Ai Kago Meets JAZZ

[JPope]

An ambitious project for a pop idol made all the more ambitious by the straight jazz arrangements of mostly American standards. Most of these songs are associated with particular legends of American music -- Frank Sinatra ("Fly Me To The Moon", "Night And Day"); Ella Fitzgerald ("How High The Moon","You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To"); Judy Garland ("Over The Rainbow"); Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday ("All Of Me") -- so the perceived margin for error is razor thin to begin with. The set list would be a ballsy undertaking for any singer, let alone the black sheep ex-member of Morning Musume. So, how does the Poop Queen fare?



Unsurprisingly, not too well. Her voice is simply too raw, her range too limited, and her phrasing too pedestrian to do these very well know songs justice, let alone make these recordings special. The decision to pair her with an actual small jazz combo only accentuates her vocal limitations, because the music is pretty good. The arrangements feel sort of like glorified versions of the Jamey Aebersold Play-Along albums for jazz students, but the musicians are allowed to play a little bit, with most tracks featuring instrumental solos. Kago is clearly outclassed by the jazz pros, and her choppy and at times almost staccato phrasing becomes tiresome quickly. Several times I wondered why the producer didn't tell her to extend certain phrases that obviously screamed out for it, or reign in her poor decision to improvise away from written melodies, most notably on "When You Wish Upon A Star".



Kago's voice does sound pleasant at times, and kernels of potential pop up occasionally, but this album was a really bad idea if someone is trying to push her as a serious singer. Write her some good pop tunes, and she'll probably do fine, but keep the jazz tunes for the jazz singers.

[Madara]

My copy's on its way. These songs are all a part of my cultural DNA. I tend to err on the indulgent side when it comes to Aibon, but I confess I am a little worried. I think I'll listen to Hibari Misora's album of Nat King Cole songs beforehand, just to prepare myself. ("Love is a many-sprendored thing...")

[Rinnie]

I did not know about this o_o I'll have to give it a listen though! I'm somewhat of a Kago fan even after she screwed up, and this should definitely be interesting.



One thing, did she sing these in English? Considering the English section of Children of the Night, this could be full of epic lulz...

[Farrah]

Honestly, I am puzzled as to why anyone managing her allowed this to happen, after listening to a few of these songs on youtube. Her english is actually decipherable, which I wasn't expecting, but her voice is not the silky, smooth voice suited to jazz standards - she maintains that shrill, nasal, thin idol voice even when singing a song like Somewhere Over The Rainbow, because I guess that's all she's capable of. Her lack of vocal ability is really high lighted when singing songs like this that we're used to hearing the greats sing. Ai isn't the first to do an underwhelming rendition of any of these songs of course, but yeah. It's a hot mess, in my opinion.



Now, when Ayaya does an album like this... then I'll be pleased, because she's at least quite above average for an idol singer, though also nasal. But these songs just don't do Aibon any favors.

[JPope]

[quote name='Rinnie' post='78164' date='Apr 4 2010, 08:23 AM']I did not know about this o_o I'll have to give it a listen though! I'm somewhat of a Kago fan even after she screwed up, and this should definitely be interesting.



One thing, did she sing these in English? Considering the English section of Children of the Night, this could be full of epic lulz...[/quote]

I forgot to mention, but her English is actually passable for the most part. Those looking for Engrish lulz will likely be disappointed.



[quote name='Ang' post='78169' date='Apr 4 2010, 11:18 AM']Now, when Ayaya does an album like this... then I'll be pleased, because she's at least quite above average for an idol singer, though also nasal. But these songs just don't do Aibon any favors.[/quote]



You know who should do an album like this? aiko, that's who.

[eri]

Do you remember when Kaori came out with her solo album of jazz favorites? How does it compare to that?

[Tsujiji]

Not her best stuff, but I like it. I'd give it about a C grade? I don't think her voice it suited for this type of project though, but she does bring a soft and cute side to it all.

I do love me some Kago, and am happy she released anything at all especially because those two anime remixed covers she did were pretty lame. (It was mostly the style of music that was lame about those, though. Kago's voice was great for those two songs. )



I hope her next album work is in another direction though.

[jochin]

Bottom line; why the hell is Kago Ai singing jazz?



Anyways, LOVE HER.

[Geof]

I'm still waiting for my Yasuda jazz album. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/sigh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />

[Rinnie]

I got ahold of a couple mp3s and gave them a listen... vocally, as everyone else said, Ai is wholly underwhelming... but I was squealing with fangirlish delight because I knew the songs and Kago is adorable and I'm so, so happy that there's at least a few active ex-Musume out there.



