Raymond Conde and Francisco Reyes: Profile of naturalized Imperial Japan subject jazz musicians

These two men became Japanese subjects during the Empire
and popularized American jazz from the Philippines.

Raymond Conde is one of the most famous Filipinos to have ever immigrated to Japan. He is known as being one of the many to bring and develop jazz music within Japan, introducing both American styles and influencing Japanese styles of the genre.

Jazz, invented by Americans, was introduced to the Philippines by American colonizers as early as 1898, which marked the end of the Spanish-American War, the declaration of independence by Emilio Aguinaldo, and the non-recognition of that declaration by the United States, which believed they acquired the Philippine Islands via the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

The new American colonizers, primarily Black American soldiers, would bring both their harmonicas and their jazz culture to Manila. By the 1920s American occupiers would bring gramophones and jazz records from the States and play them in music halls and clubs. This imported culture would be adopted by many Filipinos such as Raymond Conde, and they would learn it and eventually evolve it, incorporating traditional Filipino folk songs and their own jazz riffs into the originally American music.

During the dawn of jazz just before World War Ⅱ, the Filipino musicians grew up knowing both Spanish colonization and later American colonization of the Philippines, and contempt for the native ethnic populations was rough. Even among musician peers, it was not uncommon for Filipino musicians to be casually referred to by ethnic slurs.

Fireworks over the Taiwan Hall at the Exhibition

During the Taisho and early Meiji eras, New Orleans style jazz was being brought to the ports in both Kobe in the west and Yokohama in the east. Japan was holding its 平和記念大博覧会 {heiwa kinen dai hakurankai} (the Tokyo Peace Memorial Exhibition), running in 1922 (昭和 {Shōwa}１１年 {nen) from March 10th to July 31st at Ueno Park in Tokyo. One of the performances was a minstrel show, with Dixie Jazz being played as the accompanying music. Inside that band were three jazz men who were the Conde brothers (Vidi, Raymond, and Gregorio) from the Philippines. It was their first visit to the country that would become their permanent home.

The Conde brothers in Shanghai (1940)
Left to Right: Vidi, Raymond, Gregorio

Raymond Conde was born in the Philippines on January 3rd, 1916 (大正 {Taishō５年 {nen) — he began playing saxophone during high school in the Philippines with his two brothers: his older brother Vidi and Gregorio. In 1932 (昭和 {Shōwa}７年 {nen) — at the young age of sixteen (16), he and his two brothers immigrated to Japan. During their stay in Japan they would often visit and perform in Shanghai, which was a designated foreign trade "Treaty port", according to the 1842 Treaty of Nanking. Not just the Japanese, but the British, and Americans had settlements there.

At the end of 1934 (昭和 {Shōwa}８年 {nen), various competing house musicians from four of the big dance halls ("Tiger", "King", "Palace", and "Amagasaki") in the Kuise neighborhood of Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture (兵庫県尼ヶ崎市 {Hyōgo-ken Amagasaki-shi}), right across the Samondo-gawa river (左門殿川 {Samondo-gawa}) from Osaka City (大阪市 {Ōsaka-shi}), united together to form the 『四ホール連盟ダンス・オーケストラ』 {"4 Hōru renmei Dansu · Ōkesutora"}("Four Dance Hall Alliance Orchestra"), an honorary name they would use with their recording label in Osaka, 帝国蓄音機商会 {Teikoku Chikuonki Shōkai} ("Imperial Records", presently TEICHIKU ENTERTAINMENT, INC.). An interesting point of note with this alliance band is that it was composed of a mixture of Japanese and non-Japanese talent. Even though he was just 27 years old at the time, the oldest Conde brother, Vidi, would often conduct this ethnically (and nationality) mixed all-star cast. At the time, Raymond (barely 18 years old at the time) and his brother Gregorio played the saxophone.

