Tokyo's Coolest Sound

Konishi Yasuharu (ex-Pizzicato Five) has a pair of solo albums coming up! These two consist of just him singing and playing his guitar, performing many songs of Pizzicato Five's repertory, as well as ones that he wrote for other artists — namely Ino Hidefumi's "Tokyo jōkū 3000 Feet", Tetsurō Yafune's "Do Re Mi" (of which he had written the lyrics but here sings them with different original music by himself), Masumi Arichika's "onna no miyako", atarashii chizu's "chikyū saigo no hi", Karia Nomoto's "dōshite konnani anata ga suki nano darō." (renamed "kesa wa 9ji 45fun ni me o samashita"), and Kyōko Togawa's "kekkon no subete".

Since 2011, Konishi has released three albums as Pizzicato One ("One And Ten Very Sad Songs" (2011), "watakushi no nijūseiki" (2015), "The Night Before: Pizzicato One In Person" (2020)), then in 2022 he discovered joy in performing solo with his guitar, and also in playing songs that he wrote throughout his career. He has also repeatedly performed on stage accompanied by various ensembles, and in 2024 he released under his name the album "Love, Lost and Found". All of this led to these two new albums. It has been 25 years this year since Pizzicato Five disbanded (in 2001).

For those in Japan, the two CDs can be purchased directly from Readymade's online shop where they come autographed (probably for a limited time). They will also be released digitally at the same time, and it has been announced that the two albums will be released on vinyl on December 2, with pre-orders starting mid-October, and that a special set with a bonus 3rd LP will also be sold (source: official site). Those interested should keep a close eye on SNS accounts: Readymade (Instagram, 𝕏) and Pizzicato One (Instagram).

Konishi Yasuharu has been holding acoustic shows every two months at Shimokitazawa mona records, the next of which will be on November 20 (details), and will feature John & Paul and also DJ Naoki Itō (both who appeared on "Paraiso, no ongaku - Coffee House mona records no Hosono Haruomi-san Tribute Album"). His live and DJ schedule can be found in the news section of his official site.

Konishi Yasuharu "ongaku ni wa kansha shiteiru"
小西康陽 「音楽には感謝している」

1. Tokyo jōkū 3000 Feet
2. La guerre est finie
3. Such a Beautiful Girl Like You
4. Serial Stories
5. Do Re Mi
6. onna no miyako
7. face B
8. I Hear a Symphony
9. A world without you
10. chikyū saigo no hi
11. Drinking Wine
12. On the Sunny Side of the Street

Universal Music UCCJ-2265
Out 10/28, ¥3200 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, Disk Union
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.

Konishi Yasuharu "anata ni wa kansha shiteiru"
小西康陽 「あなたには感謝している」

1. kesa wa 9ji 45fun ni me o samashita
2. kekkon no subete
3. Two Sleepy People
4. T.V.A.G.
5. Magic Carpet Ride
6. The Night is Still Young
7. Triste
8. To Our Children's Children's Children
9. Ma vie, l'été de vie
10. Message Song
11. Gondola no uta
12. A New Song
13. Stars
14. Love Again

Universal Music UCCJ-2266
Out 10/28, ¥3200 (excl. 10% tax)
Order: CDJapan, Amazon, HMV, Tower Records (Japan only) ^†, Disk Union
† Tower Records ships directly within Japan only. International orders are available via WorldShopping.