SHOJI TABUCHI - The Osaka native has made himself America's king of live country music.
The theater he bought was grossing upwards of $14 million a year.
ABIGAIL WASHBURN - She was born in Illinois. But when she picks up her banjo and starts to sing, she often delivers her lyrics in Chinese. She is "Bluegrass Over Beijing."
AI
- Upcoming J-Pop star w/ a mature & almost husky voice.
Ai Carina Uemura is a biracial, bilingual rising R&B
star in Japan with an American-bred affinity for soul
and R&B music. The
singer was born in L.A., graduated from the Los Angeles
County High School for the Arts (along with classmate Josh Groban)
NAMIE AMURO - (real name Namie Maruyama, said to be one quarter Italian), was a huge sensation in the 90'ss and has gone on to be one of the most successful Japanese pop artists of all time.
AS ONE - American-born female k-pop vocal group w/r&b flavor
ASHA BHOSLE - she has reigned as one of the
queens of Bollywood playback (singers who provide the vocal tracks for Bollywood stars) for the last
several decades. She recently celebrated her 75th
birthday that underscored her ability to create
a seemingly limitless array of musical characterizations.
CORNELIUS - (aka Keigo Oyamada) combines rock, pop and bubblegum
music with Takako Minekawa
CUI JIAN - "Father of Chinese Rock Music combines traditional
Chinese instruments and melodic sensitivities with Western rock.
DEF TECH - they had the 3rd best selling album in 2005 and one of the most popular bands in Japan. They are establishing new genre "Java Ian reggae."
DIR EN GREY - Musically too Dir En Grey skips wildly across the spectrum. Like the
artistic climate in general, the five have veered away from lyricism
and toward more extreme territory over their 10 years; their new
CD, "Marrow of the Bone," bristles with dense metallic thrash.
DRUNKEN TIGER - Korean group led by emcees Tiger JK/DJ Shine
w/turntablist DJ James Jhig, emcee Micki Eyez aka Opticals,
emcee/producer Roscoe Umali of The Glossilalics and underground
hip-hop heads called "Campo Finique"
MARI IIJIMA - accomplished singer and songwriter who has released numerous top 10 albums in Japan. Her critically acclaimed debut album, "Rosé" was produced by renowned composer Ryuichi Sakamoto.
IM JUNG-HEE - "Street Diva" Im Jung Hee signed with Outkast to produce her US debut
album. What's even more telling is that Outkast was featured in Im's
music video. JYP Big Hit Entertainment, which the Korean singer belongs, said that
they signed contract with Outkast to work as coproducer of next
record.
COCO LEE -
popular HK female r&b singer. CoCo
was a Global Ambassador for Omega from 2004-6 and Chanel's first
Asia-Pacific Celebrity Ambassadress. Despite her hectic schedule,
CoCo still finds time for numerous charitable causes, contributing
her time as a youth ambassador for UNICEF, the Make a Wish Foundation
and the Organization for World Peace in China. In 2004, CoCo
also represented Asian artists promoting youth education at the
global AIDS conference in Thailand as a YouthAIDS ambassador. In
2009, she performed at the esteemed
Disney Hall to a raptured (albeit small) fans of this popular
artist. In the future, with the proper promotion and management,
she will be provided opportunities for U.S. audiences to witness
the talent that have made her a favorte of concertgoers throughout
Asia.
MASAYA MATSUURA - Japanese musician and game designer. Regarded as the father of the 'musical adventure game' following the creation of Parappa the Rapper. Also responsible for the music in UmJammer Lammy, Vib Ribbon, Rhyme Rider Kerokiran and others.
MINK ("Made IN Korea") - this 22 years old Korean artist signed to Avex Trax (Japanese recording powerhouse label) had a hit on the American Billboard Hot Dance Play Chart club scene. It turns out, though, that Mink is a 22-year-old Korean. She is currently signed with Japan's recording powerhouse Avex Trax.
