Kyōhei Tsutsumi

Kyōhei Tsutsumi
Birth name Eikichi Watanabe
Also known as Jack Diamond
Born May 28, 1940
Origin Ushigome, Tokyo, Japan
Genres Pop, rock, kayokyoku, soft rock, enka, easy listening
Occupation(s) Composer, music producer, arranger
Instruments Piano, harpsichord
Years active 1963–present
Labels Sony, EMI, Victor, King, Nippon Columbia

Kyōhei Tsutsumi (筒美 京平 Tsutsumi Kyouhei) (born Eikichi Watanabe, May 28, 1940), is a Japanese composer, record producer and arranger.

Tsutsumi began his career as a songwriter circa 1966, and he came to prominence as a composer of Ayumi Ishida's chart-topping hit "Blue Light Yokohama" in the late 1960s. He has released nearly 3,000 compositions to date, over 500 of which have entered the Japanese Oricon singles chart.[1] Tsutsumi is the most commercially successful composer of the Japanese popular music of last five decades, selling over 76 million units on the country's single chart from 1968 onwards.[2][3]

Two of his compositions won the grand prix of Japan Record Award "Mata Au Hi Made" performed by Kiyohiko Ozaki in 1971 and "Miserarete" by Judy Ongg in 1979.[4][5] Tsutsumi himself has also won the awards for best songwriting category for five times.[6] Recognized for his long-term contribution to establish Japanese popular music, Tsutsumi received the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon by the Government of Japan in November 2003.[7]

Early life

Eikichi Watanabe (渡辺 栄吉 Watanabe Eikichi) was born on May 28, 1940 in Ushigome, Tokyo City, now part of Shinjuku Ward. He was a student of Aoyama Gakuin, one of the most prestigious educational institutes in Japan. Watanabe learned piano when he was in kindergarten, and joined the college's jazz club in his teen years. After graduating from University, Watanabe worked as a director of Nippon Grammophone, a Japanese record label in which later changed its name to Polydor Japan and now owned by Universal Music Group. Tadataka Watanabe, his younger brother, became a record executive too, who has been chief producer of Warner Music Japan and well known as a discoverer of multi-million selling folk-rock duo Kobukuro.[8]

Career

On the suggestion of a composer Jun Hashimoto, his senior graduate of University, Watanabe began his songwriting career under the pen name Kyohei Tsutsumi. "Kiiroi Lemon", his first recorded compositions co-written by Hashimoto and sung by then-unknown Masato Shimon (using stage name Kōichi Fuji), was issued as a single in 1966. However, it was initially released as a work composed by Kōichi Sugiyama, and Tsutsumi's name was not credit on the original pressing of the record.

Tsutsumi's first hit, "Barairo no Kumo", was performed by the Village Singers and released as a single in 1967. He rose to fame in 1969, after release of "Blue Light Yokohama" recorded by singer and actress Ayumi Ishida. It was released as a single on Christmas Day of 1968 and topped the Japanese Oricon sales chart in the following year, becoming the fifth record to have sold over 1 million copies since the chart started counting sales in 1968. As a composer of the song, Tsutsumi won the 11th Japan Record Awards for the best songwriting category on December 31, 1969.[9]

Selected discography

Studio albums

During the late 1960s and the 1970s, Tsutsumi released following his own albums. Most of those efforts were reissued in 2006, as part of compilation series entitled Kyohei Tsutsumi Solo Works Collection released by five different labels EMI Music Japan, Sony Music Entertainment, King Records, Victor Entertainment, and Nippon Columbia.

Album Details
Piano ga Utau "Osanai Hi" (ピアノが歌う“幼い日”)
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and the Feather Tones
  • Released: 1968
  • Label: King Records
Cembalo Deluxe Vol.1: Koi no Kisetsu (恋の季節)
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and the Feather Tones
  • Released: 1968
  • Label: King Records
Cembalo Deluxe Vol.2: Nanairo no Shiawase (七色のしあわせ)
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and the Feather Tones
  • Released: 1969
  • Label: King Records
Cembalo Deluxe Vol.3: Ano Hi Nagisa de... (あの日渚で…)
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and the Feather Tones
  • Released: 1969
  • Label: King Records
Futatsu no Hoshi (二つの星)
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and Kunihiko Suzuki
  • Released: July 10, 1969
  • Label: Nippon Columbia
Hit Piano Touch
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi Orchestra
  • Released: 1969
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
Hit! Hit! Hit!: "Shiranaide Aisarete/Koibito" (知らないで愛されて/恋人)
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi Orchestra
  • Released: March 1970
  • Label: Nippon Columbia
Easy Listening Deluxe Album: Kyohei Tsutsumi Hit Original Sound by 16-ch System
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi Orchestra
  • Released: 1970
  • Label: Victor
Headlight
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi Orchestra
  • Released: May 10, 1970
  • Label: Nippon Columbia
Bacharach Meet the Beatles
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and the Feather Tones
  • Released: 1971
  • Label: King Records
Dynamic Young Hit Deluxe
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and the Feather Tones
  • Released: 1971
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
Tsutsumi Kyohei no Hibiki (筒美京平の響)
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and Sound Now Orchestra
  • Released: 1972
  • Label: Sony
Seishun no Harmony: Mirai kara Kita Tegami (青春のハーモニー~未来からきた手紙~)
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and Sound Now Orchestra
  • Released: 1972
  • Label: Sony
Eiko e no Dasshutsu (栄光への脱出)
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and Sound Now Orchestra
  • Released: 1972
  • Label: Victor
Spectacle Sound by Special Request
  • Performer: Kyohei Tsutsumi and Silver Strings
  • Released: 1973
  • Label: Toshiba EMI
Hit Machine: Tsutsumi Kyohei no Sekai (筒美京平の世界)
  • Performer: Doctor Dragon and the Oriental Express
  • Released: 1976
  • Label: Toshiba EMI

