What JAZZ songs do you want to listen to? ~ J-POP love songs you want to hear in JAZZ

What songs do you want to hear in JAZZ?

 In the world of jazz, there is a term called "standard number." This refers to songs that have been performed by many artists and are widely known. In Japanese, it is often translated as "teiban" (classic or staple), and standard numbers hold an important position in the tradition of jazz born in America.

Jazz is often said to be essentially improvisation, but standard numbers have been loved and continuously performed by many jazz musicians as the basis (material) for that improvisation.

These songs are constantly reborn in new forms through the interpretations of performing artists, both in the history of jazz and in the present day.

What kind of songs are standard numbers?

So, what kind of songs are widely known as standard numbers?

One of the motifs that overseas jazz musicians have adopted is movie music.

Songs like "Someday My Prince Will Come" (theme from Snow White), covered by Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Oscar Peterson, and "My Favorite Things" (song from The Sound of Music), covered by John Coltrane, were born in the world of cinema but were given new life through jazz.

Emotionally rich and memorable film music has become new beautiful melodies in the improvisational setting of jazz, loved by many people.

This background is not unrelated to the development of cinema as entertainment in America.

The Academy Awards in the United States (film awards by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to honor actors and creators for the healthy development of American cinema) were first held in 1929 (Showa 4). At that time, Miles Davis was 3 years old, and in 1937, when "Someday My Prince Will Come" was recorded for the film 'Snow White', Miles Davis was 11 years old.

Jazz might feel a little difficult if you're not usually familiar with it, but knowing that famous jazz musicians, when they were young, had favorite movie songs and covered them with their own expressions because they loved them, and those covers became standard numbers that have been passed down through generations, might make the world of jazz feel more approachable.

Classic and Standard Songs in Japan

Meanwhile, in Japan, entertainment films, such as Akira Kurosawa's 1954 'Seven Samurai' and 'Godzilla' from the same year, developed significantly after the war.
In terms of film music, Akira Ifukube's theme song for 'Godzilla' in particular can be said to be one of the major factors supporting the enduring popularity of the Godzilla series. However, this theme song has not been covered in jazz or other genres as widely as standard numbers in America.

Also, in the late Showa and Heisei eras, TV drama theme songs had a significant national influence.
From the 1980s to the present, in Japanese music culture, TV drama theme songs and the commercial jingles played repeatedly between them became widely popular, and these songs were eventually covered, becoming classic tunes.
 
For example, Yutaka Ozaki's "I LOVE YOU" is an iconic example. Originally, it was one track on his debut album released in 1983, but in 1987, it was used as an insert song for Fuji TV's 'Kita no Kunikara '87 Hatsukoi' and once again captured the hearts of young people at the time. Due to its beautiful melody and rich emotional expression, this song fits well with various arrangements, including jazz.
Such songs, through being covered by various artists or by continuing to be covered, hold the potential to become new classics, new standards.

Differences in Classic Songs between America and Japan

From this perspective, it can be seen that classic and standard songs in Japan have evolved in a way that is different from America in some respects.

In its early days, jazz was widely loved as dance music, but it was also strongly influenced by the music culture of African Americans, such as blues and gospel.

Eventually, as it subdivided through the performances and interpretations of various star players, popular songs became a "shared experience" for listeners and became standard numbers.

However, in Japan, due to the different musical landscape, TV drama theme songs and the like more directly became a "shared experience" loved by many people. It can be said that in many cases, original recordings were widely favored, and then various covers were made, elevating them to classic and standard numbers.

What is interesting here is the role of TV dramas and movies as a "shared experience" for hit songs in Japan.

From the late 1980s to the present, TV dramas have been a part of daily life for many Japanese people, and the songs used in them have been deeply etched into viewers' hearts.

Within this context, the term "tie-up" also became widely known, and tie-ups became indispensable for songs to become hits.

'JAZZ de Kikitai J-POP Love Songs'

The recently released 'JAZZ de Kikitai J-POP Love Songs' selects various songs, primarily focusing on those that have been tie-ups.
In selecting familiar songs that many listeners would "want to hear in JAZZ!", 16 out of a total of 19 songs were drama-related, ranging from Yutaka Ozaki's "I LOVE YOU," an insert song from Fuji TV's 'Kin'yō Gekijō Kita no Kunikara '87 Hatsukoi' in 1987, to Kenshi Yonezu's "Sayonara Mata Itsuka!" the theme song for the 2024 NHK serial TV novel 'Torani Tsubasa'.

Furthermore, the jazz arrangements of these popular melodies are carefully crafted for Japanese listeners, providing a comfortable listening experience perfect for stylish cafes and similar settings.

In our busy modern lives, we sometimes seek peace of mind through music.

Listening to familiar songs arranged in jazz, in particular, can be a luxurious moment where nostalgia and freshness coexist.

Melodies that have been loved for a long time, classic songs, and what are called standard numbers, even as instrumental pieces without vocals, greatly affect the listener's heart and will help to relax both body and mind.

Please enjoy this work, where new life has been breathed into famous songs with the soft tones of a piano.

'JAZZ de Kikitai J-POP Love Songs'

 Product page is HERE 

◆Artist
Moonlight Jazz Blue & JAZZ PARADISE　

◆Product Number: QOCD-1792

◆Price: ¥1,980 (tax in.)

■ The latest work in the popular series covers old and new J-POP love songs on piano.

■ We have collected familiar songs, including theme songs from dramas and movies, as well as CM songs!

From a selection of old and new J-POP love songs that swept the nation, we deliver songs perfect for autumn to early winter, primarily with cafe jazz-arranged piano, to add color to your relaxing moments in life.

Includes cross-generational hits by legendary artists, as well as trending artists!

※ This work is an instrumental piece featuring piano, and does not include vocals.

RELAX WORLD Editorial Department