[quote name='Geof' post='78184' date='Apr 4 2010, 06:18 PM']I'm still waiting for my Yasuda jazz album. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/sigh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />[/quote]



I'm waiting for a Yasuda ANYTHING. Damn, I love her. And she disappeared. >.>

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='Usako' post='78181' date='Apr 4 2010, 12:26 PM']...those two anime remixed covers she did...[/quote]



I totally missed these! Not that your opinion of them gives me much hope for them, but I'll have to hunt these down.



As for the general sentiment in the thread of "Why is Kago doing jazz/why did they LET her do this"...it seems that whatever management agency it is that Kago is with these days pretty much lets her do what she wants these days. She always seems to be really into what she's doing and talks about it a bunch on twitter/her blog. That would also explain why her career has kind of been all over the place since she had her comeback - it's like she's just trying out whatever comes to mind and seems fun. Of course that could all be PR, but either Kago or her company has definitely been going for a more adult image for her, and jazz is one of the more mature and least idol-y genres she could do. I do hope she goes back to the style she had going with her first single. I ended up loving those songs, and her voice sounded great in them. I'm still waiting on my copy of this album, but I'm not a big fan of jazz to begin with.



I'm just going to listen to it with low expectations and try to view it as "Kago music" rather than "classic jazz standards" and hope it isn't TOO disappointing. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />

[eri]

(btw....at first glance, the title of the thread read...Ai Kago Meets Jizz....and I thought it might be a porn, given her record. I'm a little disappointed <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />)

[Tsujiji]

[quote name='TnB' post='78195' date='Apr 5 2010, 06:23 AM']I totally missed these! Not that your opinion of them gives me much hope for them, but I'll have to hunt these down.[/quote]



I'll just leave this here. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... stling.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' /> → http://www.sendspace.com/file/gkkm7g

[Ap2000]

[quote name='Usako' post='78208' date='Apr 5 2010, 04:49 AM'][quote name='TnB' post='78195' date='Apr 5 2010, 06:23 AM']I totally missed these! Not that your opinion of them gives me much hope for them, but I'll have to hunt these down.[/quote]



I'll just leave this here. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... stling.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' /> → http://www.sendspace.com/file/gkkm7g

[/quote]



Or, of course, as always, H!O, but a ddl is more convenient, so thank you.



EDIT:

Ok, I downloaded those, awaiting the Jazz songs... and now I'm confused and need to re-read what TnB was actually talking about. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... popper.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':(' />

[Tsujiji]

[quote name='Ap2000' post='78209' date='Apr 5 2010, 11:55 AM']Ok, I downloaded those, awaiting the Jazz songs... and now I'm confused and need to re-read what TnB was actually talking about. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... popper.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':popper:' />[/quote]

Those were 2 anime remixes she released around November~

[Ap2000]

Just downloaded it and it sounds horrible.

So monotone, it's really bad.



When I think of "Fly me to the moon" and a woman singing it, I always think of the Rei Ayanami version, which is so much more playful than this, despite being slow.

[Pucchi-Mo]

It's ok, I wouldn't listen to these songs on repeat, but seems like something nice to revisit every so often.



I figure a cover album is to stall until they can get original material written. If they'll even bother.



HOW HIGH THE MOON makes me want to play Katamari Damashii. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':popper:' />

[cromartiedropout]

[quote name='TightWetPucchi' post='78254' date='Apr 5 2010, 08:54 PM']I figure a cover album is to stall until they can get original material written. If they'll even bother.[/quote]



A+ <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... umbsup.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whistling:' />



Anyway haters gonna hate because I like this album. I mean it's not like my favorite thing to ever happen with her post!MM career (that would be Kago Ai vs. FRIDAY), but I put a few of the songs on my iPod.



Also, fans of W will be excited(?) to know that 17sai yo Sayounara is on the album.

[JPope]

[quote name='cromartiedropout' post='78273' date='Apr 6 2010, 04:30 AM']Anyway haters gonna hate because I like this album.[/quote]

Or people are simply going to dislike that which they don't like, regardless of how they feel about Kago. Personally, I think Kago is pretty cool, but that doesn't keep me from realizing that she sucks at jazz.

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='JPope' post='78352' date='Apr 7 2010, 12:54 AM'][quote name='cromartiedropout' post='78273' date='Apr 6 2010, 04:30 AM']Anyway haters gonna hate because I like this album.[/quote]

Or people are simply going to dislike that which they don't like, regardless of how they feel about Kago. Personally, I think Kago is pretty cool, but that doesn't keep me from realizing that she sucks at jazz.

