Liner Notes from Rie Murakami's "SAHARA" (Part 3)

Part three of the translated liner notes from Rie Murakami's SAHARA. This part contains the newly-added written commentary included in the 2022 JP CD release of the album, written by Hitoshi Kurimoto.

Read Part 1 here.
Read Part 2 here.

As usual, thanks to Windii for translating this.

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Years after their initial release, these works are being reevaluated from unexpected angles. Such phenomena have been occurring frequently in the Japanese music scene over the past few years. Led by the pop music of the 1970s and 1980s—known as "City Pop"—the so-called "Japanese Groove" boom continues to gain momentum. The trend spans a wide range of genres, extending beyond pop to include jazz fusion, new wave, ambient music, and more, giving rise to new keywords such as "Cosmic" "Obscure," and "Walearic." Listening to music through these new lenses is incredibly enjoyable and leads to great discoveries.

Rie Murakami's sole album, "SAHARA," released in 1984, is one such work that has been steadily gaining recognition amid this trend. Fundamentally, could she be described as a jazz singer? She is reportedly the niece of jazz drummer Hiroshi Murakami—known for his collaborations with Sadao Watanabe and Masabumi Kikuchi—but little else is known about her. However, this sole album, "SAHARA," is a highly unique vocal album that cannot be fully captured by the label of "jazz" alone.

One major reason for this is likely the fact that it was produced by Masanori Sasaji. While today he is best known as a hit producer who has worked with bands like UNICORN, SPITZ, and KOBUKURO, back then he was an avant-garde musician with a background in jazz fusion. In particular, the band Mariah, active from 1980 to 1983, was categorized as fusion, but in reality, they delivered an intense, eclectic sound that incorporated elements of new wave and even techno. Recently, the band has garnered high acclaim overseas, and their albums have even been reissued on vinyl.

This album, "SAHARA," features guitarist Takayuki Hijikata, a longtime ally of Mariah. It showcases a genre-defying sound that draws directly from Mariah's legacy. Starting with the opening track "FALL IN LOVE," which has a techno-pop feel, followed by "SAHARA" with its ethno-funk vibe reminiscent of Mariah, and then "EVERY SONG IS SING," which evokes Steely Dan, the album features a lineup of unique tracks that cannot simply be dismissed as a jazz singer's album. It is also interesting to note that the list of original songwriters includes not only Masanori Sasaji but also Masahiro Andoh (THE SQUARE*), Etsuko Yamakawa, and Yasuo Inada. The lineup is impressive, bringing together musicians who have recently been gaining renewed recognition across various fields: Jun Aoyama (drums), Yuuichi Tokashiki (drums), Kenji Takamizu (bass), Yasuo Tomikura (bass), Takehiro Honda (piano), and Yumi Murata (backing vocals). The song selection for covers—featuring artists like Paul Williams and Leon Ware—is also outstanding. Rie Murakami, who sings all tracks in English, brings a sense of unity to this seemingly eclectic collection of songs, resulting in an album that strikes a truly unique balance.

If listening with a modern sensibility, "SAY CHEESE"—which could be appreciated from a city pop perspective—is particularly recommended. This track features a medium groove with a subtly mellow feel, and the fusion of the vocals—which sing a floating melody reminiscent of Tomoko Aran's "Midnight Pretenders" (which became a major talking point after being sampled by The Weeknd)—with a stylish, black contemporary-flavored backing track is outstanding. This track was also composed by Masahiro Andoh, but it is the only song on the album featuring a different lineup of musicians. In addition to Masanori Sasaji and Takayuki Hijikata, the entire backing band consists of members from NAZCA—the progressive pop band Sasaji had formed—namely Norio Sakai (bass) and Reuben Tsujino (drums). The result is an edgy take on city pop.

That said, Rie Murakami's talent is undeniable—she effortlessly navigates this incredibly diverse range of sounds and delivers her vocals with a cool, poised presence. It's a real shame that this is her only recorded work, but that's precisely why it's an album I want to cherish and listen to over and over again.

October 2022
Hiroshi Kurimoto (Travel & Music Writer/Music Curator)

*Band name and spelling as of 1984

Liner Notes from Rie Murakami's "SAHARA" (Part 2)

Part two of the translated liner notes from Rie Murakami's SAHARA. This part, as previously mentioned in the previous post (which you can read here) goes over the track list descriptions for each song on this album. Still written by Hiraku Aoki, and still translated by Windii.

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[Side A]

1) Fall In Love
An original song expressing the anticipation and joy of falling in love. The techno-pop-style sound, which incorporates LinnDrum, is intriguing, and Rie's vocals are fantastic.

