What an honor it is to write about the highly talented and acclaimed, award-winning, and all around nice guy, Argentinian contemporary composer and pianist (and industrial designer!), Marco Sanguinetti, who I had the very lucky chance to become friends with during a recent tour he made to Japan. As fate would have it, I managed to book him for a speaking event, at which he also played, and really captured the audiences imagination with not only the performance of several solo compositions he graced us with, but also with a deep explanation to his conceptual approach to writing and playing music.
While promoting his involvement for our collaboration back in February, I learned that Marco has been hailed as a “pioneer of a new genre within jazz,” earning accolades such as Musician of the Year and multiple Latin Grammy nominations. At the time I wrote about him that “his unique expertise merges music and design, including groundbreaking research on the “sound dimension of objects.” If you go to Marco’s website, not only will you be able to listen to evocative music, but you will see these wild experiments of sound and imagery where he invite his audience to make art at his concerts in very interesting and conceptual ways. To say I was blown away was an understatement, and wow, I got to chum up with him, stay in touch, and we might even have another chance to cooperate in the not-so-distant future.
I gotta add that 2 years ago, there was another Tokyo Records Style subject from Buenos Aries I met and photographed who turned me on to Argentinian rock legend, Charly Garcia and a first incarnation of his band, Serú Girán. When I heard this music I INSTANTLY fell in love with it only to find that it’s virtually impossible to find here in Japan. Pushing my chances, fingers crossed I asked Marco prior to flight to Tokyo, if there was ANY chance he might bring me over a record of two by the artist. He agreed but only on the deal that I would give him two records from Japan, ANYTHING I might recommend. Oh goodness! What a responsibility! After MUCH deliberation I scored it a copy of Ryo Fukui’s seminal Jazz classic, Scenery, adored by Jazz aficionados both here and around the word, and a copy of Yumi Arai’s 2nd album, Misslim, which is another beloved record amongst the Japanese both for Yumi backed by Tim Pan Alley on the recording, as well as a few well know hits from Ghibi world, some classic early City Pop, (plus is had a piano on the cover). That day Marco had picked up a copy of YMO’s essential-to-own Solid State Survivor, and in addition to the Serú Girán, Marco surprised with Charly Garcia’s Clics Modernos a record that is said to be so important in Argentina’s history, instrumental is the changing of attitudes the downfall of the military dictatorship in 1983. It’s a new wave masterpiece to be sure, and has not come out of heavy rotation at all this year.
Very lastly, and kinda above all else, right as I was saying goodbye to Marco before his return home to Buenos Aries, he lovingly gifted a copy of his OWN record, Diez which embodies the aforementioned intersection of music and art, and the sound dimension of objects. Wow, just humbled. Please go listen and but Marco on your radar if he’s not already and maybe watch this space for more to come!
Thanks Marco, Love from Japan!
More Tokyo Record Style on the way!
Yellow Magic Orchestra = イエロー・マジック・オーケストラ* – Solid State Survivor = ソリッド・ステイト・サヴァイヴァー
Label: Alfa – ALR-6022
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Repress, Stereo, 5th Version
Country: Japan
Released: 1980
Genre: Electronic
Style: Electro, Synth-pop
https://www.discogs.com/release/2542750-Yellow-Magic-Orchestra-%E3%82%A4%E3%82%A8%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B8%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%82%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B1%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9-Solid-State-Survivor-%E3%82%BD%E3%83%AA%E3%83%83%E3%83%89
Serú Girán – Serú Girán
Label: Sazam Records – 50-16.052
Series: Super Lujo Especial
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold
Country: Argentina
Released: Nov 1978
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock, Symphonic Rock
https://www.discogs.com/release/3021976-Ser%C3%BA-Gir%C3%A1n-Ser%C3%BA-Gir%C3%A1n
Charly Garcia – Clics Modernos
Label: SG Discos – SLIN 3356
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Argentina
Released: Nov 5, 1983
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, New Wave
https://www.discogs.com/release/2667157-Charly-Garcia-Clics-Modernos
Ryo Fukui – Scenery
Label: Nadja – PA-7148
Series: Trio Jazz Mania
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Japan
Released: 1976
Genre: Jazz
Style: Bop, Modal, Cool Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/4157845-Ryo-Fukui-Scenery
Yumi Arai = 荒井由実* – Misslim = ミスリム
Label: Express – ETP-72001
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: Japan
Released: Oct 5, 1974
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Kayōkyoku, Folk Rock, Funk, Ballad, Soul
https://www.discogs.com/release/9373058-Yumi-Arai-%E8%8D%92%E4%BA%95%E7%94%B1%E5%AE%9F-Misslim-%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B9%E3%83%AA%E3%83%A0
Marco Sanguinetti – Diez
Label: Club Del Disco – Club163
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: Argentina
Released: Nov 11, 2023
Genre: Jazz
Style: Contemporary Jazz, Fusion, Impressionist, Modern
https://www.discogs.com/release/32836332-Marco-Sanguinetti-Diez
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