Kimiko Kasai/Herbie Hancock: Butterfly [BE WITH]

Why you'll love it

Be With's remastered pressing comes with a recreated obi strip and a four-page fold-out insert of lyrics and credits in Japanese and English. On the record, Herbie Hancock and his band back Kasai on vocal versions of his own tunes.

This edition

• Remastered
• Obi strip
• Fold-out lyrics and credits insert

About the album

Born in Kyoto in 1945, Kimiko Kasai first fell for jazz at 13 after hearing Chris Connor on the radio, moved to Tokyo at 16 to sing in the clubs, made her first recording in 1968 with pianist Yuzuru Sera, and signed to CBS/Sony in 1972, going on to record with Gil Evans, Mal Waldron, Cedar Walton and Stan Getz. In 1971 she also sang the advertising jingle for Cup Noodles, which is a great many ears for a jazz singer.

Butterfly was taped in October 1979 at CBS/Sony's Tokyo studio, with Herbie Hancock arranging and playing at the height of his electric, funky period. Kasai sings lyrics over his compositions: "Maiden Voyage" turns into a breezy, floating song, "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" and "I Thought It Was You" glide on warm electric keys, and the title track drifts along beautifully. "Harvest Time" and "Sunlight" keep the glow going, and "As" closes with real joy.

It became a much-loved record among DJs and collectors of Japanese jazz-funk long before Be With's reissue. Kasai later swapped music for jewellery design, trading one kind of fine setting for another.

Also at Kops: more Kimiko Kasai on vinyl · browse Vocal Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On CBS/Sony / Be With (cat# BEWITH028LP), a reissue of the 1979 album.