The president of Enka

[imomus]

Amidst all the buzz about a black American's chance to become the next US President, let's consider an even more remarkable achievement: a black American is currently poised to revitalise Enka, the genre of trad balladry post-war Japan liked to get drunk and sentimental listening to. The man in question is 26 year-old Jerome White Junior, raised in Pittsburgh. In Japan they just call him Jero.



Jero's grandfather was a black American soldier stationed in Japan who married a Japanese woman. A few years later, back in Pittsburgh, her Enka record collection began to fascinate her six year-old grandson. He signed up for a Japanese language course at school and, after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, headed to Japan, where Victor Records took a risk and signed him.

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The risk paid off: Jero is now huge, with a fanbase demographic that takes in octogenarian nostalgarians and young girls alike. His energetic synchronised dance routines and brash hip hop outfits may make a bizarre corollary for the warbling ballads he sings, but -- as they aren't saying about Obama and Hillary -- maybe it's the best of both worlds, a marriage made, if not in heaven, then at least in spring, when the blossom falls, bro, yo.

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Having messed somewhat with hybrid Enka on my last album, I must say I love the soaring sentimentality of this musical form. It's not far from the swooping croon Bowie achieved in his cover of "Wild is the Wind". Who says this gorgeous rush of regret and vibrato can only be for Japanese people? Thanks to its new black president, Enka is destined for all humanity.

Comments

mdma

[(Anonymous)]

Hehey! Them jap birds are lappin' it up. I've got a fairly deep voice, i can learn Japanese, pppppsh. Thats next year sorted.

For some reason i'm liking footage of this Jero fella. Probably because of the unusual cultural pollination which is something i always warm to.

But can anyone tell me who the singer is who is heard (and presumably mentioned) at about 2:55 to 3:15 in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTd2TG3ajLY&eurl=http://imomus.livejournal.com/

(JERO meets Moriyama Aiko)

It sounds like the same singer who is heard on the 'Mysterious Podcast' released a few months back just here.

Is it? Who is she, or who are they? I must know, please help me someone!

Re: mdma

[imomus.livejournal.com]

It's the great Misora Hibari (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misora_Hibari). And yes, she also featured in the Mysterious Podcast (http://imomus.livejournal.com/356336.html).

Re: mdma

[33mhz.livejournal.com]

My favorite clips of hers have all been from when she was fairly young and doing movie musicals.

Here she plays a lonely scarecrow with a heno heno mo heji face (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dhYRDENbow), here's swing madness in a bee costume (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhmKFGpWhRc) with her dopey tanuki friend. And then this number on a rollercoaster in Janken Musume (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrbegS0LHrI).

Re: mdma

[imomus.livejournal.com]

More on Hibari's tanuki films here (http://imomus.livejournal.com/337490.html), including an account of how she made her last tanukigoten appearance almost twenty years after her death, thanks to digital technology.

Re: mdma

[count-vronsky.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to ask, what is the piece at 21 min. that sounds like Anouar Brahem, or the opening credits from hbo's Rome (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzd1szJLFoI&feature=related)?

I made my dad a copy of the MP when you first posted it and he loved it, plays it in his car all the time, and he especially likes the Ivor Cutler "Lemon Flower" song. He is getting a bit dotty in his old age so he has asked me several times who sings it.