Well, I am afraid this post is going to be quite short: sadly I wasn't able to discover any information about the elusive Rosa Fang (羅莎), except that this was probably her only release.
By the way, bootleg label Glycos from Singapore released an EP that combines the title track from this release with three tracks taken from the debut Rita Chao EP, which I remastered some time ago... Quite odd, isn't it?
Could it be that Rosa Fang released other records under a different name? She has a mature voice and I doubt that these are her only recordings... Maybe someone out there can shed some light on her? Thanks in advance!
Rosa Fang as she appears on the front cover of her one and only EP, 1966
Here's the track list for this 7" EP:
01. 穿着鞋子走路 (These Boots Are Made For Walking) (2:43)
02. 夢裡會情郎 (Far Away) (2:23)
03. 情竇初開 (My Love) (2:26)
04. 海上良宵 (Hawaiian Song) (2:58)
All tracks were remastered from the original vinyl in October 2016 and are available in FLAC lossless format, along with scans of the complete original artwork.
As usual, please have a look at the comments for the download link.
Althought manufactured in India, this EP was released in Singapore on the Columbia label with catalogue number ECHK 555, sometimes in early/mid 1966, around the same time that the debut EPs by Rita Chao and Sakura were also released.
The song is followed by "夢裡會情郎" (Far Away), a quieter number which I can't clearly recognize, but I'm almost sure that it is a cover of some other famous tune released sometimes during the mid-60s. Can anybody help me on this matter?
On Side B we find "情竇初開", a nice version of Petula Clark's international hit "My Love", a song written by Tony Hatch in late 1965; here's a playback of the original version.
The EP ends with "海上良宵" (Hawaiian Song) which, once again, sounds familiar but I can't seem to focus on the original; the title is here on the tip of my tongue but... Once again I need help, thank you!
The following clips offer a complete preview of the remastered EP, enjoy!
At this point I am supposed to provide you with some links about the release featured in this entry, but this time there are not many useful resources that I can direct you to...
As a last note, I'm still struggling to find somebody who can help me with translations: if you can translate from Chinese to English please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you so much!
I created this post in September 2014 to present a bootleg version of Sakura's debut EP. In the meantime I was able to purchase a copy of the official release on Columbia, so I decided to update the original post with new scans and info.
The inner gatefold contains a short piece about Sakura which is now included towards the bottom of this post courtesy of our best friend Brian, who translated it in English for all of us Western fans of the glorious Singapore 60s, thank you!
Ying Hua, best known by her stage name of Sakura Teng, was born in Muar, state of Johor, Malaysia, in May 1948. She grew up there, where she received her education in Chinese and English, but has always been mistaken for a Singaporean as she had been living in the republic until the mid '80s.
During her years in school, Sakura won many singing competitions as well as many public speaking awards. Despite being a top student, and having decided to become a singer, at the tender age of sixteen she quit school and moved to Singapore. Her music career began in 1965, when she was just seventeen, at the now defunct New World, an amusement park located in the central area of Singapore.
On her path to fame, Sakura was lucky enough to meet Su Yin (舒雲), a.k.a. Henry Foo, a Singaporean singer, songwriter and lyricist, who was also the A&R manager for the Chinese section at Columbia / EMI. He immediately recognized her potential, and in 1966 she was signed by the label. Her first 7" EP was an instant hit: it sold 25,000 copies and became the first in a very long series of successful releases which lasted until the early '80s.
Interestingly, her stage name is actually a literal translation of her Chinese name, which means 'cherry blossom' in Mandarin. Apparently she was given the nickname when she started singing Japanese numbers in Chinese during her early stage performances.
"提醒你 - Like I Do" inner gatefold contains lyrics, a short piece about Sakura and two Sakura / Rita Chao pictures
Sakura recorded many fabulous Mandarin covers of popular English songs and she was part of the pioneers who launched the Rock Movement in Singapore. Along with Rita Chao, with whom she joined forces on many recordings during the late '60s, they were both known as 'A Go-Go Queens of the Sixties'.
Sakura and Rita began performing as a double act in 1967, as both singers were doing well and EMI felt that pairing them would give both their careers a boost. Together they toured Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan, building a fan base at each port of call. On stage, Chao usually played the part of the impish naif, while Sakura was the more mature half of the duo. They split up in the mid '70s but are still fondly remembered.
During her heyday in the '60s and '70s, Sakura cut more than fifty records and she also came to be known as the 'Yodelling Singer' for her vocal 'trademark'. She still is one of the most popular female Mandarin singers, and during her career she also recorded songs in many other languages including English, Japanese, Cantonese and Malay.
