Lyric

The first track "Wake Up!" from Harumi Katakai's second album "To Live Together," which has a unique bluesy yet sophisticated worldview, has been released as a single by Tune Core.

This song is full of personality and reflects her positive and flexible mentality, shining out even more in the album.

She says, "When singing, the words are important," and while it weaves in a jazz flavor, it sends a strong message to modern people living today.

It also goes well with professional musicians based in Fukuoka (Yanagihara Chie (Pf), Axe Ono (Bs), Higashi Takahiro (Ds)).

Below is the album description

A jazz songbook with four original songs, presented by a luxurious lineup of members, has been born.

Full of highlights such as scat singing and four-verse singing, which freely plays from low to high notes, and masterpieces such as the deeply moving "At 3 a.m." and "Cheers!" with Japanese lyrics are must-listens.

(From a new release review published in the December 2023 issue of JAZZ LIFE)

Starting with rock, Harumi Katagai became a singer-songwriter and then encountered jazz for over 20 years, and has developed her own vocal world with a wide range and flexible expressiveness. This is her second work. The recording was divided into Tokyo and Fukuoka, and each was composed of different members, making it a complex work, but the variety and unity are due to the ability to play different vocal roles for each song. I think that a vocal album with a good balance with the bass is a masterpiece in itself, and this work also meets that standard and has a comfortable finish. The balance is only possible thanks to her glossy and vibrant jazzy lower range.

(Tomizawa Eichi)

(From a new release review published in the February 2024 issue of Jaz.in)

Jazz singer Katakai Harumi's second album as a leader. The four original songs (1, 2, 4, 8) feature sophisticated harmonies and a bluesy taste. The clear and expansive midrange, the gorgeous high range, and the silvery low range are like different people. She has a unique expressiveness that comes from having arrived at jazz after working in rock and singer-songwriter. Her free-flowing scat in the standards seems to be in dialogue with the accompanying piano trio as one instrument.

(Yamamoto Mime)

"To Live Together"
Katakai Harumi
¥3,000 (tax included) On sale now

1.3.5.6.8,10: Recorded February 26, 2023 at "ONE NINE" in Fukuoka

2.4.7.9.11: Recorded May 29, 2023 at "Kameyoshi Music Hall" in Tokyo

1.Wake Up! 2.At 3 am 3.Easy Living 4.Cheers! 5.Billie's Bounce 6. Dolphin Dance 7. Autumn Leaves 8.Rainbow-Colored 9.Love Theme from Spartacus 10.Chan's Song(Never Said) 11.What a Wonderful World
Katakai Harumi (vo), Yanagihara Chie (p/1,3,5,6,8,10). Axe Ono (b/1,3,5,6,8,10), Takahiro Higashi (ds/1,3,5,6,8,10), Mitsue Yamamoto (p/2,4,7,9,11), Hisahisa Nagami (b/2,4,7,9,11). COPA (perc/2,4,9.11)