Even today, Teichiku specializes in older,
traditional classical Japanese music.
Ms. Mori is part of the new young generation
of enka singers under the their label.

It is from this group as well as other groups (such as the all-white group "Jerry Wood and His Ambassadors") that Teichiku comprised its in-house orchestra, the Teichiku Jazz Orchestra, which it called upon for various recording projects, domestic and international.

Raymond soon began performing in an all-star parlor music band called 『松竹軽音楽団』 {"Shōchiku keiongaku-dan"} (SLMO), performing jazz, chanson française, tango, Hawaiian, and popular semi-traditional Japanese music — that would eventually evolve into the two genres of Japanese soul/blues singing (演歌 {enka}) and "pops".

In 1936, at the age of twenty (20), he was accepted and entered Waseda University's International Institute to study medicine. At this time, swing music for dancing was the rage, and Raymond Conde switched to the clarinet, identified his style as being primarily swing, and played gigs on the side while enrolled as a student.

Two years later, in 1938, he would meet the person who would become his Japanese wife, Teiko YOSHIBA (吉場貞子 {YOSHIBA Teiko}). He naturalized to become a Japanese subject simultaneously, allowing his wife to keep her nationality; per the Meiji Constitution era Nationality Laws which linked nationality and marriage together, his wife would have lost Japanese nationality (and probably automatically acquired Philippine nationality via jus matrimonii) if he did not acquire Japanese nationality as the man/head of the family. Upon naturalizing, he thus became 吉場レイモンド {YOSHIBA Reimondo}.

After Japan started the Pacific War with the United States on December 8th, 1941 [JST: GMT+0900], anti-Western sentiment was sweeping Japan. Those who were not Japanese and who had not naturalized previously and taken Japanese nationality were deported (and held in detention camps until they could be deported).

Pre-war domestic high end SW radio

Although Raymond had become legally Japanese, he was not conscripted into the Empire's military like some other naturalized Japanese. As a talented musician, the government decided he would be far more effective using his musical talents for propaganda purposes. Raymond Conde and others were asked to perform for shortwave radio broadcasts aimed at Allied and Japanese troops. They did not make broadcasts for the regular Japanese population because civilians in Japan were banned from possessing or using shortwave radio receivers during wartime. Indeed, some people, including naturalized Japanese, got in trouble with the police and military because they were suspected, based on wires that looked like antenna, of having shortwave radios.

Japan's entrance into the Pacific War caused it to have a reactionary attitude towards anything considered to be part of the Allied Power's cultures; Culture from the Axis powers (Germany and Italy) were considered to be okay, however. Their dilemma, however, was that although jazz was undeniably an American invention and phenomenon, it was too popular to ban completely because they understood how popular music helped the morale of both regular people and soldiers. Similar to the Soviet Union and Germany, Japanese censors and propaganda directors attempted to modulate jazz, music, and vocabulary so it served patriotism. Jazz musicians would stop using stage names that sounded foreign. Musical instruments referred to by 外来語 {gairaigo} (foreign loanwords) were given Japanese names — which were often awkwardly long and unwieldy compound phrases. Anything that celebrated national exceptionalism, the military, or spiritually mobilized the people was okay.

However, most of Japan's profession musicians soon learned that government censors and propaganda advisers couldn't tell the difference between modern music that was domestic or foreign, and even when they could, musicians and fans of the music were free to play their preferred songs so long as it was not too loud and obvious. Some Allied forces claimed that some of the material being broadcast by Japan aimed at them had the opposite effect of demoralizing them: they enjoyed it.

Ray Conde, with clarinet on left, and G.I.s.

After the war, around 1949, Raymond reverted to using his birth family name professionally for performances (jazz players of the time used stage names that sounded western and had their names presented first-last name order). During these American occupation of Japan, both professional jazz performers, often playing for the USO and the American military, as well as amateur soldiers, would perform both on stage and in small Japanese clubs. There were also professional jazz musicians among the rank of regular enlisted men due to the fact that it was not a volunteer force: able-bodied men in the early forties were drafted and conscripted into the armed forces.