Number-one hits on the Oricon singles chart

Year Single Performer Lyricist
1968 "Blue Light Yokohama" (ブルー・ライト・ヨコハマ) Ayumi Ishida Jun Hashimoto
1971 "Mata Au Hi Made" (また逢う日まで) Kiyohiko Ozaki Yū Aku
1973 "Akai Fūsen" (赤い風船) Miyoko Asada Kazumi Yasui
"Watashi no Kare wa Hidari-kiki" (わたしの彼は左きき) Megumi Asaoka Kazuya Senke
1974 "Yoroshiku Aishū" (よろしく哀愁) Hiromi Gō Kazumi Yasui
"Amai Seikatsu" (甘い生活) Gorō Noguchi Michio Yamagami
1975 "Romance" Hiromi Iwasaki Yū Aku
"Sentimental"
1979 "Miserarete (Theme of Aegean Sea)" (魅せられて (エーゲ海のテーマ)) Judy Ongg Yōko Aki
"Sexual Violet No. 1" Masahiro Kuwana Takashi Matsumoto
1980 "Sneaker Blues" (スニーカーぶる~す) Masahiko Kondō
1981 "Blue Jeans Memory"
"Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku" (ギンギラギンにさりげなく) Ayumi Date
1982 "Jōnetsu Neppū Serenade" (情熱熱風せれなーで) Ayumi Date
"Furarete Banzai" (ふられてBANZAI) Takashi Matsumoto
"Harajuku Kiss" (原宿キッス) Toshihiko Tahara Akira Miyashita
"Shower na Kibun" (シャワーな気分) Tokuko Miura
"Horetaze! Kanpai" (ホレたぜ! 乾杯) Masahiko Kondō Takashi Matsumoto
1983 "Midnight Station"
"Tameiki Rockabilly" (ためいきロ・カ・ビ・リー)
"Royal Straight Flush"
1984 "Ichiban Yarō" (一番野郎) Masao Urino
"Meikyu no Androla" (迷宮のアンドローラ) Kyōko Koizumi Takashi Matsumoto
"Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge" (ヤマトナデシコ七変化) Chinfa Kang
1985 "Majo" (魔女) Takashi Matsumoto
"Nantettatte Idol" (なんてったってアイドル) Yasushi Akimoto
"Kamen Butōkai" (仮面舞踏会) Shōnentai Tetsuya Chiaki
1987 "Ballad no You ni Nemure" (バラードのように眠れ) Takashi Matsumoto
"Naimono Nedari no I Want You" (ないものねだりのI Want You) C-C-B
1987 "Mizu no Rouge" (水のルージュ) Kyōko Koizumi
"Stripe Blue" Shōnentai
"Sayonara no Kajitsu Tachi" (さよならの果実たち) Yōko Oginome Masao Urino
"Kimi Dake ni" (君だけに) Shōnentai Chinfa Kang
"Naite Mirya Iijan" (泣いてみりゃいいじゃん) Masahiko Kondo
"ABC" Shōnentai Takashi Matsumoto
1988 "Jirettai ne" (じれったいね) Hiromi Mori
1994 "Tenca wo Torō (Uchida no Yabō)" (TENCAを取ろう―内田の野望) Yuki Uchida Kohmi Hirose, Sora Kawasaki
1999 "Yamenaide, Pure" (やめないで、Pure) KinKi Kids Takashi Matsumoto
2003 "Ambitious Japan! Tokio Rei Nakanishi

Compilation and tribute albums

Further reading

References

  1. 特集 偉大なる流行作曲家・筒美京平の「この10曲」を選ぶ [Special Features: Pickup 10 Songs by Kyohei Tsutsumi: The Great Composer of Popular Music] (in Japanese). musicshelf.jp. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
  2. Okamoto, Satoshi (2011). Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968-2010 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4-87131-088-4.
  3. Kawabata, Hiroshi (producer) (2008-11-30). "みゅーじん/音遊人:テレビ東京 > 第111回:織田哲郎 (Myujin > TV Tokyo > Episode 111: Tetsuro Oda)". (in Japanese). TV Tokyo. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. 第13回日本レコード大賞 [The 13th Record Awards Winners]. jacompa.jp (in Japanese). Japanese Composers Association. Archived from the original on 2008-06-11. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
  5. 第21回日本レコード大賞 [The 21st Record Awards Winners]. jacompa.jp (in Japanese). Japanese Composers Association. Archived from the original on 2008-06-11. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
  6. "「作家で聴く音楽」第二回 筒美京平 > Interview: Kyohei Tsutsumi". jasrac.or.jp (in Japanese). JASRAC. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
  7. ヤワラちゃんや北島選手 若者にも秋の褒章. 47 News, 47news.jp, Kyodo News (in Japanese) (Press Net Japan Co.,Ltd.). 2003-11-01. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  8. 第29回 恒川光昭 氏 > [Home > Musicman's Relay > Vol.29 > Interview: Mitsuaki Tsunekawa; President of Nichion, Inc.]. musicman-net.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2012-03-03.
  9. 第11回日本レコード大賞 [The 11th Record Awards Winners]. jacompa.jp (in Japanese). Japanese Composers Association. Archived from the original on 2008-06-11. Retrieved 2012-03-03.