Hi-Fi Set

Last updated

Hi-Fi Set
ハイ・ファイ・セット
OriginJapan
Genres Folk
New Music
Pops
Years active1974–1994
Labels Alpha and Associates
(1975-1978)
Toshiba EMI
(1978 ]-1983)
CBS/Sony
→ CBS/SONY RECORDS
→ Sony Records
(1984–1994)
Past members Junko Yamamoto
Toshihiko Yamamoto
Shigeru Okawa

Hi-Fi Set was a Japanese recording group formed in 1974, and later disbanded in 1994. The group's line-up consisted of Junko Yamamoto, Toshihiko Yamamoto and Shigeru Okawa.

Contents

History

Early Years: Debut

In September 1974, the folk group known as Red Bird was disbanded due to creative differences. Later, former members of the group Junko Yamamoto (vocal guitar), Toshihiko Yamamoto (guitar), and Shigeru Okawa (bass) decided to form their own group known as Hi-FiSet.

Breakthrough

Recording a new set of tracks, the group returned in 1975 with a Yumi Arai written song "Graduation Photo" which was released simultaneously with the group debut album of the same name in the same year. Throughout the year, the group re-recorded a series of Arai's song's who wrote for their album, songs such as "Cold Rain" and "Smile in the Morning Sun" which was later covered by Arai herself, these songs helped the group gain some momentum.

In 1977, Brazilian singer-songwriter Morris Albert's "Feelings" was covered by the group and it became an instant hit, the same year the group also made an appearance at the New Year annual TV special NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen . Since then, with outstanding vocal work by Junko Yamamoto's soprano, Toshihiko Yamamoto's tenor, and Shigeru Okawa's bass voice, and an urban and sophisticated arrangement sound, the group became a very popular folk group during the heyday of new music in Japan.

During the early years in their careers, the quartet performed as opening acts for established artists of the time as the likes of Miwako Hiromatsu. The group also gained fame with hits such "My Beautiful Music" and "Sky Restaurant" which was sampled by American recording rapper J. Cole, [1] these hit songs helped spur the group career and helped introduce them to a wider audience. In 1980, the group went into a hiatus but resumed a year later with their music, breaking a record by being the first act in Japanese music history to sing 4-beat jazz with Japanese composition.

In 1984, "I want to be honest" was released, the song became the group's most commercially successful song. With 26 single songs and 19 albums released throughout their active years as a group, In 1994 the group officially announced their disbandment and was later disbanded, going on their separate ways.

Disbandment: Aftermath

Throughout the years, Junko Yamamoto was active as a singer/songwriter. [2] [3]

After disbanding, Toshihiko Yamamoto continued his career as a music producer until his death in March 27, 2014. [4]

In 1995, Shigeru Okawa was arrested for an attempted theft at a supermarket in Aoba-ku, Yokohama. However, he was not charged. Ever since the group's disbandment, he never returned to music again. [5] [6]

