FREE DRINK

ABOUT THIS ALBUM

Originally released in 1987, FREE DRINK is JADOES’ second album and the point where their collaboration with producer Toshiki Kadomatsu fully crystallized into a sophisticated Japanese boogie sound. The group had initially attracted attention partly through comedy, but its musicians were serious about funk and dance music, even approaching Kadomatsu directly to produce them. His influence is unmistakable: basic rhythm programming, sharp guitar, layered chorus, polished horn arrangements, and a strong distinction between hard electro-funk and softer ballad material. The supporting cast is exceptional, including Kenji Takamizu, Masaharu Ishikawa, Hiroshi Sato, Yoshihiro Tomonari, Kazuo Shin, Jake H. Concepcion, Koike Osamu, and Yurie Kokubu. Yet the album still sounds like a functioning band rather than a studio project built around guests. Bassist and vocalist Hideki Fujisawa anchors the music with an unusually physical low end, while keyboards, vocoder, percussion, and brass give the arrangements dense but controlled movement. FREE DRINK is now regarded as one of the strongest albums from Kadomatsu’s production orbit because it balances electro-funk, nocturnal boogie, humor, and genuinely accomplished musicianship without sacrificing melody.