Music Roger Mason
"Sayonara" (Berlin) Performed by Miyoshi Umeki Courtesy of Warner/Chappell Music Group (Australia) and Victor Musical Industries Inc.
"Ice Candy" (Miki) Performed by Miyoshi Umeki Courtesy of Miki Toriro Creative Shigola Co Ltd and NHK International
"Hey Little Devil: (Greenfield/Sedaka) Performed by Chiyako Saito Courtesy of Warner/Chappell Music Group (Australia) and EMI Records (Australia)
"Louisiana Mama" (Pitney) Performed by Hisahiko Ida Courtesy of Warner/Chappell Music Group (Australia) and Nippon Columbia Co Ltd.
"Ue o Muite Arukoo" (Ei/Nakamura) Courtesy of EMI Publishing Australia Pty Ltd.
"Tweedle Dee" (Reuterskiold/Scott) Performed by Georgia Gibbs Courtesy of Warner/Chappell Music Group (Australia) and Polygram (Australia)
"Rokyoku Komoriuta" (Koshi) Performed by Sumiko McDonald Courtesy of Crown Music Publisher Inc
"I Remember You" (Mercer/Schertzinger) Courtesy of Warner/Chappell Music Group (Australia)
"Tankobushi"
"Tankobushi" (Traditional) Shamisen played by Hitomi Okubo
"Awa Odori" (Traditional) Shamisen played by Hitomi Okubo
"Midare" (Yatsuhashi) Koto played by Hitomi Okubo
"Rokudan No Shirabe" (Yatsuhashi) Koto played by Hitomi Okubo
"The Day Thou Gavest" (Traditional Hymn)
Original Music orchestrated by Roger Mason
Music Co-ordinator Simon Britton
Live Music in the film:
The film presents a number of songs in the course of the film, with an emphasis on Japanese songs, or Japanese makeovers of western pop music.
The shamisen appears in a number of sequences in the Japanese restaurant: The head waitress in the restaurant, Sumiko McDonald, performs a song, Rokyoku Komoriuta: Kato (John O’Brien) also briefly performs a few lines from Ue o Muite Aurkoo:
Mac (Chris Haywood) is given the chance to dance to a pop tune, awkwardly -Gene Pitney’s Louisiana Mama, sung in Japanese by Hisahiko Ida - but while he’s presented as being musical, he only gets to touch the keys on his accordion: Lyrics:
While there is a strong aggregation of Japanese flavoured music in the film, as well as an early example of Roger Mason’s credentialed work as a composer of underscore, the film’s soundtrack doesn’t seem to have been released, either in analogue or digital format.
A song runs over the end credits. The song sung by Miyoshi Umeki, also turned up in a 1953 Japanese feature film, which can be seen as a clip on YouTube here. That version is truncated, with Aya presenting a more complete version.
The lyrics in English run this way, as heard in Aya:
Sayonara, if you don’t want my love anymore Then what are we waiting for Let’s say goodbye … If you loved me, Then darling I’d gladly stay But I can’t go on this way Although I try … Some day … (chorus ‘some day’) Maybe you’ll want my love Just tell me when ... And maybe I’ll be The one you’re dreaming of But ‘till then ... Sayonara... I guess that it’s better this way (chorus ‘better this way’) There’s nothing left to say, Except goodbye… (The orchestra takes over the melody for an extended period, and then the vocalist returns for a repeat, with slight variations) Some day... Maybe you’ll want my love Just tell me when And maybe I’ll be No one you’re dreaming of But ‘till then ... sayonara I guess that it’s better this way There’s nothing left to say (chorus kicks in and repeats ‘left to say’) Except ... goodbye … Goodbyyeee …. (with chorus)
Umeki provides two songs for the Aya soundtrack.
(Below: Miyoshi Umeki) Composer Roger Mason:
Composer Roger Mason is an artist represented at the Australian Music Centre here, which provided a short CV, and a note of a 2014 Screen Music Award for best music for mini-series or telemovie, The Outlaw Michael Howe:
Roger Mason came to screen composing from the world of contemporary music although began learning classical piano at the age of three before studying at the Melbourne Conservatory of Music. He recorded and toured internationally as keyboard player with Gary Numan before returning to Australia to join the Models, a band that achieved both national and international success.
He was the first non-American composer to be granted a scholarship by the Robert Redford Sundance Institute. This provided him with the opportunity to study under the acclaimed screen composers David Newman, Alan Silvestri, Danny Elfman and Michael Kamen. His first venture into film score, the feature film Aya (1990), was nominated for the AFI Award for Best Original Score after which he worked for several years composing in Los Angeles. He has won many APRA/AGSC Screen Music Awards, including 2009 Best Music for a Telemovie/Mini Series for The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce, 2006 Best Music for a TV Series for Peking to Paris, 2005 Best Soundtrack Album for The Extra and 2003 Best Music for a Documentary for Equus and Best Music for a TV Series for MDA. Mason also had an eponymous website here, which contained a more detailed bio and selected credits:
Roger’s foray into screen composing came through the world of contemporary music. At the age of three, studying piano at the Melbourne Conservatorium with the influence of a family background diverse in opera, classical & jazz set him on the road to explore different musical styles. His father’s reel to reel tape recorder fuelled his interest in recording at an early age - attaching clothes pegs and paper clips to piano strings and manipulating the tape speed and direction (a limited but effective technique) an indication of a propensity for the non-conventional. His first synthesiser - an ARP Odyssey cemented his passion for electronica and remains a faithful addition to the arsenal of synthesisers collected over the years. His early career as a band musician/member saw him touring and recording in Australia and internationally with Gary Numan, Wall Of Voodoo, Models & Divinyls.