Members

Discography

Albums

SheetsRelease dateTitleTracks
EMI Music Japan Toshiba EMI/ EXPRESS
1st1975 February 5Graduation Photo
  1. OVERTURE
  2. AGES OF ROCK AND ROLL
  3. Graduation Photo
  4. Warmth of the chest
  5. Between today and tomorrow
  6. Big town
  7. Museum #Tenmaru wooden horse
  8. Fish and Chips
  9. Afternoon watching the sea
  10. Ai no Hana Blooming Road
2nd1976 June 5Fashionable Lover
  1. Star Stranger
  2. Chaoyang Smile inside
  3. Juman Nui
  4. Farewell Party
  5. Cold Rain
  6. Fashionable Lover
  7. Desolate
  8. Midnight Remnants
  9. Moonlight
  10. Grand Canyon
3rd1977 February 5Love Collection
  1. On Any Sunday
  2. Rain Station
  3. Sleepy Morning
  4. Dazzling You
  5. Night Scratch
  6. Crystal Night
  7. Love Fee Ring
  8. Hi-Fi Set Version "Feeling"
  9. Country Boy
  10. Dreaming Jamaica
  11. Central Freeway
4th1977 September 5THE DIARY
  1. Love Diary
  2. Wind City
  3. Memo Random
  4. At the seaside summer resort
  5. Love is everything
  6. Marshmallow at the fireplace
  7. Someday to the star
  8. Personal message
  9. Little Baroque
5th1978 June 5Swing
  1. Swing
  2. Slightly detour
  3. Firebird
  4. Hang glider in the evening sky
  5. To the airport
  6. Dawn
  7. Lady Gray
  8. Dance Dance Dance
  9. Oh Lucky Lady
  10. Let me go
6th1978 November 20Coming Up
  1. Knockdown
  2. Shooting Star
  3. Midnight Angel
  4. Alone Christmas
  5. HAVANA CANDY
  6. Burbon Trip
  7. Monday Prologue
  8. Monochrome
  9. Night Sky South (WE ARE FLYING)
  10. Winter Sea
7th1979 July 5Flash (Flash)
  1. Two people along the line
  2. Last spring vacation
  3. School band girl
  4. 22 Hour 15
  5. Rain Waltz and Rubbing You
  6. Slow Dance
  7. Kimagure Trump
  8. Night Long Distance Bus
  9. Spring Begins
  10. Singing
8th1979 December 20QUARTER REST
  1. Dinner on Broadway
  2. Fluffy Melody
  3. Flying Down in the Green Town
  4. TWO IN THE PARTY
  5. Waiting for the Snowfall
  6. DESTINY
  7. Smiley Smile
  8. When May Comes
  9. CONCERT LANE
  10. PARTY IS OVER
  11. PS
9th1981 June 213 NOTES
  1. Dangerous Friendship
  2. Life is Jam Session
  3. LAST BALLAD, LAST COIN
  4. Boots And Sake and Wedding Dress
  5. I Love You Again
  6. Bop's clubhouse
  7. Conceit Smile
  8. Flame-colored August
  9. Trio Koi SOUNDS
  10. starlight lullaby
10th1982 April 11 & 2
  1. BIG BRASS
  2. Hello MR.TELEPHONE
  3. Distant call from the past
  4. Wow!
  5. Midnight Bye Bye-Show
  6. Long Good-bye
11th1983 February 21I miss you
  1. Downtown LOVE Renaissance
  2. Kokoro Hanareru
  3. Blue Dream
  4. Lose but win
  5. Season Off No Santaclaus Santa Claus
  6. Big Apple
  7. Sentimental Morning
  8. Catherine
  9. Indian Summer no Futari
  10. miss you
CBS Sony
12th1984 February 25PASADENA PARK
  1. Light blue wagon
  2. I want to be honest
  3. I can't see it in the rain
  4. July Christmas
  5. 1999
  6. Catherine on air
  7. Magic Mountain Lady
  8. Viva! Off・ Loader
  9. Midnight TV
  10. Good-bye school days
13th1985 February 25INDIGO
  1. Rainbow signal
  2. Love madness
  3. Boy friend
  4. Champagne and Earth Movement Theory #Milky way
  5. Star Makeup Halley
  6. Bloomin'blue
  7. Love Double fault
  8. Demian
  9. Rainy Sentosa
  10. Star / Guidance / Night
14th1986 April 10SWEET LOCOMOTION
  1. Rosy White
  2. Sweet Locomotion
  3. Do You Remember Me? Graph
15th1987 April 1Gibraltar
  1. Ceramic Smile
  2. Time Table
  3. End of Affair
  4. Can Someone Dance?
  5. Summer Finale
  6. Secret Trip
  7. Via Arctic
  8. Paris Vision
  9. White Night
  10. Terminal Station
CBS / SONY RECORDS
16th1988 March 21Eyebrow
  1. Platonic Shimasho
  2. Shadow Love
  3. Egg Benedict
  4. Slow Number
  5. Too hot day
  6. NARITA
  7. Sabrina
  8. Cold Summer
  9. Pink Sand Dune
  10. Ferris
17th1990 March 21White Moon
  1. Moon Highway
  2. Angels Fly
  3. Eternal Sunny Days
  4. Shall We Dance Again?
  5. Lover only tonight
  6. Morning Flight
  7. Blue Lagoon
  8. Shoot the Moon
  9. Gloria
  10. Gift for Tomorrow
Sony Records
18th1991 April 25Get A Move On
  1. I will never forget
  2. Her lover
  3. GENESIS LOVE
  4. Love roulette
  5. Sincerely
  6. Shooting star island
  7. ABC again
  8. Long dream
  9. Promised Land
  10. Tear of mother, smile of father
19th1992 April 22Tender Loving Care
  1. Map
  2. All for You
  3. Decision
  4. Little May Sick
  5. Whereabouts