The exposure that Japanese performers got from these Americans, playing with them and riffing and experimenting live, as opposed to listening to recordings, was huge for the development of jazz in Japan.

Many new bands were created that consisted of a mix of Japanese and military personnel.

Recorded from 1959 to 1960.

It was during this post-war time that Raymond Conde formed his most influential band. called the "Gay Septette" (ゲイ・セプテット {Gei Seputeddo}), meaning the "Happy Seven". The lineup would change over time, but being part of the group would develop many domestic and international stars:

piano: Francisco Reyes (田沢喜一 {TAZAWA Yoshikazu}) / nickname: Francisco "Kiko" (フランシスコ・キーコ {Furanshisuko · Kīko})

Like Raymond, he is was a Filipino immigrant (from Santa Maria in the province of Bulacan) who naturalized in 1937 (one year before Raymond) and became Japanese. Soon after coming to Japan he began playing at the Kobe Oriental Hotel. (神戸オリエンタルホテル {Kōbe Orientaru Hoteru}}) During the War he performed with Raymond Conde in the studio for the war effort. Starting around 1958 he began performing solo in Ginza clubs. He is known for his ad lib styles. In 1980, he was the recipient of the　"Player Award" of the 22nd Annual Japan Record Award. Born October 10, 1907 (明治 {Meiji}４０年 {nen). Passed away April 13, 1993 (平成 {Heisei}５年 {nen) at the age of 86.

drums: George Kawaguchi (ジョージ川口 {Jōji KAWAGUCHI}) / real name: 川口譲治 {KAWAGUCHI Jōji}

Drum solo begins at 2m29s

Dubbed a "jazz drums god", George Kawaguchi was born and educated in Japanese Empire-controlled Manchuria. He joined the Imperial Japanese Army Air Academy after graduating from school in China. He was musically inspired by his father, who was a violinist playing classical music in the controlled territories of Shanghai and Manchuria at the time. After the War, George started by performing at American military clubs before forming the band known as the "Big Four" in 1953 that stayed popular throughout the fifties. George Kawaguchi was known as open minded regarding musical genres, and often jammed with other stylistically very different musicians, as well as played drums in Fubuki Koshiji (越路吹雪 {KOSHIJI Fubiki})'s Royal Pops Orchestra.

George Kawaguchi was known for playfully telling tall tales. Some of his more infamous ones include:

• While playing drums in Manchuria, the Soviet Red Army was so enamored with his playing that they wanted to take him with them to Russia. To get out of it and back to Japan, he drank a whole flask of soy sauce to feign illness.
• Right after the war, a promoter so wanted him to play at the Nihon Gekijo that he was offered a roll of cash tied to a rod and twine.
• After the war, at Yokosuka U.S. military base, the Americans gave him a destroyer as payment. (In another version, he was given a B-29 bomber but had to leave it on the airfield as it was too big)
• He beat legendary drummer Buddy Rich in a drumming face-off.
• He "won" the entire Shiba Park in Tokyo (123,000m²) during a game of poker, but lost it the next day.
• While supporting the U.S. troops in Vietnam, he swam in the 瀧九龍 {Sông Cửu Long} (Mekong river) — infamous for its battles with navy swift boats & hovercraft vs. the NLF guerilla fighters — while Americans protected him. During a performance there, the area came under fire but he didn't stop the performance; a bullet even ricocheted off a cymbal. While being returned to Japan in a jet fighter, the pilot got shot, died, and he had to take over the controls and fly it to Kadena airfield (嘉手納飛行場 {Kadena hikōjō}).

George Kawaguchi passed away in 2003 at the age of 76. His son follows his footsteps, playing and performing in a band called the "New Big Four (plus one)".

