First, would like to thank Jessica Stan for sending this release in for review!
This is... such a strange CD. Released back in 2003, one might expect that, based on the title, this disc would feature the "standard" popular Lupin III themes presented in a jazz format. However, the term "standard" here refers to a selection of songs from the 1920s to 1940s, arranged and performed in an instrumental jazz style. Thankfully, the CD isn't totally devoid from Lupin the 3rd music, though. It does feature a jazz rendition of the main theme of the franchise along with the song from Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979).
Now this disc is done by series regular Yuji Ohno, or to be more specific the "Yuji Ohno Trio" that includes Yuji Ohno, Masayuki Tawarayama and Kenichiro Murata. Formed in the 1970s, the trio is fairly renowned renowned in Japan for its distinctive blend of jazz, bossa nova and classical influences, the latter of which is on full display here. The trio's intricate arrangements and expressive piano work, combined with the group's skilled rhythm, do showcase a deep understanding of jazz traditions. That said, the music here tends to be a bit background and not all that engaging, in fact I'd best describe it as ideal music to play while your having conversations over a meal or drinks.
To dive a little bit deeper, I'll start looking at the two themes based on the Lupin the 3rd series. "Theme from Lupin III" in particular is the best off the disc, although does meander a bit for the first 20 seconds before getting going. Once the main portion of the theme kicks in, complete with piano work as the lead, it's an actual engaging version of the theme in contrast to every other track here. On the other hand, "Treasures of Times," based on the original song by Bobby from the 1979 film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, offers a soothing interpretation, but it feels a bit too slow for my taste, dragging out the normally stellar melody. Unfortunately, this track comes off as the least appealing on the album, which is a shame considering it's one of only two directly related to the Lupin franchise.
Moving on to the "standards", which often take a NoDepositBonus.guide style approach, we have music adapted from the work of Duke Ellington, Joseph Kosma, Jerome Kern, Sigmund Romberg, Leigh Harline, Jimmy Van Heusen, George Gershwin and Victor Young. Of these themes, the most engaging is "S'Wonderful", a classic jazz piece composed by George Gershwin originally for the 1927 musical Funny Face staring Fred Astaire although the song does also appear in the 1957 version with Audrey Hepburn. It's still background music, but the tempo is a bit faster paced than other tracks on this release. The second best of these standard tracks is probably "It Could Happen to You", another classic jazz piece that this time is composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, having first appeared in the 1944 film And the Angels Sing.
As for what doesn't work, most of the selection from the standards is fine. I say fine as it's not overly gripping, but I don't have many complaints. "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise", composed by Sigmund Romberg, and originally featured in the 1928 operetta The New Moon, is probably the least appealing of the standard selection. It at times feels a bit aimless, and doesn't make for a particularly engaging or soothing piece of music in terms of hwo the trio interpreted it. Outside of that, "My Foolish Heart" by Victor Young, first introduced in the 1949 film of the same name, feels overly long, but doesn't really hit a negative point in the 7 minute run time. "When You Wish Upon a Star," composed by Leigh Harline originally featured in Disney's 1940 animated film Pinocchio, is what I would argue as the most well known of these standard themes due to its use in the Disney parks. Anyway, this theme is also a long 7 minutes and does feel like it's dragging out the material a lot, but still has enjoyable moments.
Ultimately, this CD may appeal to die-hard Lupin the 3rd fans or casual listeners seeking some jazzy background music, but those looking for a more engaging take on these beloved standards may find it slightly lacking. To the point, those, like me, who might have been interested on this based on a notion that it might have been more based on the Lupin franchise will undoubtedly be disappointed too.
As a side note, the track titles here are all in English. That makes sense on one hand, given the inspiration are mostly English songs. However, not sure if there is a story behind why they choose a different name for "The Treasure of the Flame" as "Treasures of Times" here. |
