Vagabond Synth Nerd’s Journal Vol. 91 - Famous Bossa Nova Songs to Cool Down With in the Summer! Japanese Bossa Nova Musicians, Part II

Yoshiro Nakamura, Master of Japanese Bossa Nova

A must-listen in summer! This is a special feature on Bossa Nova, in which we will examine famous Bossa Nova albums and masterpieces by composers, performers, and songs.
Continuing from the previous issue, this is Bossa Nova Part II featuring Japanese bossa nova musician Yoshiro Nakamura.
In this part, I will show you what the master of bossa nova, Mr. Yoshiro Nakamura, taught me about how bossa nova should be played and the aesthetics of João Gilberto!

A rare musician who was no different in studio recordings and live performances

Yoshiro Nakamura is a leading figure in the Japanese bossa nova scene.
His voice is so beautiful that it is considered the “João Gilberto of Japan”, and he is also quite skilled on the acoustic guitar.
The moment Mr. Nakamura's guitar plays out with his voice singing on top of it, a perfect form of music, the genre of Yoshiro Nakamura, was born.
Music is often discussed in terms of whether it is better or worse live than in a studio setting.
There are not many musicians whose live performances are of higher quality than the studio recordings, and the studio recordings usually win out. In most studio recordings, the performances and songs are recorded separately, and the best takes are selected and edited down to perfection. Live performances, on the other hand, are recorded simultaneously with the performance and singing. Naturally, various conditions are often not at a constant level.
There are rare musicians whose live performances are of higher quality than the studio recordings, but not many by any means. Among the live musicians I have seen, those whose quality surpassed the studio recordings were Pat Metheny's group, Weather Report, the guitarist in Sadao Watanabe's group, Paul Jackson Jr. and I can’t think of many more.
However, Mr. Nakamura has almost no difference in quality of musical performance between studio recordings and live performances. He is a rare musician who has the skill to deliver music of such high quality.

■ Recommended album: Yoshiro Nakamura, Lembranza, Esperanza (2004)

This is a 2004 album by bossa nova master Yoshiro Nakamura, released under the title “Omoide to Kibou” (Memories and Hope) in Japan. This is a solo album in which the entire album is a guitar performance.
The album consists only of Nakamura's guitar and singing. The album requires a high level of technique, as it was recorded only once, without any fancy editing. Nakamura is probably the only person who can deliver Brazilian music including the mental aspect.
The album features important bossa nova songs such as “Felicidade”, “Drarisse”, and “Triste”.

What is bossa nova that Nakamura was talking about?

I once spoke with Nakamura about bossa nova. It was a discussion about the nature of bossa nova music and his thoughts on João Gilberto.
Bossa nova music is composed of singing and guitar.
He said, “The style in which jazz musicians take up the music and perform it is a little different from the conventional concept of bossa nova...”
In that sense, this album is an expression of the true form of bossa nova as Nakamura sees it, and it can also be said to be an album that reflects who he is.

Recommended song: “O Pato”

“O Pato” is from the second album of João Gilberto, the master of bossa nova. It is also known as the “Goose Samba”. Nakamura's technique is overwhelmingly impressive, as he effortlessly accomplishes this important part of João Gilberto's repertoire. Nakamura makes his playing look so easy and it’s very unique to the bossa nova style of grooving the guitar and the song.

What is João Gilberto's style of singing?

Mr. Nakamura says, “João Gilberto deliberately sings in a way that straddles bars.This is not an attempt to flirt, but rather a method of singing that he does with conviction. By singing like that, there is a gap between the guitar and the song, and a groove is created. It makes the song feel as if it is on a loop and will go on forever. I remember as if it were only yesterday that he said, “‘That's the beauty of Joan's shifting.’”

■ Recommended album: Yoshiro Nakamura & Hiroki Miyano, NOS (1994)

Acoustic guitar duo album by Yoshiro Nakamura and jazz guitarist Hiroki Miyano.
The music selection is based off of bossa nova, but it also features rock classics such as Boz Scaggs' “JOJO” and 10㏄'s “I'm Not In Love”.
I saw NOS live at a jazz club in Nakano a few years ago. I don't know how much of the performance was discussed between the two musicians, but the timing of the performance was incredible. It was as if they were playing right from the CD soundtrack...and they played with even more passion than they did live.
Mr. Miyano's high-speed ad-libs on acoustic guitar and Mr. Nakamura's spot-on backing.... I remember that the dazzling development of the music just took my breath away.

Recommended song: “I. G. Y.”

“I・G・Y,” the opening track from Donald Fagen's classic album Nightfly, is beautifully seasoned to create the NOS world. Mr. Nakamura's restrained vocals depict a dark grey world.

■ Recommended album: Kazuko Hashimoto & Yoshiro Nakamura, DUO (2016)

Bossa nova with a band is not bad, but due to its musical characteristics, bossa nova is a genre that is best suited for solo or duo performances.
This album is a duo album with Yoshiro Nakamura and Kazuko Hashimoto, who performed together on the album Esquina/Street Corner.
It includes well-known songs such as “Summer Samba”, as well as originals by both of them.
I heard their duo at a live house called Buddy in Ekoda. I remember being knocked out by their breathtaking performance, which was different from Hiroki Miyano’s performance.
This duo is great, but I would like to see a duo album with pianist Fabian Reza Panet, but I don't know if that would possible~ (haha)

Recommended song: “Ela é Carioca” (She’s a Carioca)

This song makes full use of Nakamura and Hashimoto’s distinctive voices. When the clear voice of Hashimoto and the sweeter voice of Nakamura mix together, a unique world of the two emerges. Kazuko Hashimoto's acoustic piano backing and solos change the way the groove is perceived in the song, and it’s absolutely excellent.

Musicians featured, albums, recommended songs, and keyboards used

• Artist：Yoshiro Nakamura, João Gilberto, Fabian Reza Panet, Hiroki Miyano
• Albums: Lembranza, Esperanza, NOS, DUO
• Songs: “O Pato”, “I.G.Y.”, “Ela é Carioca” (She’s a Carioca)

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