[/quote]



I think that's what she meant? Or at least, that's what I got out of it.



Anyway, my copy came yesterday and...I'm just bored. I might be able to listen to one or two of these songs on their own, or when I'm in the mood really chill out, but I'm not even sure about that. All of the instrumentals sound like elevator music, especially when there's long instrumental breaks. I'm not really into jazz to begin with, but I've definitely heard much more entertaining renditions of it. I definitely don't remember being this bored by Over the Rainbow, at least.



As for her English, it's...not that great. It's certainly not terrible enough to make this a comedy fest, but there are a lot of moments where I have no clue what she's singing.



I don't really mind her voice in any of the songs - I don't remember hearing a bunch of sour notes or strain. I think she's one of the more talented (former) H!P girls, but this isn't a genre which showcases her in any way. Oh well, hopefully this will be a one time thing and she'll go back to the style she had with No Hesitation.

[Madara]

I got my copy today and I'm nearing the end of my second complete listen. I did say I tend to err on the side of indulgence when it comes to Aibon and this album is no exception. Even though I’ve heard these songs sung many times by the best of the best (Sinatra, Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, etc.), I can appreciate Aibon’s unique approach to them.



Granted, if you had asked me which former H!P stars I would prefer for an album of these songs, I would have provided a list of four or five others, starting with Aya, Yuko, Nacchi, and Maki. I don’t know that I would have considered Aibon for the job. (Aya, Yuko and Nacchi all sang Simon & Garfunkel songs in English on one of the Folk Songs albums--and did a more-than-credible job.)



But, the fact remains that Aibon LIKES these songs and WANTED to sing them. And if I can go around singing “Aa Ii Na!” at the top of my lungs around my apartment, Aibon can take “Blue Moon” and run with it. She’s sweet and sincere and, in my book, that counts for something. I esp. like her rendition of “When You Wish Upon A Star,” since it sounds more like a Disney song with her singing it. The original was sung by Cliff “Ukelele Ike” Edwards, a middle-aged novelty singer who did the voice of Jiminy Cricket in PINOCCHIO (1940) and, to be honest, I’d rather hear Aibon sing it. Her "Over the Rainbow" ain't bad either. Her heart is in it and that means something to me.



And, granted again, it’s clearly not a polished work, but perhaps it might have been with a little more coaching--from a musical director who knows these songs and knows how to coax a little more out of the singer of them. I don’t know that we’re going to see anything like that anytime soon with her, but it would’ve been nice.



The only song on the album I take issue with is “Sunny.” It’s from a later and completely different era than the other songs. And it’s just not as good a song. Although, I have to admit I kind of like Aibon’s take on it. I honestly don’t remember who sang it originally.



I can see multiple listens of this album in the future.

[aine]

It's not bad at all, however I was expecting a trainwreck, so I'm easily pleased. Her voice and the way she sings makes me think of a naive girl from a 40's film noir. Which brings us to the important question, who will be the femme fatale? o_o;



None of the songs stand out in a particularly positive way, but none is particularly offensive either. Except maybe Fly Me To The Moon, which is the most half-hearted and bland rendition out of the bajillion versions I've heard (mostly Japanese ones, but some Western as well).



It's interesting to see the direction Kago is going. You can't deny her that she's pretty consequent in doing that. I'm curious to see what will come out of it in the bigger picture. I always thought of the jazz crowd as very pretentious and conformist within their own circle (think Mac users of the music world), and I can't stop thinking how hilarious it would be if one of their big name critics declared (if only to troll people) that Kago is the NEXT BIG THING and people listened and she did become a sensation in the West. I'm sure her "troubled past" would only add to the legend. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... stling.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />



Anyway, there's little that would give me the shivers and a lot of elevator music on this album, but the kind that I don't mind to play on loop when I'm back home and chilling out after work. Congratulations and good luck to Aibon, I'm curious to see what comes out next.

[JPope]

[quote name='aine' post='78451' date='Apr 9 2010, 03:19 AM']It's interesting to see the direction Kago is going. You can't deny her that she's pretty consequent in doing that. I'm curious to see what will come out of it in the bigger picture. I always thought of the jazz crowd as very pretentious and conformist within their own circle (think Mac users of the music world), and I can't stop thinking how hilarious it would be if one of their big name critics declared (if only to troll people) that Kago is the NEXT BIG THING and people listened and she did become a sensation in the West. I'm sure her "troubled past" would only add to the legend. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... stling.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />[/quote]

Yeah, there are a lot pretentious pricks in the jazz scene, but no one would believe that Kago is some up and coming jazz star. They may be pretentious, but they aren't deaf.