Jero's Blues
Jerome Charles White, Jr., aka. "Jero", is an American born "enka" singer. Enka is a typical Japanese music genre, extremely popular among 50 and upward working class Japanese society & can be compared to blues as it relates to the content of each song reflecting a certain hardship of life. Jero, interest with enka, comes from his Japanese maternal grandmother who used to teach him these kind of adult songs when he was a kid instead of the usual lullaby. While Jero spent a majority of his time in the US, his knowledge of Japanese language & culture is formidable. His presentation reflect the loudest and even a little bit outdated hip hop kids look, while the singing itself shows an extreme respect for the song, the style & the emotion the singer is suppose to convey. I personally have little taste of this particular genre... but always appreciate the fun that comes with it when I try myself at karaoke. Jero's way of singing enka, while respecting manners and tradition in every details, brings a feel of R&B in the vibrato of his voice, giving a slight cross-cultural shift from the regular enka singing.
The most impressive cross-cultural barrier that Jero broke is not racial or national... it is a case of generational cross-culture. Jero, by his presentation & his personal touch on enka is attracting an entire generation of young woman rediscovering enka and enjoying fully the romantism Jero and the content of his song project.
It can be tempting to say that Jero is just an act, playing with contrast for maximum promotional effect... and it would be so if the rendering of his song were not actually extremely good & sincere... something impossible to hide I believe.
Umiyuki/Tozai Nanboku Hitori Tabi
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