【LP】Kaoru Akimoto Cologne Record Original

- Artist: Kaoru Akimoto
- Album: Cologne

Thank you for viewing.
This is an original LP, not a reissue.
It was played in clubs a few times, and the rest of the time it was framed for display as part of a collection for several years.
Both the record surface and the sleeve are in generally good condition.
Compared to the reissue, I feel like there might be some discoloration on the jacket (sticker part), but I've never seen an original record other than my own, so it doesn't bother me, and I won't discount the price.

I feel like the market value has diminished with the reissue, but
I think the brilliance of the sound is unchanged.

Please consider it.
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Kaoru Akimoto was the singer for Shambala, a vocal group formed by the rhythm section of Tetsuo Sakurai (b) and Akira Jimbo (ds), who supported Casiopea during its heyday, separate from the Casiopea itself. With dual vocals with Yurie Kokubu, she delivered some pretty sharp fusion funk.

This is probably Akimoto's only solo album. Released in '86, the sound is heavily programmed and reverb-laden, but thanks to the mastering, it doesn't bother me much when I listen to it now. The aforementioned "Dress Down" is a straight-up floor-friendly 80's boogie, and fans of Kazumatsu at the time would definitely react to it. Along with Chocolate Lips, which came out a little earlier, the demand from overseas DJs is high, and I can see why the analog record sells for five figures. The slightly pop "Wagamama na High Heel" also has a light step similar to Kazumatsu and Yurie Kokubu's solo work.

There are also other tracks worth listening to, such as "Two Call" provided by Takao Kisugi, which has a reggae flavor and a European esprit, the medium tempo "Yoru ga Owaru Toki" composed by Minako Yoshida, and the urban ballad "Konya wa Hitori Kiri." The fact that Kenjiro Sakiya wrote three songs is also a highlight. The backing musicians include Satoshi Takebe (kyd) and Yuji Toriyama (g, kyd), who also handled the arrangements, as well as Chiharu Mikuzuki (b), Jun Aoyama / Eiji Shimamura (ds), and Hidefumi Toki (sax). In the chorus, along with Sakiya, you can also find the name of Toshinobu Kubota, who debuted in the same year. It's good that this kind of music didn't get buried in the gap of time...