Credits:

KUZE TERUHIKO,Mariko Hamada,Kyoko Koizumi

Description:

The "words" and "music" left by the director Mitsuhiko Kuze are conveyed. Kyoko Koizumi & Mariko Hamada The first CD of Kyoko Koizumi and Mariko Hamada's essay "My Last Song" sung and read by Kuze! Actor Kyoko Koizumi and singer-songwriter Mariko Hamada present a song and reading of "My Last Song," an essay by Mitsuhiko Kuze, a rare director who wrote many famous dramas including "It's Time" and "Kantaro Terauchi and Family. Mitsuhiko Kuze, while producing hit TV dramas such as "It's Time", "Kantaro Terauchi and Family", and "Mu" as a director, was also a lyricist, novelist, and essayist. My Last Song" is a collection of essays written by Kuze over a 14-year period, in which he describes his favorite Showa-era popular songs and memories of people he could never forget, under the theme "If I had to choose one song I would like to listen to before I die...". Koizumi had been a mentor to Kuze since he appeared in the TV drama "All I Need Is Sleep" at the age of 17. After Kuze's sudden death in 2006, Koizumi wondered what he could do to repay the favor, and he came up with the idea of performing "My Last Song" on stage with Hamada, singing and reading the song.Hamada himself had grown up singing covers of Showa-era songs and watching Kuze's dramas, so he readily agreed to this project. The first performance of "My Last Song" in 2008 was well received throughout Japan, and the show has now been running for 15 years. DISC 1 includes a newly recorded performance of "My Last Song" with Mariko Hamada singing and Kyoko Koizumi reading from the stage. DISC2 contains 19 original songs carefully selected from the essay "My Last Song," allowing the audience to fully enjoy the world view that Mitsuhiko Kuze wanted to convey.