Emiko Voice

Enyana is the first collaboration album from vocalist Emiko Voice and pianist Yuka Yanagihara. Their new group and album name, Enyana, merges the EMI of Emiko and YANA of Yanagihara. There is also a bit of wordplay on the Japanese phrase en ga aru /(縁がある) which can mean there’s a connection or linking of fates between people or things in a certain situation. One variation of the phrase is “/enyana!/” (縁やな! /or えにゃな!), a playful Kansai-dialect version with a meaning like “It must be fate!” ...

Emiko Voice is always an interesting, active, and boundary-exploring musician, often simultaneously involved in a number of projects. Emphasizing her voice talent in her name (compared to a vocal or vocalist role), her singing, scatting, vocalese, and other voice skills are used liberally in her music. This includes her popular Brazilian music duo Meu Coração, swing and bebop recordings with pianist Suga Dairo, various chorus groups, duos, trios, and other groups with sometimes unconventional jazz combo formations. ...

As jazz fans know, Brazilian music and bossa nova tunes are frequently present on jazz albums, playlists, and jazz bars, and Japan’s live scene is no exception. Naturally, Japanese jazz musicians and groups who specialize in Latin genres can also be found in Japan. One such group is Meu Coração (“my heart” in Portuguese), the creation of Emiko Voice and Taro Sukegawa. The pair delivers impeccable and sweet Brazilian music through perfectly matched voice and guitar. Their 2009 debut album Hall Tone features one hour of Brazilian music through bossa nova, samba, choro, and the like. The simple combination of acoustic guitar and voice brings into relief the strength of the music and atmosphere, and the Portuguese lyrics deliver hints of love songs and bittersweet tales. ...

Vocalist Emiko Voice and pianist Dairo Suga perform jazz standards in non-standard ways on their 2009 release Phase 2Twist & Shout, a followup to their previous Phase 1 duo album from 2006. While the track listing is full of jazz favorites like “Summertime”, “Solitude”, and “Girl From Ipanema”, the standards are anything but ordinary as the music is reinvented in a one-take session with the multi-genre duo exploring different ways of interpreting these gems. ...

The Japanese vocal-guitar duo Meu Coração releases the stunning A Tempo as a return to an earlier form. While the duo is well known for playing acoustic Brazilian music at sold-out concert halls and their Hall Tone albums, this sixth album presents dramatic variations with an exciting full-band sound. The album starts with a vibrant “One Note Samba” and also features a catchy “Lawns”, the peppy Brazilian tunes “Corrida De Jangada” and “Batacuda Surgiu”, and a sentimental, lush “Amazon River”. The album closes like a sweet lullaby with a dreamy “Love Me Tender”. ...

An elegant package inside and out, brimming with atmosphere. The outer package is a slim booklet, containing photography, a poem, and an essay. The music itself is a modern take on classic jazz songs with Japanese words and flavor sprinkled throughout, featuring excellent arrangements by pianist Koichi Sato. Emiko’s voice is front-and-center and spans the gamut from quick instrumentesque aerobics to passionate crooning. Vocals, piano, Fender Rhodes, and an innovative stand-up drum set constitute the core of the group, and several other instrumentalists contribute to the album, with material ranging from dreamy and moody to light and shimmering. ...