A new release compiling songs by a wide variety of vocalists who participated in "Watarase"!
The album is scheduled to include "Watarase," which features jazz vocalist Shigeo Maruyama, folk song singer Masami Lee, and folk song singer Yuki Kaneko.
The second release, "Watarase ~VOICE~", will be released following the well-received "Watarase ~ECHO~", which compiles unknown takes of the masterpiece "Watarase" by jazz pianist Fumio Itabashi, who is now in the limelight from jazz fans all over the world, from the perspective of pioneer of the Japanese jazz scene Minoru Wakasugi! This work compiles songs that focus on "voices", mainly unreleased songs in which a wide variety of vocalists participated in "Watarase". Looking back on 40 years of history, this series carefully selects "Watarase" that should be listened to now, and you can enjoy a piece of the life of Fumio Itabashi, who continues to express the pinnacle of the art of jazz with all his might. Now that it has become "the world's Watarase", the sound of the river water is vibrant. In order to collect and bundle those "voices", we have decided on "VOICE" as the second release. Focusing on the "vocal version" of Watarase, mainly unreleased songs. The album includes a version by Yuki Kaneko, which is imbued with the spirit of Japan, a version by Masami Lee, which has Asian blood, a performance by Shigeo Maruyama (lyricist), and a treasured recording that introduces exotic voicings. In addition, the long-awaited complete version (planned) of the masterpiece "Symphonic Poem 'Watarase'," which became the source of "World Watarase," will finally be unveiled! -- Minoru Wakasugi