In 1985 Sakura relocated to the U.S.; since then she has quit recording but she kept on performing live until 2013, when she definitively retired at the age of 65.
All tracks were remastered in September 2014 and are available in FLAC lossless format or high-quality 320 Kbps MP3 files; both formats include scans of the complete original artwork.
Please have a look at the comments for the download links.
Sakura's debut EP was originally released sometimes in late 1966 by Columbia / EMI in Singapore with catalogue number ECHK 557. The record is housed in a gatefold sleeve which is quite similar to the one used for Rita Chao's debut EP (...available here...) making them a sort of 'twin releases'.
The band credited on the labels as the Sounds Anonymous is no less than the mighty The Quests, a legendary Singaporean group which was very active during the mid-late '60s, both as a backing band - most notably for Sakura and Rita Chao - and as performers with their own hits and TV show.
The EP ends with an effective cover of "Listen People" by English Beat band Herman's Hermits which was a U.S. hit in April 1966 (available here).
The following is a translation of the short piece about Sakura included on the inner gatefold:
«This is the year of Cherry Blossoms (Sakura). Or you can say that when cherry blossoms bloom they are bold, bright, and brings music and dancing. People are always enticed by the excitement and joy which Sakura's music brings. A music that people of all ages adore.
Sakura's music is beautiful in every way. She has strong enunciation skills and her appearance is very natural. Sakura brings a lot of emotion to her songs as well.
Sakura's has a very sweet look and innocent smile which attracts her fans. How could such a young lady not be loved and admired!
Sakura Teng grew up in Southern Malaysia where she received her education in Chinese and English. During her years in school, she won many singing competitions as well as many public speaking awards. She is a very open and happy person. EMI has asked Sakura to record "Reminding You" and four other pop hits. These song are awaiting to satisfy the ears of fans. Definitely a release not to be missed. It will leave you with unforgettable joy for years to come.»
Sakura, circa 1966-67
The following clips offer a preview of the remastered EP, enjoy: "提醒你 (Like I Do)" and "知心話 (Sad Movie)"!
In the next months I will post more Hong Kong/Taiwan/Singapore/etc. Pop/Instrumental records released in the late-60s / mid-70s. As usual, I would like to provide information about these releases and their authors.
Unfortunately the Internet doesn't offer much information - written in English - about these artists and this is the reason why I need help: if you can translate from Chinese to English please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you so much!
It's been difficult to obtain these vinyls, some are not in the best conditions and I'm currently working hard to properly master them. It seems that these artists and their music are poorly known in the West, of course it's a real pity because they made stunning releases: I'd like to share them with you with a proper presentation, hope that someone will be able to help.
In my loneliness
when you're gone and I'm all by myself
I need your caress
I just think of you
and the thought of you holding me near
makes my loneliness soon disappear
Though you're far away
I have only to close my eyes and you are back to stay
I just close my eyes
and the sadness that missing you brings
soon is gone and this heart of mine sings
Yes I love you so
and that for me is all I need to know
I will wait for you
till the sun falls from out of the sky
for what else can I do
I will wait for you
meditating how sweet life will be
when you come back to me
[from the lyrics of "Meditation"]
Barbara Tamiko Ferguson was born in 1945, one of ten children, in Kyle, West Virginia, USA.
So exotic in her features, ethnically she might be described as multi-racial: her father was an African-American and her maternal grandmother, Mrs. Arma Dalton - who used to live in Charleston - was partly of Japanese descent. Mrs. Dalton's parents, now deceased, were nisei. Because of her Japanese background, Mrs. Dalton at one time lived in a federal internment camp on the West Coast during World War II.
«My mother married a white man of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and on my maternal grandfather's side there is Cherokee Indian blood. So, racially at least I'm really mixed up. Like the rest of my family I consider myself a Negro.»[1]
The extreme versatility of Tamiko's singing is readily appreciated in considering her own musical background. She was raised in Detroit and, while working as a secretary,she auditioned for a talent agency and made her professional debut in 1961 at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit, a room that earlier showcased such talents as Johnnie Ray and Della Reese:
«I got that job strictly on nerve, I decided one day I wanted to be a singer. Though my repertoire consisted of only one song, "Goody, Goody", I got an audition through an agent with Maurice King, who led the orchestra at the Flame Show Bar. I was hired on the spot for a one-week engagement, but stayed six months.»[1]
During that first six-month engagement, she expanded her repertoire considerably under Maurice King's
guidance and improved her showmanship. She developed a style of her own, though she never learned to read music. She describes such style as "jazz-bop", which is a unique styling compounded of pop songs on a jazz base:
«I depend on my ear, I think God gave me a gift for music which I express through my voice. When I first started out, I used to get so scared my knees would knock. The more I sing the more confident I feel, but I still get a
little nervous on an opening night.»[1]
She began her recording career on the Checker label in 1963; her first release, credited simply as Timiko, was the happy-go-lucky song "Is It a Sin?" written by Richard "Popcorn" Wylie backed with "The Boy For Me" written by Robert Bateman on the flip side.