2) Sahara
This is also an original, written by Sasaji and Linda Hennrick (English lyrics; based in Tokyo). A fine track infused with an exotic charm. The backing vocals and horn section are also wonderful. It makes me happy to think of it as a 1980s version of the Ellington number "Caravan."

3) Every Song I Sing
Written by Sasaji and Linda. A cheerful love song about how there's a song in my heart and everything is going great thanks to you… Rie's vivid, swinging vocals are also delightful.

4) I Won't Last A Day Without You
Co-written by Paul Williams (lyrics) and Roger Nichols (music) in 1972. It became a hit in 1973 with Maureen McGovern and again in 1973 with the Carpenters. Rie Murakami's sweet vocals, Masami Nakagawa's flute, and the handling of the rhythm are all very impressive.

5) T.N.T.
This is a different song from the hit "TNT" sung by drummer Grady Tate. It's a song about an amazing 17-year-old girl who's as powerful as a bomb.

[Side B]

6) Eternally ~ Smile
A number by the King of Comedy, Charlie Chaplin. "Eternally" is "Terry's Theme" from the 1952 film "Limelight," but here it's an instrumental only. "Smile" is the "Love Theme" from the 1936 film "Modern Times." Tony Bennett's recording of it was a hit in 1959.

7) Say Cheese
A witty original. Rie pleads, "Be my lover…," and Takayuki Hijikata's guitar solo is excellent.

8) I'm The One For You
An original that showcases Rie Murakami's talent as a songwriter. A beautiful love ballad. Kousuke Mine's tenor saxophone brilliantly builds the atmosphere.

9) If I Ever Lose This Heaven
Written by Leon Ware and Pam Sawyer. Originally performed by Ware and Minnie Riperton on Quincy Jones' 1974 album "Body Heat," it was released as a single and became a hit that fall. Rie delivers a powerful and compelling performance.

10) Take Me Home
An original ballad that brings to mind the style of Randy Newman. In a duet with Takehiro Honda, Rie sings beautifully and with deep emotion.

1984.3. Aoki Hiraku

*The liner notes from the time of the LP's release are included here.
The spelling of Takehiro Honda's name is as it appeared in 1984 (including the credits on the lyrics sheet).

Liner Notes from Rie Murakami's "SAHARA" (Part 1)

I recently posted onto my main YT channel a CD rip of the 1984 album SAHARA by Rie Murakami. All the existing rips on YouTube, as of me writing this out, were sourced from a rather poor vinyl rip and nobody else had seemingly ripped the JP CD release at all. Privately or publicly, at least... to my knowledge.

Anyways, this was an album that I had been listening to pretty frequently several months ago. The album contains an enormous quantity of liner notes—considering the scarce amount of info that exists for this artist online, I decided to go ahead and commission an English translation of it to rectify that a little bit (and because I was admittedly interested in checking out Murakami's background myself).

There's a lot to unpack here, but just as a quick summary: exactly what I had gotten translated into English will be split into three parts. The first part (which is what you're currently on right now) talks about Murakami's musical background and the origins of it from when she was a child, and ends with a "Where will she go from here?" type of epilogue. The second part goes over the track list descriptions, and the final part is a translation of a new piece of written commentary that was included in the album's 2022 JP CD release. Both the first & second parts are written by Hiraku Aoki (青木啓), and the third part is written by Hitoshi Kurimoto (栗本斉).

Site note: interestingly enough, she is apparently related to drummer Hiroshi Murakami... or so these liner notes say. Not that I don't believe it, I just find it surprising because no other English sites seem to make any mention of this. 

Anyways, the translation for part 1 can be found below. Thanks to Windii for translating this!

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This album marks the debut of Rie Murakami, a rising star making waves in the music scene. Packed with a diverse selection of excellent tracks—including original songs brimming with contemporary pop sensibilities, BCM numbers, and jazz standards—this album sees the young lady Rie Murakami make a dazzling debut, radiating a truly fresh charm.

Although Rie Murakami has only recently begun her career as a professional singer, she has already gained popularity by performing at famous Tokyo jazz spots and live music clubs—such as Satin Doll in Ginza, The Carnival in Shinjuku, and Swing in Shinbashi—and is garnering attention on par with her more seasoned peers. I imagine that some of you who have picked up this album have had the chance to experience her live performances. For some of you, an image of what kind of singer Rie Murakami is may already be taking shape. However, by listening to this album, you will likely find yourself nodding in agreement, realizing, "Ah, so she is this kind of singer as well."

First, I suppose I should introduce RIe Murakami's background. She was born in Tokyo on February 21, 1961 (Shouwa 36). She loved music and singing, and it all began when she joined a children's song class near her home at the age of three. She also began taking classical piano lessons at age eight, steadily developing her musical talents. At that time, her uncle, Hiroshi Murakami, was living with her family. He was a renowned drummer who later achieved great success with groups led by Masabumi Kikuch iand Sadao Watanabe, as well as with Native Son, which featured Takehiro Honda and Kousuke Mine. There is no doubt that Rie Murakami was influenced to no small extent by this wonderful uncle.

