiku Enterntainment/Imperial Records TEJI-44052
Out 12/11, ¥4000 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records ^†
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Album trailer (September: Haneda no Kyōko ~ Iikura no Italian (Music: "Tokyo wa yoru no 7ji (the night is still young)"))