Umeki was not expected to win,
especially given the era.

vocals: Nancy Umeki (ナンシー梅木 {Nanshī UMEKI}) / real name: 梅木美代志 {UMEKI Miyoshi}

Umeki was born May 8th, 1929 (昭和 {Shōwa}４年 {nen), in Otaru City, Hokkaido (北海道小樽市 {Hokkaidō Otaru-shi}) which was frontier territory back then and right next to the birthplace of Japanese whisky. She began her career as a nightclub singer in Japan and recorded several records. Her obvious gift attracted talent scouts, who recruited her to come to New York City in 1955 as part of the first generation of Japanese (新一世 {shin issei}) after the War.

In 1959, she won a Tony Award for playing a Chinese mail order bride in the Broadway musical "Flower Drum Song".

Even to this day (2016), she remains the only Asian woman to have won an American Academy Award for acting: an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in "Sayonara" (1958) — starring Marlin Brando — where she plays a woman in Japan who falls in love with a U.S. serviceman during the U.S. occupation, yet both her family and the U.S. military are against it. Spoiler Alert: like Romeo & Juliet, they both commit suicide when it becomes impossible for them to be together.

In addition to three more movies, she had a long career on American television, appearing as a guest on many variety shows and having a recurring role in a sitcom. She retired in 1972, claiming she preferred to spend her time being a wife and mother rather than being part of Hollywood. She lived for a time in Hawai'i before moving to Missouri in the nineties to be close to her family. She passed away in 2007.

What they call "jazz" in this
film would be unrecognizable to
most contemporary listeners.

vocals: Toshio Oida (笈田敏夫 {OIDA Toshio}) / nickname: ゲソ {Geso} (tentacles)

Toshio Oida was born in Berlin, Germany in 1925 to two musicians: his father was a pianist and his mother was a singer and actress. After the war, he performed in various bands before finally getting a record deal to debut on Victor Records in 1953. The year after graduating from Keio University in 1957, he appeared in the color film 『嵐を呼ぶ男』 {"Arashi o Yobu Otoko"} ("Man who Causes a Storm"), which is about a convict, just released from prison, looking to make it big as a drummer in night clubs while being accepted by his mother, who hates his pursuit (a predecessor of both "Footloose" and "8 Mile"). Many Japanese books and manga have remade and reinterpreted this story.

Toshio's record success and popularity landed him eight consecutive appearances on NHK's 紅白歌合戦 {Kōhaku Uta Gassen} (Year-end Song Festival) from 1953 to 1960. During the beginning of the television era he would often appear and perform live as many as thirty (30) times in one month.

However, he was arrested in 1961 for hiring a organized crime member to blackmail a rival lover for his mistress for ¥300,000 (adjusting for inflation, that would be over a million yen in 2016). He spent a month in jail and was found guilty and given a two year suspended sentence. Because of his conviction and his association with unsavory elements, he was shunned by showbiz for decades before making an appearance on TBS' romance drama rotating series featuring the story 『家族って』 {Kazoku-tte} in 1990. He did his last public concert in New York in 1994 at the age of 69.

Lots of these on Japanese
auction (not shopping) sites

In 1986, he was awarded the 南里文雄賞 {NANRI Fumio-shō} (Fumio NANRI Award; named after the Japanese jazz trumpter that passed away in 1975) by "Swing Journal". In 1995, he was awarded the 勲四等瑞宝章 {kun-shi-tō zuihō-shō} (Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th Class) from His Majesty the Emperor for distinguished achievements in his field.

He collaborated with Hawaiian music (steel guitar and ukulele musician and singer) 大橋節夫 {ŌHASHI Setsuo} for many years; he also received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th class, in 1995.