Reportedly, Rie Murakami was deeply moved after watching the film "Lady Sings the Blues" (starring Diana Ross; released in Japan in 1973) when she was in the fifth grade. This film was not a strictly factual portrayal of the life of the one-and-only genius jazz singer Billie Holiday, nor does it fully demonstrate just how unique and exceptional her singing was; however, Diana Ross's passionate performance left a strong impression, and it was an interesting film that sparked a renewed appreciation for Billie Holiday—or rather, a movement to bring her to the attention of the general public. It's fascinating to think that Rie, a fifth-grader, was so moved by this that it sparked her awareness of jazz and became the starting point for her growing interest in the genre. Come to think of it, though it's quite an old story, I recall Sadao Watanabe telling me how he was blown away by the film "Birth of the Blues" back when he was studying electrical engineering at Utsunomiya Technical High School. The film tells the story of a group of young white men in New Orleans shortly after the birth of jazz who form a jazz band, struggle to spread the appeal of jazz to the public, and eventually make their way to the big city. Jack Teagarden, a giant of the jazz trombone and a renowned singer, also appeared in the film, but Sadao Watanabe was captivated by the clarinet played by the lead actor, Bing Crosby. It is said that learning the clarinet became his motivation for entering the jazz world, which is also quite interesting.

That aside, Rie Murakami went on from junior high school to Seijo Gakuen High School, where she took vocal and classical guitar lessons alongside her academic studies. She left for the United States immediately after finishing the first semester of her senior year of high school. She spent a year studying abroad at Caledonia High School in Minnesota. During this time, she took private vocal lessons and joined a chorus group; it seems she gained a great deal in terms of her vocal training, and life in America itself must have been a valuable experience in many ways.

Although she had been singing in a band with friends since her school days, she decided to pursue a career as a professional singer after returning to Japan and began studying jazz. For the past two years or so, she has been performing on stages across the country as a guest singer with Native Son, and has further honed her skills by performing with groups led by Takehiro Honda, Kousuke Mine, Mikio Masuda, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, Isao Suzuki, Toshio Osumi, and other top-tier jazz musicians.

Rie Murakami often sang jazz standards accompanied by a jazz combo at live music clubs. This is truly excellent training for a singer; it can be said to lay the foundation for her career. So, will Rie Murakami pursue a career as a jazz singer? Will she become a singer who expresses herself by applying the same idioms as instrumental jazz musicians—that is, through improvisational ad-libs, instrumental phrasing, and infusing her creativity and individuality into the feel of the music? I believe that possibility exists. However, the current Rie Murakami exudes a truly fresh charm in her work as a pop singer who, while influenced by jazz and utilizing its free, creative expression techniques, sings faithfully to the original compositions. If I were to cite American singers of that type here (though, of course, their styles and tones differ from Rie's), the names of women like Patti Austin, Randy Crawford, Jean Carn, Melba Moore, Angela Bofill, and Phyllis Hyman come to mind. These singers can be viewed as either fusion-style artists or Black Contemporary Music (BCM) artists; while veterans like Dee Dee Bridgewater and Marina Shaw also fall into this category, they can be described as contemporary pop singers. There are few Japanese female singers of this type. For that very reason, the presence of the young Rie Murakami is a cause for great joy and deserves our attention.

Rie Murakami has a very cute voice and a charming, endearing expression. Saying that might make her sound like some kind of "gaudy gal" or "cutie" singer, which could be misleading, but she is not one of those young singers with a squeaky, whiny voice. Her appealing charm lies in the way her carefree openness and clarity, her vital punch and sharp precision, her infectious energy, and her beautiful emotional expression all come together—creating a sense of substance in her singing that goes beyond simply flowing pleasantly by. Singing is truly a difficult art, and while Rie Murakami still has much to learn and will likely grow through life experiences to eventually deliver songs of maturity, the youthful vitality she displays today—along with the charm of her singing, which shines with a flexible and sharp sensibility—is immense and thoroughly enjoyable.

This debut album was produced by Masanori Sasaji (though track 5 on side B was produced by Takehiro Honda). Sasaji (born in 1955) is a keyboardist who is currently very active primarily in the fusion scene and is also famous for his great talent in composition and arrangement. Here, he has gathered a large number of accomplished jazz and fusion musicians, demonstrating his prowess as a sound creator while showcasing Rie Murakami's talent, charm, and vast potential as a contemporary pop singer. It is an album where Rie's vocals and Sasaji's sound come together on equal footing.