GOOD QUESTION

ABOUT THIS ALBUM

Released in 1981 on the Better Days label, GOOD QUESTION places Eri Ohno’s supple jazz phrasing inside a band sound that moves freely between jazz-funk, crossover, soul, and more conventional song form. The title track establishes the album’s flexible character immediately, while “Everytime Shuffle,” “One for Me,” and “Skyfire” lean more strongly into electric groove. The second side broadens the picture further with pieces such as “Milestones” and “Prelude to a Kiss,” linking Ohno’s contemporary studio work back to the jazz standards and repertoire that shaped her as a vocalist. That contrast is central to the album’s appeal. Rather than abandoning jazz in pursuit of pop accessibility, Ohno carries jazz timing, harmonic awareness, and phrasing into a more rhythm-driven early-eighties setting. “Skyfire” has become a particular favorite among collectors because of its midtempo groove, but GOOD QUESTION works best as a complete record, balancing technical musicianship with an unusually relaxed sense of movement. It captures a period when Japanese jazz singers were beginning to enter funkier, more electric studio environments without losing the character of their original musical language.