Fri, February 22, 2008 (10:38pm EST)
Actress Maki Horikita is featured on the jacket of GOING UNDER GROUND's new single, "Hatsukoi." The song is currently being used in a commercial for a Suntory soft drink, in which Horikita appears.
The song itself is a cover of a hit tune by the late Kozo Murashita. GOING UNDER GROUND is the 15th artist to release a version of that song.
The song itself is a cover of a hit tune by the late Kozo Murashita. GOING UNDER GROUND is the 15th artist to release a version of that song.
Fri, February 22, 2008 (10:19pm EST)
Bassist Mitsuru Ono, one of the key figures in Japan's jazz boom, passed away last month, it was learned on Wednesday. On January 2, he succumbed to pneumonia at a hospital in Hachioji, Tokyo. He was 78.
After graduating from high school in 1945, he joined a swing band led by musician Toriro Miki. He then became part of the jazz boom by forming the group Big 4 along with Hachidai Nakamura, George Kawaguchi, and Hidehiko Matsumoto.
After that, Ono became part of Six Brothers, a band that performed with legendary enka singer Hibari Misora. Ono and Misora had a very friendly relationship, earning Ono the nickname of "Hibari's first love" and leading to rumors that the two were engaged.
Ono created his own band, Mitsuru Ono & The Swing Beavers, in 1959. He was also seen frequently on NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen.
After graduating from high school in 1945, he joined a swing band led by musician Toriro Miki. He then became part of the jazz boom by forming the group Big 4 along with Hachidai Nakamura, George Kawaguchi, and Hidehiko Matsumoto.
After that, Ono became part of Six Brothers, a band that performed with legendary enka singer Hibari Misora. Ono and Misora had a very friendly relationship, earning Ono the nickname of "Hibari's first love" and leading to rumors that the two were engaged.
Ono created his own band, Mitsuru Ono & The Swing Beavers, in 1959. He was also seen frequently on NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen.
Fri, February 22, 2008 (9:26pm EST)
On April 1, Fuji TV will air a drama special about the life of comedian and Miyazaki governor Hideo Higashikokubaru, also known as Higashi Sonomanma. Titled "Yukkuri Aruke, Sora wo Miro," the drama is based on an autobiographical novel that he published in 2001.
The novel depicted the comedian's life from childhood - he was separated from his father and raised by his mother and her second husband - to his eventual entry into show business and politics.
George Takahashi plays Higashikokubaru as governor, and Maki Mizuno plays the part of his mother.
The novel depicted the comedian's life from childhood - he was separated from his father and raised by his mother and her second husband - to his eventual entry into show business and politics.
George Takahashi plays Higashikokubaru as governor, and Maki Mizuno plays the part of his mother.
