Our friends in Japan have long had a fascination for things French, in Food, Fashion, Movies and sometimes Music.
Say Alain Delon, Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg for example.
All this to tell you that we are making a travel back in time that is 60’s and 70’s French Pop…Pop Musik…
While browsing through new additions on Rhapsody yesterday, I stumbled upon 
Camembert Et Sushi which sounded perfect for this week Tokyo Thursday.
This double CD offers on the first disc Kenzo Saeki revisiting tunes by Serge Gainsbourg (Couleur café, Le Poinçonneur des Lilas and Sea Sex and Sun) and the lesser known Nino Ferrer (Les Cornichons).
Second part features a number of other Japanese groups such as Les Cappuccino (from Kobe) offering their rendition of the theme song of the Tonton Flingueurs movie.
Cima Cima penned their own French song Ma Belle Mamie (an homage to their grandma.
At least in France the CD is packaged in an authentic Coulommiers cheese box.
Thierry Wolf (of label FGL, the French distributor) credits this Japanese fascination with a romantic image of France filled with Nouvelle Vague movies, nonchalant people watching in cafes, a rebellious nature…
Many of the facts for this piece were gleaned from SACRÉS FRANÇAIS (RFI Musique, in French).
Camembert & Sushi was released about 2 years ago.
C’est tout for Tokyo Thursday #9
Previous Tokyo Thursday: In ‘Japanamerica’, Roland Kelts rides the New York-Tokyo Express
Related: Don’t be ‘Sly’, Dance to the music
I have just read your article and wanted to let you know that Kenzo Saeki will give an homage to Serge Gainsbourg next October 24th in Paris at “La Cité de la musique”.
(www.cite-musique.fr)