By 1964, Timiko became Tamiko and she relocated to the Atco Records imprint releasing the single "Don't Laugh If I Cry at Your Party" backed with "Rhapsody". Both tracks were also released in France as side A of a 7" split EP coupled with two songs by Angela Martin on side B.
Tamiko Jones as pictured on the cover of the French 7" split EP shared with Angela Martin, circa 1963-64
In July 1966 she briefly moved to the Golden World label and released her third single offering "I'm Spellbound" on side A and "Am I Glad Now" on side B. The single was produced by Gene Redd who wrote the tunes along with Rose Marie McCoy, Jimmy Crosby and a certain Mike Jones.
During the same year Tamiko also appeared as an extra in a few movies, namely "Penelope", "You're a Big Boy Now" and "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying":
«Acting is a very exciting and stimulating outlet for my artistic energies. I love to act and want to become an expert at it. My greatest ambition is to appear in a Broadway musical. But singing is my main love. I'll never give that up, because it gives me a chance to express myself fully and freely.»[1]
Anyway, let's take a step back: after the six months at the Flame Show Bar, Tamiko began touring the East Coast and Midwest, including stints on the Playboy circuit, the Catskill Mountains and the Carribean area, before getting her first national exposure on the Tonight Show in 1965. Later she performed on the Johnny Carson Show several times as well as on the Merv Griffin and Joey Bishop programs...
Tamiko Jones, publicity shot for the "A Man and a Woman" single, 1966
Tamiko's career saw some elevation when she signed with Atlantic in late 1966. She teamed up with label mate Herbie Mann and released a single offering "A Man and a Woman", the theme song from the film of the same name composed by Francis Lai and Pierre Barouh, backed with "Sidewinder", a composition by Lee Morgan which has become a jazz standard nowadays.
Many different versions of "A Man and a Woman" were recorded around this time by different artists, but only the Jones / Mann rendition made the best-selling charts.
«The first Herbie Mann / Tamiko Jones collaboration was a brilliant rendition of the attractive title tune from the French movie "A Man and a Woman". That recording, released in the fall of 1966, helped make "A Man and a Woman" one of the most popular movie themes of the year. The union of Herbie Mann and Tamiko Jones started almost fortuitously at the Atlantic Recording Studios in New York. Herbie heard Tamiko singing in the studio one afternoon and was so taken by her warm, sensuous jazz-pop styling that he stayed throughout her entire rehearsal. When it was over he asked if she would like to record with him.»[2]
Tamiko Jones, press / publicity photo, circa 1966-67
The album was recorded in Rio de Janeiro during three sessions between September and December 1966, and was published by Atlantic in February 1967. It consists of ten songs with musical backgrounds provided by both the Cannonball Adderley Trio and Herbie Mann's Band, mostly arranged by Joe Zawinul and Jimmy Wisner.
One more single was culled from the album, with side A offering a cover of The Beatles' "Day Tripper" paired on the flip side with "A Good Thing (Is Hard To Come By)", a Tamiko's own composition.
By the way, "A Mann and a Woman" was re-released on CD in Japan sometimes in late 2013, and at the time of writing it is still available on major retailers as an import at a fair decent price, don't let it escape you!
Tamiko Jones on the cover of Jet magazine, March 1967
A few months after the successful release of "A Mann and a Woman", Tamiko was signed by Jimmy Wisner's new label December Records. As far as I know, the label didn't last long and its output consisted mostly of the Tamiko Jones releases and a few more items...
The first Tamiko's single on the label was released in September, and offered her rendition of "You Only Live Twice", the theme song to the James Bond movie of the same name, coupled with a cover of Aretha Franklin's "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream".
Another single followed towards the end of the year; Side A featured a cover of the Bacharach-David tune "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", originally performed by Dionne Warwick, while Side B offered the exclusive "Pearl", a song written by Tamiko herself and Wisner.
Two more singles were released as promotional items but were not distributed to the public; the first one included "Live For Life", an English adptation of the song originally written by Francis Lai for the soundtrack of the French movie "Vivre pour vivre", coupled with "You Only Live Twice" on the flip side, while the second featured "Someone To Light Up My Life" and "Where Do I Go From Here".
