Emiko Voice: Carta

Jazz of Japan #5 • Jan 30, 2018 • Brian McCrory

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.

Carta by Emiko Voice

• EMiKO VOiCE - vocal
• Koichi Sato - piano, Rhodes
• Akemi Ohta - flute
• Momoko Aida - violin
• Akira Tanidono - trumpet
• Toru Nishijima - bass
• Keita Okada - drums, percussion

Released in 2017 on Zipangu Label as ZIP-0058.

Japanese names: EMiKO VOiCE エミコヴォイス Koichi Sato 佐藤浩一 Akemi Ohta 太田朱美 Momoko Aida 会田桃子 Akira Tanidono 谷殿明良 Toru Nishijima 西嶋徹 Keita Okada 岡田ケイタ

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album
• Track #2 “Sanosa” was featured on The Rough Guide to Avant-Garde Japan 2021