Singles

SheetsRelease dateTitleC / w
Toshiba EMI/ EXPRESS
Alfa Records
1st1975 February 5 Graduation Photo

Lyrics: Yumi Arai
Composition: Yumi Arai
Arrangement: Katsuhisa Hattori

Museum
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Hiroshi Okazaki, Katsuhisa Hattori
2nd1975 May 5Age's of Rock and Roll
Lyrics: Kazue Ohashi
Composition: Kunihiko Murai
Arrangement:Matsutoya Masataka 		Warmth of the chest
Lyrics:Michio Yamagami
Composition: Kunihiko Murai
Arrangement: Katsuhisa Hattori
3rd1975 July 5I dream about it.
Lyrics: Jack Fishman
Japanese lyrics:Michio Yamagami
Composition:Kunihiko Murai
Arrangement:Anita Kerr 		Turmental)
Composition:Kunihiko Murai
Arrangement:Anita Car
4th1975 November 5Sky Restaurant
Lyrics:Yumi Arai
Composition:Kunihiko Murai
Arrangement:Yumi Matsutoya		Come to Haneda on Saturday night
Lyrics:Yumi Arai
Composition: Kunihiko Murai
Arrangement:Yumi Matsutoya
5th1976 April 20Cold Rain
Lyrics: Yumi Arai
Composition: Yumi Arai
Arrangement: Masataka Matsutoya		Fashionable Lover
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Masataka Matsutoya
6th1976 March 6, 20 To be happy
Lyrics: Yumi Arai
Composition: Kunihiko Murai
Arrangement: Yumi Matsutoya		Starry Midnight
Lyrics: Yumi Arai
Composition : Kunihiko Murai
Arrangement: Masataka Matsutoya
7th1976 December 1 Feelings
:Rei Nakanishi
Composer: Maurice Albert
Arrangement: Shinichi Tanabe 		Another Dance
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composer: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Keitaro Miho
8th1977 April 20Wind Town
 : Shigeru Okawa ・ Takashi Matsumoto
Composer: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Ichizo Seo 		Crystal Night
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composer: Yamamoto Toshihiko
Arrangement: Ichizo Seo
9th1977 July 5Memorandum
Lyrics: Rei Nakanishi
Composer: Yoichi Takizawa
Arrangement: Bob aleiver		Personal Message
Lyrics: Yu Aku
Composition: Ken Sato
Arrangement : Bob aleiver
10th1977 October 20 Love Diary
Arrangement: Howard Greenfield < br/> Japanese lyrics: Tokiko Iwatani
Composer: Neil Sedaka
Arrangement: Bob aleiver		Love is everything
Lyrics: Rei Nakanishi
Composer: Carole King
Arrangement: Bob aleiver
11th1978 April 20Just a little around the road
Lyrics: Machiko Ryu ・ Rei Nakanishi
Composer: Tadao Inoue
Arrangement: Kentaro Haneda		Lady Gray
Lyrics: Machiko Ryu
Composer: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Kentaro Haneda
Toshiba EMI/ EXPRESS
12th1978 August 20Amerika Monogatari
Lyrics: Toyohisa Araki
Composer: Yuji Ohno
Arrangement: Yuji Ohno		Summer Separation
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Shun Yamamoto Hiko
Arrangement:Hiroshi Shinkawa
13th1978 November 5Tropical Night
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Hiroshi Shinkawa
Arrangement by Strings: Shinichi Tanabe		Moeru Aki
Lyrics: Hiroyuki Itsuki
Composition: Toru Takemitsu
Arrangement: Shinichi Tanabe
14th1979 May 20Two people along the line
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Shinkawa Hiroshi
Chorus Arrangement: Toshihiko Yamamoto		Monday's Prologue
Lyrics: Machiko Ryu
Composition: Ken Sato
Arrangement: Shinichi Tanabe
Chorus Arrangement: Junko Yamamoto
15th1981 October 21NOVEMBER RAIN