Smartly arranged with a Bossa Nova flavour, probably as an attempt to repeat the exploit of "A Mann and a Woman", the "Tamiko" album was released on December Records in February 1968.
With Ed McMhon and Joey Bishop, 1967
Sources:
[1] from a feature/interview published on "Jet" magazine, March 1967
[2] from the "A Mann and a Woman" LP liner notes written by Bob Rolontz, 1967
[3] from the "I'll Be Anything For You" LP liner notes written by Peter J. Levinson, 1968
"Tamiko" contains the following tracks:
01. Someone To Light Up My Life (2:48)
02. You Only Live Twice (2:49)
03. The Folks Who Live On the Hill (2:58)
04. Only Yesterday (2:40)
05. Meditation (3:43)
06. Don't Go Breaking My Heart (3:02)
07. Where Do I Go From Here (2:41)
08. Don't Let Me Lose This Dream (2:33)
09. How Can I Leave You (2:07)
10. Live For Life (2:47)
11. That's Life (3:05)
All tracks were remastered from the original vinyl in July 2015 and are available in FLAC lossless format or high-quality 320 Kbps MP3 files, both formats include restored and printable PDF artwork.
As usual, please have a look at the comments for the download links.
"You Only Live Twice" is the theme song to the 1967 James Bond movie of the same name. Music was written by veteran James Bond composerJohn Barry, with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. The original version is considered to be one of the best James Bond theme songs, and has become one of Nancy Sinatra's best known hits. The song has been extensively covered by other artists and Tamiko's version is particularly sweet to my ears; unsurprisingly it was choose as the album's first single.
"Only Yesterday" is an original composition by Jimmy Wisner, producer and arranger of the album - as well as owner of December Records - and already made its apparition just one year earlier on the "A Mann and a Woman" album... I guess that the reason for including it here again is just connected with royalties, but anyway... In my opinion this more lively version is superior to the original, and maybe the author was just trying to popularise it.
Side A ends with my favourite number of the album, "Meditation" ("Meditação" in Portuguese), which was composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Newton Mendonça. With English lyrics by Norman Gimbel, it was successfully included on the "Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim" album in 1967. If I had to choose a track to represent the album, then I would not hesitate for a second: this is pure class!
Side B starts with Tamiko's beautiful rendition of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"; this Bacharach-David song was originally recorded by Dionne Warwick for her 1965 album "Here I Am". According to AllMusic, it is "one of Burt Bacharach's most subtle, effervescent grooves ever". The song was aptly choose as the second single excerpted from the album; it was backed with "Pearl", an exclusive number which I truly hope to present here sometimes in the future as soon as I find a decent copy.
"Where Do I Go From Here" is another song penned by Jimmy Wisner which, according to my search, seems to have been recorded exclusively by Tamiko and no other singer... As the lesser-known track on the album, along with "How Can I Leave You", it manage just fine to keep quality high and a generally relaxed atmosphere.
"Don't Let Me Loose This Dream" was written by Aretha Franklin and Ted White, her first husband and manager. The song was originally included on Aretha's 1967 masterpiece "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You". This is the most lively piece on "Tamiko" for sure; it feature an uptempo rhythm and it even includes a saxophone solo... It was included on the flip side of the "You Only Live Twice" single. Here'a link to the original for your reference.
"How Can I Leave You" is a song by American drummer, percussionist and vibraphonist George Devens; as a musician he has been featured on countless releases from the early '60s on, and his incomplete credit list is quite impressive. His small contribution to this album should not be left unnoticed.
"Live For Live" was written by French composer Francis Lai as the main theme for the 1967 movie "Vivre pour vivre". Originally an instrumental, it was given English lyrics by Norman Gimbel.
"Tamiko" ends with a cover of the popular "That's Life", a song written by Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon whose most famous version was recorded by Frank Sinatra for his 1966 album of the same name.
Tamiko Jones as she appears on the cover of "Tamiko", circa late 1967
Here's the few credits printed on the back sleeve of "Tamiko":
A Jimmy Wisner production.
Arranged and conducted by Jimmy Wisner, except "Someone To Light Up My Life", "Only Yesterday", "Meditation", "Where Do I Go From Here" and "That's Life" arranged and conducted by Pete Dino.
Recorded at Bell Sound Studios, New York City.
Engineers: Harry Yarmarck and Phil Macey
Photos and design: Mark Roth
The following clips offer a preview of the remastered album; for this purpose I chose my favourite tracks: "You Only Live Twice", "Meditation", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream", enjoy!
More information about Tamiko Jones is available here:
If you have any other useful information about the Tamiko Jones and "Tamiko" - especially corrections and improvements to this post - or if you spot any dead links, please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!
