Electric Mole Forums - View Single Post - Help me identify Ringo's most enka-sounding songs

TurtleFu · 2012.11.02, 01:05 PM

After listening to early Ringo again, I find that she uses a little bit of kobushi-esque vibrato on several Muzai Moratorium songs.
It's very interesting, not a lot of modern pop/rock singers in Japan really grew up on enka, but I definitely think Ringo's singing style is influenced by both jazz and enka. The interesting thing about enka is that it serves a similar cultural role to chanson, and many enka artists covered chanson songs, and many chanson songs became jazz standards.
I'm not an ethnomusicologist, but I think enka, like Korean trot, is very influenced by jazz. So what we may hear as "jazz" in Ringo's music, such as in Heisei Fuuzoku, she may have enka in mind.

EDIT: Meisai definitely is one of her more enka sounding, especially the introductory bars. "Nee, issou touku shiranai machi ni..."

2012.11.02, 01:05 PM	#6
TurtleFu Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Honolulu Posts: 1,592	After listening to early Ringo again, I find that she uses a little bit of kobushi-esque vibrato on several Muzai Moratorium songs. It's very interesting, not a lot of modern pop/rock singers in Japan really grew up on enka, but I definitely think Ringo's singing style is influenced by both jazz and enka. The interesting thing about enka is that it serves a similar cultural role to chanson, and many enka artists covered chanson songs, and many chanson songs became jazz standards. I'm not an ethnomusicologist, but I think enka, like Korean trot, is very influenced by jazz. So what we may hear as "jazz" in Ringo's music, such as in Heisei Fuuzoku, she may have enka in mind. EDIT: Meisai definitely is one of her more enka sounding, especially the introductory bars. "Nee, issou touku shiranai machi ni..." Last edited by TurtleFu : 2012.11.02 at 04:17 PM.