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Mitsuhiko Sato 		BYE-BYE BOY
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Mitsuhiko Sato
16th1982 March 3, 21 Hello MR.TELEPHONE
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Mitsuhiko Sato 		AIR MAIL from home
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Mitsuhiko Sato
17th1982 October 21miss you
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Mitsuhiko Sato		Downtown Love Renaissance
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement : Mitsuhiko Sato
18th1983 February 1When i'm away from my heart
Lyrics:Yoshitaka Minami<
Arrangement: Mitsuhiko Sato		LAST BALLAD, LAST COIN When i'm away from my heart Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Mitsuhiko Sato
19th1983 Year April 5Love story is about to come
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Yoshitaka Minami
Arrangement: Ichizo Seo		Blue Dream
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Mitsuhiko Sato
CBS Sony
20th1984 January 21I want to be honest DON'T YOU TELL HIM?
Lyrics: Masamichi Sugi
Composition: Masamichi Sugi
Arrangement: Akira Inoue 		Goodbye school days
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Akira Okamoto
Arrangement: Akira Inoue
21st1984 May 21Light Blue Wagon
Lyrics: Shun Taguchi
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Hiroshi Shinkawa
Chorus Arrangement: Toshihiko Yamamoto		Christmas in July
Lyrics: Shun Taguchi
Composition: Ginji Ito
Arrangement: Ryoichi Kuniyoshi
Chorus Arrangement: Toshihiko Yamamoto
22nd1984 November 1Star Makeup HalleyLyrics: Shun Taguchi
Composition: Masamichi Sugi
Arrangement: Akira Inoue
Chorus Arrangement: Toshihiko Yamamoto / Mari Sugi		Demian
Lyrics: Shun Taguchi
Composition: Yamamoto Toshihiko
Arrangement: Akira Inoue
Chorus Arrangement: Toshihiko Yamamoto
23rd1985 February 5Rainbow signal
Lyrics: Aundai
Composition: Ginji Ito
Arrangement: Akira Inoue		Boy friend
Lyrics: Ryo Koizumi
Composition: Masamichi Sugi
Arrangement: Akira Inoue
24th1985 February 5 ]Hitokire no Koi
Lyrics: Ryo Koizumi
Composition: Masamichi Sugi
Arrangement: Akira Inoue		Koi no Double fault
Lyrics: Dai Aun
Composer: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Akira Inoue
CBS / SONY RECORDS
25th1988 May 21 Platonic Shimasho
Lyrics: Shun Taguchi
Composition: Masamichi Sugi
Arrangement: Hiroshi Shinkawa		For the time being NARITA ANYWAY TO NARITA
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composer: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: HEXAGON
26th1989 December 1Lover only tonight
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composer: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Osamu Koike 		Moon Highway
Lyrics: Shun Taguchi
Composer: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Hiroshi Shinkawa
27th1990 March 1Angels Fly ~ Angel's Season ~
Lyrics: Megumi Sato
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Hiroshi Shinkawa		Morning Flight
Lyrics: Megumi Sato
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Norimasa Yamazaki
Sony Records
28th1991 April 25I will never forget
Lyrics: Kazumasa Oda
Composition: Kazumasa Oda
Arrangement: Kazumasa Oda		ABC again
Lyrics: Shigeru Okawa
Composition: Toshihiko Yamamoto
Arrangement: Hiroshi Shinkawa

