Celebrating the 35th anniversary of their 1989 debut, legendary Japanese band Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra have released their greatest hits album NO BORDER HITS 2025→2001 ~The Best of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra~.
The album centers around songs featuring guest vocalists, including the band’s latest collaboration ‘Tell Me, Ouroboros (feat. Asako Miyazaki (SHISHAMO))’ and the ‘NO BORDER’ trilogy of songs that echo the band’s boundary-hopping philosophy: ‘Ichinichi Hana feat. imase & Narashino High School Brass Band’, ‘Vague Me of Summer Days (feat. SUPER EIGHT)’ and ‘Like Flowers Fall (feat. Masaki Suda)’.
The collection also revisits the trilogy of songs that shook up the Japanese music scene in 2001 and 2002: ‘Mekureta Orange" (feat. Takao Tajima)’, ‘Canary In The Sky (feat. Yusuke Chiba)’ and ‘Forest Burning Beautifully (feat. Tamio Okuda)’. The 3-CD set concludes with Skapara’s latest song, ‘Haven't given up yet, have you?’.
A total of 51 songs were selected by Skapara drummer Kin-ichi Motegi for the 3-CD set, and just like the album’s title, the lineup of songs perfectly reflects the band’s core theme of “no borders”.
The compilation begins with the song ‘Paradise Has No Border feat. NO BORDER ALL STARS’. This is a rerecording of Skapara’s signature song ‘Paradise Has No Border’ featuring 10 wind instrument performers. These NO BORDER ALL STARS were assembled from past collaborators and celebrity friends of the band who play wind instruments, including the world-renowned actor Ken Watanabe – making his first appearance with Skapara. Watanabe lends not only his trumpet skills but also his voice to the track. Check out the list of musicians below.
Trumpet: Ken Iikawa (HEY-SMITH), You Yokoyama (SUPER EIGHT)
Trombone: Haruko Nagaya (Ryokuoushoku Shakai), Kenta Hamano (Zainichi Funk)
Tuba: Shinya Ishihara (Saucy Dog)
Alto sax: Tamio Okuda
Tenor sax: Mitsuru (HEY-SMITH), Takao Tajima
Bass sax: Sakana-kun
Trumpet & voice: Ken Watanabe
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