SIZZLE OHTAKA

FROM- THE JAPAN TIMES

Of all the nonsensical musical genres to help people, such as us journalists, categorize your music, perhaps the most irksome of all, is one coined here in Japan- "Healing" Music. For "Healing" you can mostly read muzak of the blandest variety. An endless drivel of so called mystical keyboards, some 'meaningfully' intoned lyrics, a few natural or 'ethnic' sounds thrown in, with pretentious waffle about spirituality that passes as liner notes. In short, a blancmange of the brain, the only thing capable of it 'healing' being a severe bout of insomnia. If it could simply be left alone as a genre to avoid that would offer some respite. However the 'Healing ' tag has been hijacked by marketing people onto some real music most notably Celtic but even African, and onto some worthwhile artists.

Sizzle Ohtaka (as she now prefers to spell her name as opposed to Shizuru) has not only had to put up with her music being dubbed"Healing", but also being labeled as the 'Commercial Queen'. Indeed under normal circumstances, on receiving a CD that boasts of being Healing music from TV commercials, I might expect to derive more pleasure from pulverizing it into tiny pieces than listening to it. However, any CD by Sizzle Ohtaka deserves to be listened to; closely.

"Healing has become good business" says Ohtaka "but mostly it's just boring music to tell the truth. The record company want to say that, but I don' t try and heal anybody through my music. I'm a serious musician, but I suppose if someone heals through listening to my music then I'd be happy. Hopefully though, you won't find this CD in the Healing section of a record store."

The CD in question is a new best of, simply titled 'Sizzle", compiled by Ohtaka of her music used in TV commercials and TV and film soundtracks. "I chose these tracks because they were relaxing and quiet, and using these songs I made a story dealing with love, temptation, sadness, spirit and universe. I don't like to make a "Best of" from my own work, because each tune is original, but when I pick up a stream or a story it has a reason." Her voice, which her record company deem as healing, is one of Japan's most beautiful - she has also been called Japan's No. 1 female singer - pure, and sharp as a razor. No matter the songs have been used to peddle a range of products from Honda cars, Axia cassette tapes, Kirin Supli drinks, and Nova English conversation school. In fact hers is the voice behind literally hundreds of commercials making her perhaps Japan's best known unknown singer.

Whereas some musicians might use commercial work as extra income to support their more artistic ambitions, Ohtaka sees no divisions between the two. "Firstly the songs are mostly ones that I made for an album, which were then picked up by agencies. Except "The Water of Life" for Supli, which I loved so I asked the composer to write a full version of the song. Secondly, I don't hesitate to say I'm a studio musician. It's a kind of goal to be a good studio musician. I sing for the song, even if it's a brand name."

Ohtaka's eclectic and diverse talents should be on full display on her new CD, " I Remember You" also the name of her upcoming concert, and released on the same day, as she says, by herself. "This is a kind of requiem. A friend of mine, a jazz pianist passed away last year. When I went to see her in hospital I asked her what she most wanted to hear, and she said a concert with cello. I promised to do that, but when I went to Morocco she died, so I couldn't fulfill my promise. In Morocco I recorded my voice over background noises, such as when I walking around a market or religious chanting. Sometimes it would just be improvisation, other times I would write lyrics, and one track is a poetry reading. It's like a letter from me, to everyone"