He passed away in 2003 due to kidney cancer.

vocals: Martha Miyake (マーサ三宅 {Māsa MIYAKE}) / real name: 三宅光子 {MIYAKE Mitsuko}

EP albums run at 33⅓ RPM

Martha Miyake, born in Manchuria in 1933 (昭和 {Shōwa}８年 {nen), joined Raymond's Gay Septette in 1954 (昭和 {Shōwa}２９年 {nen}) and sang exclusively for it for two years. An alumnus of Japan's School of Music, she became pro soon after graduating, performing at American camps during the occupation. "In order to provide for myself, I became a singer out of desperation," she said. Her record debut was in 1955 under Mercury Records, but her first EP album wasn't released until 1958: "Tokyo Canaries". She would go on to record over a score of albums, with at least a dozen in modern compact disc form, as well as author two books.

Her marriage in 1956 (which would end in divorce in 1967) to jazz critic then TV & radio personality, writer/essayist/critic 大橋巨泉 {ŌHASHI Kyosen} produced two children who went on to become jazz singers themselves: 大橋美加 {ŌHASHI Mika} and "Chika" (豊田チカ {TOYOTA Chika}). In 1972, to train the next generation of singers, she opened a school: "Martha Miyake Vocal House". The school has tutored at least three women who went on to become professional J-Pop vocalists.

Gold Rays with Rosette

In 1988, she was awarded the 南里文雄賞 {NANRI Fumio-shō} (Swing Journal's Fumio NANRI Award) for jazz vocalist — the first woman to be awarded the prize. In 1990, she won the 6th Grand Prize for Japanese Jazz Vocalist from Jazz World magazine. She also won the 1993 芸術祭賞 {geijutsu-sai shō} (National Arts Festival Award) for the Japan Agency of Cultural Affairs (文化庁 {bunka-chō}) — another first for a Japanese jazz female vocalist. In the year 2000, she was presented with the Medal with Purple Ribbon in the name of the Emperor. Finally, in 2006, she was presented with the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class (旭日小綬章 {kyokujitsu shōju-shō}) in the name of the Emperor for the promotion of Japanese culture.

Starting in the fifties Raymond began to perform solo, often performing in clubs in the posh areas of Ginza and Roppongi in Tokyo. Legends such as Yukio Mishima (三島由紀夫 {MISHIMA Yukio}) were said to have enjoyed watching him perform at exclusive jazz clubs such as the Manuela, wearing black tie tuxedos, with Japanese stars such as Takarazuka Revue alumni and chanson singer Fubuki Koshiji (越路吹雪 {KOSHIJI Fubiki}).

Did "for good" mean "final"?

In 1991 he celebrated 75 years in the jazz business with the album "Raymond Conde Sing & Play for Good!" (which is actually mastered on a collector's Gold Compact Disc), along with an accompanying concert.

Over the span of Raymond Conde's career, he received, in addition to constant good reviews and press, several rewards and honors, such as:

• 1980 (昭和 {Shōwa}５５年 {nen): "Player Award" from 22nd Annual Japan Record Award (he received this along with Francisco Kiko)
• 1987 (昭和 {Shōwa}６２年 {nen): Special Prize for the Japan Jazz Vocalist Award (3rd Annual Award from the Jazz World paper)
• 1998-1999: the Geidankyo Distinguished Service Award to the Entertainment Arts as a performing musician and clarinetist

RIP

Raymond Conde passed away in a hospital in Suginami City, Tokyo (東京都杉並区 {Tōkyō-to Suginami-ku}), on December 23, 2003, at the age of 87. A Catholic memorial mass was held for him at the Catholic Kaminoge Church in Ueno. His wife of 65 years, Teiko (貞子 {Teiko}), was the head mourner.

While jazz in Asia and especially Japan lives on thanks to him and many of his peer pioneers, much like even in its birthplace in America, jazz got pushed out of the mainstream by future popular music, with most musicians these days in Japan, the Philippines, and even America, being pushed underground into hotel lobbies and dive bars. While jazz is no longer mainstream, its legacy remains powerful and its fans are still devout. Not just in America, but in Japan and the Philippines as well.