Toshio Matsuura | Elvis Costello x The Roots: An Unlikely Collaboration!
Toshio Matsuura | From TOKYO MOON, September 22 Broadcast
Elvis Costello x The Roots: An Unlikely Collaboration!
DJToshio MatsuuraFrom TOKYO MOON, a music program for adults hosted by Toshio Matsuura. Broadcast every Sunday night from 11:30 PM on InterFM 76.1MHz. We introduce "fresh" music selected from around the world and topics that stimulate intellectual curiosity. Here, we look back at the content just broadcast. This is a series where you can enjoy TOKYO MOON with your eyes and ears, delving deeper into artists, introducing related songs, and even allowing you to purchase them. This week, we feature Elvis Costello & The Roots, who are making their "debut" on Blue Note!
Text by MATSUURA Toshio
A Collaboration That Excites Music Lovers
Elvis Costello, an artist who represented the UK's pub rock scene and is now a charismatic figure transcending genres. And The Roots, the greatest hip-hop band of all time and a leading group of entertainers in America. These two have formed an unlikely tag team to release the collaborative album "Wise Up Ghost" from jazz label Blue Note Records, which will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year.
I and The Roots were on the same label for releases in the UK, and we even performed at the same event in the early 1990s. I still vividly remember that even then, they exuded an alternative aura that transcended the boundaries of hip-hop. Costello is an artist I recall as if it were yesterday, going on a date with a girl to a concert at the Shinjuku Koseinenkin Hall around the time his album "King of America" (1986) under the name The Costello Show was released.
These are two artists with deep personal significance to me. While the project may seem unexpected, it appears to be a genuine connection between music lovers. Costello responded to this in an interview:
"Just as I'm no longer a new wave artist, The Roots can't be classified as just a hip-hop group. We keep our ears and minds open to all kinds of music. The Roots, especially Questlove, is open to everything and knows an incredible amount about music history. He's like a time traveler. He goes back in time and brings back great music from those eras. (Omitted) I never felt it was difficult. I was excited. It was a lot of fun. Even when we disagreed, we always found the best way forward. I never felt any frustration."
This collaboration, sparked by an American TV show, came about when Questlove of The Roots, a big fan of Costello's, heard that Costello liked his D'Angelo production "Voodoo" and proposed the idea. Such "good behind-the-scenes stories" are sure to excite music fans.
This work, which is hip-hop, rock, and soul all at once, truly deserves to be called alternative. Questlove draws freely from his vast musical knowledge to bring his ideas, while Costello injects powerful messages, as if urging us to reflect on contemporary society. This is definitely something to listen to at full volume.
The album's artwork, an homage to Allen Ginsberg's poetry collection "Howl and Other Poems," also conveys their strong "intentions." This is also a must-see.
Elvis Costello and The Roots
"Wise Up Ghost"
REVIEW | TRACK LIST
01. Novi Quartet / I Don't Know (SABA)
02. Blue Stars of France / Speak Low (Mercury)
03.Rachel Gould + Chet Baker / All Blues (Bingow)★
04. Georgia Anne Muldrow As Jyoti / Turiya's Smile (Epistrophik Peach Sounds)
05.Elvis Costello And The Roots / Viceroy's Row (Blue Note / Universal)★
06.Elvis Costello And The Roots / (She Might Be A) Grenade (Blue Note / Universal)★
07. D'Angelo,Christian McBride,Quest Love / Funky Drummer (White)
08. Grazia / Istemem (Fortuna)
09.Azymuth / Chameleon (Far Out)★
10.Zero 7 / On My Own (Dub) (Make)★
11.Serious Intention / You Don't Know - Special remix (Easy Street)★
 Novi Quartet "Novi In Wonderland" |  Blue Stars of France "Lullaby of Birdland and Other Famous Hits" |  Rachel Gould + Chet Baker "All Blues" |  Georgia Anne Muldrow as Jyoti "Denderah" |
 Grazia "Grazia" |  Azymuth "Woodland Warrior" |  Zero 7 "On My Own" |  Serious Intention "You Don't Know" |
This Week's "TOKYO MOON on iTunes"
You can purchase selected songs from those introduced so far. Experience the joy of obtaining a song you're interested in right away. This time, we've picked up collaborations The Roots have done in the past and songs from their previous album released two years ago.
Please enjoy after installing the "iTunes" software.
John Legend & The Roots / Wholy Holy2010.10.17
The Roots / Make My2011.12.18
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