Enka is a style of Japanese popular song roughly corresponding to American blues and country music, French chanson and Italian canzone. The sound of enka is deeply rooted in the souls of Japanese people, and famous enka songs continue to be sung and hummed wherever this music exists.
In this album, Umezu's exceptional sensitivity and taste combine with the "world of enka," swirl and eddy, and explode before our eyes. This music has excellent circulation; it leaps with energy. Here, Japan has created a singular kind of human music. (Harada Kazunori) excerpt from liner note just what is genre? when i hear umezu's solo enka, i hear an answer to an often asked question. (Jim O'rourke)