Having always aspired to combine his love of film with music he won a scholarship to attend Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute in Utah to study under acclaimed composers Danny Elfman, David Newman, Alan Silvestri & Michael Kamen; the following year his first feature Film AYA was nominated for Best Score at the AFI Awards. Roger brings his skill as a multi-instrumentalist along with a passion for folk and ethnic music - his extensive collection of traditional acoustic instruments, electronic technology and wide-ranging experience of orchestral composition has resulted in the recording of orchestras from Sydney to Los Angeles and Cape Town creating a wide range of musical styles for the screen.
He has won numerous screen composer awards as well as having written top 40 charted songs, an ARIA for Best Debut Song and has recently been inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame as a member of the Models. Most recent wins for film composition include APRA/ AGSC Best Music For Telemovie/Mini Series ‘The Outlaw Michael Howe’ AACTA nomination (TBA) for Best Music For Television Series ‘ Code’ - APRA/AGSC Best Music for Television Theme ‘My Place’ along with Best score for Television series – ‘Last Confessions Of Alexander Pearce’ (see more listings under awards).
Roger is currently working on ‘The Principal’ for Essential Media Directed by Kriv Stenders & Produced by Ian Collie. Other projects this year include The award winning series ‘The Code’ which has received critical acclaim both here and the UK &’ Borderland’ a doco- drama which aired in the US earlier this year on American Al Jazeera network.
Roger Mason: SELECTED CREDITS
FEATURES
2012 Thirst, Composer 2011 The Burning Man, Additional Composition 2007 September, composer 2007 Fortune, composer 2007 Razzle Dazzle, composer and music producer 2005 The Extra, composer 2004 Man Thing, composer 2003 The Long Lunch, composer 2001 Horses: The Story of Equus (IMAX), composer 2001 When Strangers Appear, composer 2000 Africa's Elephant Kingdom (IMAX), composer 1998 Dead Letter Office, composer 1997 Joey, composer 1996 Killer, composer 1995 The Craft, add composer 1995 Down Came A Blackbird, add composer 1994 Love Crimes, add composer 1994 Gino, composer 1993 Race For the Sun, add composer 1993 Fled, add composer 1992 Till There Was You, add composer 1990 Aya, composer
TELEVISION
2015 The Principal - Mini-Series, Essential Media & Ent, composer 2015 No Excuses - Doc Series, In Films/ABC, composer 2014 Borderland - Doc Series, Al Jazeera USA, composer 2014 The Code - Mini-Series, Playmaker, composer 2012 The Outlaw Michael Howe, Cordell Jigsaw, composer 2011 My Place Series 2, Composer, Television Series, composer 2011 In Their Footsteps, Composer, Documentary Series 2010 Miracle (Series). Composer 2010 My Place (Series II), Composer 2009 My Place (Series I), Composer 2009 Miracle (Series), Composer 2008 The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce, composer 2008 SBS Television & Radio Rebranding, composer and producer 2006 Operatunity (series), composer 2006 Peking to Paris (series), composer 2005-2003 MDA (series), composer 2003 Mermaids, composer 2001 Australians at War (series), composer 1998 Day Of The Roses (mini Series), composer 1995-1996 Fire (Series 1 & 2), composer 1994 Seventh Floor, composer 1993 Crimebroker, composer
SHORT FILMS
2012 This Dog’s Life, Composer 2008 He, She, It, composer 2001 Confessions of a Headhunter, composer
Roger Mason: AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2015 Nomination AACTA Awards Best Score for a Telemovie or Mini Series - "The Code"
2014 Winner APRA/AGSC Best Music for a Telemovie/TV Series -"The Outlaw Michael Howe" Nomination APRA/AGSC Best Song for a Telemovie/Mini Series - "Harvest & The Glory"
2012 Winner APRA/AGSC Best Music For A Short Film - "This Dog's Life" Nomination APRA/AGSC Best Music For Children's Television - "My Place" Episode
2011 Nomination APRA/AGSC Best Music Childrens Television "My Place"-"Henry"
2010 Winner APRA/AGSC Best Television Theme Nomintaion APRA/AGSC Best Music Television Series My Place Series 1 Nomination APRA/AGSC Best Soundtrack Album Last Confession of Alexander Pearce
2009 APRA/AGSC Winner Best Music for a Telemovie/Mini Series - The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce
2008 APRA/AGSC Nominee Best Music for Advertising/Station ID - SBS
2007 AFI Nominee Feature Film Score-Razzle Dazzle 2006 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards Winner Best Music for a TV Series or Serial—Peking to Paris
2005 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards Winner Best Soundtrack Album—The Extra Nominee Best Feature Film Score—The Extra ARIA Awards Nominee Best Soundtrack Album—The Extra
2003 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards Winner Best Music for a Documentary—Equus Winner Best Music for a TV Series or Serial—MDA
2001 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards Winner Best Music for a Documentary—Confessions of a Headhunter Nominee Best Music for a Mini-series or Telemovie—Airtight
ABC Gold Manuscript Award 2001 Winner Best Original Score for a Television Series—Australians at War
2000 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards Winner Best Music for a Documentary—Africa's Elephant Kingdom
1999 APRA-AGSC Screen Music Awards Winner Best Music for a Mini-series or Telemovie—Day of the Roses Winner Best Theme Music—Day of the Roses
1990 AFI Awards Nominee Best Original Film Score—Aya
(Below: Roger Mason)