Shunsuke pictured here was part of a trio of friends I caught up with a couple of weeks back in Shimokitazawa. He was with his pals, Keigo, (who had also scored a record and who I will feature in the following post) and Haruki, who together make up “The Tomato Ketchup Boys” a band that the three have kept together since for some 7 years after forming in highschool (if I remember correctly.) With Shunsuke on drums, Keigo on bass, and Haruki on lead guitar and vocal, these three had some pretty good brotherly chemistry, and the fact that they were out record-shopping together in Shimokitazawa really spoke so loudly to that.
“Soul and Funk” were the answers to my asking Shunsuke what were the majority of his some 200pc record collection. “Bonzo” was the answer to “Who’s your favorite drummer?” Correct! Haha. “The Salsoul Orchestra’s 12” Single – You’re just the right size” was the answer to “What record did you score today?” Interesting. I had never heard The Salsoul Orchestra but found out they were the backing band of session musicians for many acts on the New York City label Salsoul Records, and who recorded several hit singles and albums under their own name in the late 70’s and early 80’s. When I got back home and streamed this record, I was instantly taken to the early Sesame Street groove “Pinball Number Count”, yeah, you know the one, “1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-twe-e-e-e-e-e-vle!” What groove! FYI – I had to look it up to see if I had just stumbled into a dot-connecting discovery, but it turns out “Pinball Number Count” was by The Pointer Sisters, and backed by a completely different (but similarly popular) funk/jazz orchestra of the day. But MAN! If this is what your band’s drummer is listening to, you must have quite a backbeat!
Thanks for sharing Shunsuke, and a quick shoutout to Record Station in Shimokita, where Shunsuke scored this record, whose doors I drive past ALL the time, every other day actually, and despite it being killer shop filled with records of this variety, and always bustling with customers, I never seem to have much luck catching their branded bags in my photos! So, I feel lucky to have caught a subject with a Record Station score (on the opposite side of Shimokita!). Next up, the other half of The Tomato Ketchup Boys’ rhythm section, bass player, Keigo! Stay tuned.
More Tokyo Records Style on the way!
The Salsoul Orchestra – You’re Just The Right Size
Label: Salsoul Classics – SSC02
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Unofficial Release
Country: US
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Disco
https://www.discogs.com/release/1791958-The-Salsoul-Orchestra-Youre-Just-The-Right-Size
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