WEEKEND FLY TO THE SUN

With arrangements by Tom Tom 84—who had worked with Earth, Wind & Fire—and a cast that included ace Windy City players such as guitarist Al McKay and horn section the Phoenix Horns, plus Wayne Johnson, Larry Robinson, Louis Johnson, Carlos Rios and Jeff Porcaro, Kadomatsu's second album was recorded in Los Angeles. The result gives his youthful voice an elegant polish and a fresh sense of maturity. His singing is still unformed, but tracks such as A1 reveal an urban bright tone already ringing at a remarkably high level. The album is also full of the pleasure of exploring his musical roots, and stands as evidence of how eagerly he was absorbing new musical knowledge.

The AOR player's shimmer of A1, the morning city bustle of A2 and the fleeting moment of a break between lovers on A3 are followed by the understated luxury of B2 and the air of a party winding down on B3. With refined urban tunes lined up one after another, B1 points toward a new way of moving between city and resort. At the time Kadomatsu was often described as a Tatsuro Yamashita follower, yet a work built around this particular theme had scarcely existed before. In search of a freer musical environment for his summer-oriented image, he left the management company he had been with since his debut and struck out for new ground. That wide-open feeling is captured here just as it was.