Live album

SheetRelease dateTitleRecorded songs
ーニー-ミュージックレコーズ/CBS/SONY RECORDS
1st1989 3/21 COLLECTION
Disc-1
  1. Light blue wagon
  2. SWEET LOCOMOTION
  3. Graduation photos
  4. Sky Restaurant
  5. Come to Haneda on Saturday night
  6. Lady Grey
  7. NOVEMBER RAIN
  8. TWO IN THE PARTY
  9. 恋 恋の日記日記 (The Diary)
  10. OH! LUCKY LADY
  11. Fairwell party
  12. Good-bye School Days
Disc-2
  1. Feeling
  2. More than two people
  3. Museum
  4. Downtown Love Renaissance
  5. Bop's Clubhouse
  6. DUKE ELINGTON MEDLEY
  7. Fish and chips
  8. Fashion rubber
  9. I want to be honest
  10. DAY LIGHT
  11. Boy Friend

Videography

SheetRelease dateTitle
Sony Music Records/CBS・Sony
1st1985"'Rainbow Signal'"

Other songs/ Projects

SongsTie-upRecorded worksTime of year
To be happy Nippon TV series drama "Tanpopo (TV drama)#3 Series/Tanpopo" Theme songSingle "To be happy"1976
Smiling in the ChaoyangTheme song for the movie "Frozen River"Album "Fashionable Lover"
City of the Wind Yamaha"Yamaha-Passol/Passol" CM image songSingle "City of the Wind"1977
FirebirdMovie"/火の鳥"Theme songAlbum "Coming Up"1978
Amerika Monogatari Japan Airlines"COME TO UNITED States/AMERICA '78" CM image songSingle "Amerika Monogatari"
Burning autumn Mitsukoshi・ -Toho collaboration work "Burning autumn" theme songSingle "Tropical Night"
Night Sky to the SOUTH (WE ARE FLYING) Morinaga Seika "High Crown" CM image songAlbum "Swing"
I Love You Again Isetan CM songAlbum "3 NOTES"1981
Two of Indian SummerIsetan Campaign SongAlbum "I miss you"1983
Love story from now on Shiseido "Benefit" CM image songSingle "Love story is coming"
Blue DreamEmployment Information Center CM Image Song
I want to be honest Citizen watch / Citizen "19-year-old Riviere" CF image songSingle "I want to be honest"1984
Star Makeup Halley Kanebo cosmetics Image songSingle "Star Makeup Halley"
Let's Platonic en:BVD/BVD CM image songSingle "Let's Platonic"1988
Tonight Only Lover Xebio Holdings/Victoria '90 WINTER Image songSingle "Tonight only lover"1989
Moon Highway HUMAX/HUMAX GROUP Radio CM song
Angels Fly -Season of Angels〜 Hitachi Hitachi room air conditioner "White Kumakun" Image songSingle "Angels Fly 〜 Season of Angels"1990
Eternal Sunny Days Yamada Homes / Kobori Sumiten CM image songAlbum "White Moon"
A gift for tomorrow Yomiuri TV Broadcast/Yomiuri TV-NTV Broadcasting Network/NTVsystem Morning drama series"Flower pearl" Theme song
I will not forget TV Asahisystem "Tuesday Mystery Theater" Theme songSingle "I won't Forget"1991
GENESIS LOVE Shoko Chukin Bank/Shoko Chukin CM image songAlbum "Get A Move On"

Unreleased songs

NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen participation history

Year/BroadcasttimesongOrder of appearancesOpponents
1977(Show 52) 28th FeelingFirst Koichi Morita and Top Gallant
Notes

References

  1. ↑ "Urban Ubiquity". November 2017.
  2. ↑ "山本潤子、無期限休養へ". テレビ朝日. March 13, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021.
  3. ↑ "シンガー・ソングライター山本潤子が無期限休養へ". ORICON NEWS. March 13, 2014. Archived from the original on April 1, 2014.
  4. ↑ "なぜ…元ハイ・ファイ・セット山本俊彦さん死去「悠々自適の暮らしだった」". Sponichi Annex. March 30, 2014. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014.
  5. ↑ "ハイ・ファイ・セットのメンバーが窃盗未遂 横浜で逮捕". 朝日新聞、朝刊、１面. June 10, 1995.
  6. ↑ "犯行で解散宣言 ハイ・ファイ・セットの元リーダー大川茂さんに聞く". 朝日新聞、夕刊、１面. September 1, 1995.
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