JIRO'S 1 for the love & you NM JAPAN POP PSYCH PROG FOLK LP Japanese Jiro Sugita

	£		69
	$		91

Extremely rare Japanese LP that never turns up, first time on ebay! Complete with OBI and insert. Original Japanese pressing on the Express label from 1971. The record is in near mint and the cover is in mint condition. 

Jiro Sugita is probably not known to most of the Western world, but in Japan he's been making music since the late 60's and has had a  rather interesting career path.  Starting out around 1967, he joined "NORIHIKO HASHIDA AND THE SHOEBELTS", a group that didn't last too long,  though they did release a couple of albums. Norihiko Hashida was the featured singer here and has had a successful solo career himself.   Around 1970, Jiro Sugita left to form another group with fellow singer Jiro Morishita - the resulting partnership was simply called "JIRO's".  They appear to have released only two albums in the 70's before Mr. Sugita went solo in 1972 - this album from '71 and a live LP in '72.   I have been told that after the group broke up in 1972, Mr. Morishita became a successful producer of Radio Kansai, among other things. In 2002 they reformed and released a reunion album (ENCM-2014) where they re-recorded a lot of the songs from their first album. The  live LP from '72, titled "GOOD-BY JIRO'S", has also been issued on CD in a cardboard LP-style sleeve with 24bit remastering (TOCT-25206).

"FOR THE LOVE & YOU - JIRO'S 1" is really the album that launched his career, and to this day contains many of his best songs. Tracks 1 & 14 are perhaps the biggest hits here and have also appeared on countless Jiro Sugita "best of" compilations and live CDs. The numerous English cover songs on the album will be familiar to most, and pretty much stay true to the originals, but with a more "pop"  sound.  Overall, this album is a mixture of styles - a little folk, some pop/rock, and even a dash of soft pop/easy listening.  For those  not familiar with Mr. Sugita, he has a very strong and distinctive voice and has recently turned 60 this year.

ENTER THE JIROS
The Jiros (1971)

Track translations courtesy of John Cassidy

1. Children Don't Know Of War
   (Sensou Wo Shiranai Kodomo Tachi)
   Written by Osamu Kitayama
   Composed by Jirou Sugita
   Arranged by Shunichi Makaino
2. Maybe Tomorrow
   (Meibii Toumorou)
   Composed and Written by Tom Evans
   Arranged by Norio Maeda
3. The Throbbing Of This Heart (You Don't Have To Say You Love Me)
   (Kono Mune No Tokimeki Wo)
   Composed and Written by Giuseppe Donaggio and Vito Pallavicini
   Arranged by Norio Maedad
4. For Love And You
   (Ai To Anata No Tame Ni)
   Written by Osamu Kitayama
   Composed by Jirou Sugita
   Arranged by Shunichi Makaino
5. Takeda's Lullabye
   (Takeda No Komoriuta)
   Folk Song - Arranged by Nozomu Aoki
6. The Circle Game
   (Saakuru Geemu)
   Composed and Written by Joni Mitchell
   Arranged by Nozomu Aoki
7. Friends Of The Heart (With A Little Help From My Friends)
   (Kokoro No Tomo)
   Composed and Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
   Arranged by Norio Maeda
8. From The Sunlit Sky
   (Asayake No Sora Kara)
   Composed and Written by Yoshinobu Morishita
   Arranged by Nozomu Aoki
9. Mamako
   Composed and Written by Kouta Fujiwara
   Arranged by Nozomu Aoki
10. Yearning For Phoenix (By The Time I Get To Phoenix)
    (Koi Wa Fenikkusu)
    Composed and Written by Jim Webb
    Arranged by Norio Maeda
11. I Am A Rock
    (Ai Amu A Rokku)
    Composed and Written by Paul Simon
    Arranged by Norio Maeda
12. From Within The Mirror
    (Kagami No Naka Kara)
    Written by Osamu Kitayama
    Composed by Jirou Sugita
    Arranged by Shunichi Makaino
13. A Lover's Concerto
    (Rabaazu Koncheruto)
    Composed and Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randall
    Arranged by Nozomu Aoki
14. Because Of You
    (Anata Dake Ni)
    Composed and Written by Jirou Sugita
    Arranged by Nozomu Aoki
15. Look Around You
    (Kimi No Mawari Wo Mitsumete Goran)
    Composed and Written by Yoshihiro Nakamura
    Arranged by Nozomu Aoki

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