Sorry for being a bit late to get this one done. The topic this time around isn't Gyakuten Saiban 4, but rather the new Gyakuten Saiban meets Jazz CD that's coming out. (Still, I thought I'd post it here just to keep all the blog translations in one place.)

This was done in even more of a hurry than usual (and while dodging the glances of my co-workers at the office), so it may be even more of a mess than usual -- sorry about that!

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3/27/2007 (Tues)
"Gyakuten Saiban Meets Jazz Soul in Taiwan"

Hi everyone.
This is Takashi Yamazaki, one of the planners on the Gyakuten Saiban team.
I've been with the series since the first DS game.

I came to Capcom three years ago, and I've been working on Gyakuten Saiban the whole time.
But really, before getting this job, I was just another GS fan.
At my job interview, I remember shouting out "I love Gyakuten Saiban!", and the very first
time I met Mr. Takumi, I went up to shake his hand, saying "I'm a huge fan of yours!"
How I ended up here, writing an entry on the developers' blog... it's just a strange feeling.
Am I dreaming?

But this isn't the place for this... I need to keep my feet on the ground.
Anyway, I'll have a few entries here, in which I hope to share with you all various stories
from the development of Gyakuten Saiban... so I hope you'll stick around!

***

Anyway, our topic for this time is the new Gyakuten Saiban Jazz Album, to be released on
March 31st. Today, I'd like to bring you the latest news straight from our recording studio
in Taiwan.

Our reporter on the scene in Toshihiko Horiyama, composer of the "Gyakuten Saiban 4" soundtrack.

-- Mr. Horiyama! How's Taiwan? I wanted to go, too!

Horiyama: Nice to meet you all! Taiwan's a great place. Most of all, the food is just great.
I had this rice porridge dish which was just _unbelievably_ good.

-- Wow... it sounds like Taiwan's a fascinating place. Personally, I'd love to hear more about
that rice porridge... Mr. Horiyama, are you there?

Horiyama: Anyway, our jazz band -- who put some soul in the Gyakuten Saiban soundtrack -- is
composed of seven members. Keyboard, bass, drums, and four horns -- tenor and alto saxes,
a trumpet, and a trombone.

http://www.capcom-fc.com/saiban4/lib/0327/jazz_band01.jpg
http://www.capcom-fc.com/saiban4/lib/0327/jazz_band02.jpg
http://www.capcom-fc.com/saiban4/lib/0327/jazz_band03.jpg
http://www.capcom-fc.com/saiban4/lib/0327/jazz_band04.jpg

-- Well, that was an _unbelievably_ impressive dodge of my rice porridge question. So how did the recording
go?

http://www.capcom-fc.com/saiban4/lib/0327/jazz_band05.jpg

Horiyama: Well, as you know, our conductor was (GS3 composer) Noriyuki Iwadare, who did the jazz
arrangements of all the songs. The atmosphere was very relaxed, and the band members really got
into the music and put on a great performance.

When I heard the "Da da da! Da da da!" phrase of the "Phoenix Wright -- Objection!" theme
performed by two saxophones... it was like it a fire in my heart.

http://www.capcom-fc.com/saiban4/lib/0327/jazz_band06.jpg

They spent 2-3 hours on each song, experimenting with various parts in order to get the sound
just right.

Out of all the songs, the one that got everyone the most pumped up was probably "Swingin' Zenitora"
(Zenitora's theme from GS3.) The original song already had a jazzy feel to it, so it really sounded
good with the horns.

Isn't it perfect, that the theme song for a loanshark company sounds so good with "gold" instruments?
Listening to the sound of the trumpet, I could picture in my mind a swing dancing Zenitora.

-- By the way... what would you say is the attraction of a live performance?

Horiyama: With a live performance, each performer has their own slightly different sense of timing and
dynamics, and the transition from one note to the next... each performer brings their own individuality.
The fluctuation that comes from this blend of individual traits gives the music a comfortable flow.
I think that's the attraction.

-- I see... I think I understand the feeling... It was the same with the GS4 development team.
Each team member brought their own "flavor" to the project, and I think these individual traits were
preserved well.

-- One last question... What would you recommend to our listeners as the highlight of this album?

Horiyama: Well, I think all of the songs have been reborn into something new and exciting, while
remaining faithful to the originals. Also, all of our performers have worked in various ad libs
in their performances, so I hope everyone will listen for those!

-- Personally, I'm incredibly curious as to how the jazz version of the "Steel Samurai" theme turned
out...

Horiyama: Ah, the jazz "Steel Samurai"... in one word? "Adult."

-- "Adult," eh?
A reborn, more "adult" Steel Samurai...
That almost defies the imagination...

This night, in the dark corner of a bar... a lone samurai tilts his glass.
"My lady... be careful if you touch my topknot. It may be... too hot for you to handle."
...no, something's not quite right.

I guess the only way to unravel this mystery is to listen to album myself.
Anyway, thanks for the report, Mr. Horiyama!
And maybe you can tell me about this mysterious rice porridge next time...

http://www.capcom-fc.com/saiban4/lib/0327/album_jacket.jpg

The Gyakuten Saiban Jazz Album... in stores on March 31st!

***

Anyway, for our next blog entry I'll be passing the baton back to Mr. Takumi.
I'm sure he'll share with you some of the innermost secrets of Gyakuten Saiban 4 that only he knows.

See you next time!

A more "adult" Steel Samurai? Seems a bit.... contradictory, in a sense, but that doesn't make this album any less desirable. Aside from that, seems like most of the standard stuff we know.


That album jacket still makes me laugh at just a glance of it. Especially Phoenix's expression at having a seagull on his head.

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Thanks a million for the translations! This is so much better then reading a bablefish translation.

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cool info. :D Can't wait to 'acquire' the Jazz album! >.>

Your translations are great! Thanks so much!

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@album jacket:
whats a pipe doing there >_>;;?

awaits impatiently for the next entry..

oh, and thanks for the translation!