ANITA MUI - Hong Kong heartthrob singer and actress' career
started in 1982 when she defeated 3,000 contestants to win first
prize in the New Talent Singing Competition. Mui went on to carve
out a reputation as “the Madonna of Asia.”
N.E.X.T. - Korean metal, industrial, rock & techno punk
band
SAINKHO NAMTCHYLAK - Extreme vocalist, performance artist and musical chameleon from Centra Asia (Tuva)
SEVARA NAZARKHAN - World music from Uzbekistan (Central Asia) played on a doutar
EUGENE PAO - He is Hong Kong's most publicly recognized jazz musician. He has performed with Jac DeJonette, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, John Patittuci, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Pass, Eric Marienthal, Michael Brecker, Jeff Andrews and others.
In 2006, he formed an Asian Super Guitar Project with Japan's Kazumi Watanabe and Korea's Jack Lee.
OLIVIA - bilingual artist on the cutting edge sub-label of Avex. She was part of a eurobeat band called D&D. Her music changed from a quite poppy sound into an
experimental rock one. She sang the ending theme song to the anime adaption to Yazawa Ai's manga Nana. She performs at events such as PMX.
LENA PARK - this
bi-lingual S. Korean pop star was born in Southern California
and found success in S. Korea. Upon making her entry into the
S. Korean/Asian marketplace, she had to learn how to speak Korean
and/or the language of their parents (like others such Wang LeeHom
and Ai). In 2009, she headlined a concert with Wheesung at the
esteemed Disney
Hall in Southern California. In 2009, she was one of the headlines
at Korea Times' annual Korean Pop Festival that have went SRO
for many years, providing ample evidence of the draw of artists
from Asia.
PIZZICATO
FIVE - Japan's premiere purveyors of retro-disco-pop.
PUFFY
- Retro J-Pop from Ami Onuki & Yumi Yoshimura
SE7EN - Korean artist who is gaining wide popularity not only in
South Korea, but also China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. His first
Japanese album was released in March 2006. Se7en's popularity has
earned him an award for Favorite Korean Artist in the MTV Asia
Awards 2006, as well as an award for Best Buzz Asia in the MTV Japan
awards 2006.
SHANGHAI (LOUNGE) DIVAS - The music on Ian
Widgery's (who has worked with U2, David Bowie and others)
Remix CD represents the songwriting and vocal performances of
Shanghai ("Paris of the East) before the communist takeover in
1949 through the pulsating beats and electronic soundscapes. The
CD is on Morton Wilson's Schtung Music, who is based in Hong Kong.
The result: music as unique as the city in its golden era, a mixture
of Eastern and Western influences, blues, jazz, traditional Chinese
opera and folk music. This music
was a great influence in the Hong Kong CantoPop music scene. Songs
include "All The Stars In The Sky" by Chang Loo (Alex To's mother),
"Ye Shanghai 2003" (named after the famous Chow Hsuan song that
everyone knows at least a few notes of), "Waiting 4 You by Bai
Kwong and "Night Queen" by Shang Kuan Ping Some of the featured
artist included Bai
Hong (who was despised by the Communists for her American
style of singing and persecuted during the Cultural Revolution),
Chang
Loo (who escaped to Hong Kong and continued her career there
for many years) and Li
Xiang La (born and raised in Japanese-occupied Manchuria by
Japanese parents was a mega-watt star in both Japan and China
during the war. But afterwards, she was arrested as a collaborator,
and forced to leave China).
Side Note 1: Gary
Lucas also have an American accoustic version of
the music from the same time period. I've (Gary)
been working on an album of Chinese pop music of the 1930's, a
genre thatI've always really loved. My first wife was Chinese,
and I lived in Taipei, Taiwan for two years, so I had a background
in appreciating this music. I was sort of goated into learning
it on the guitaron the behest of my friend Ken Hurwitz who married
his Chinese sweetheart in Chinatown acouple of years ago and they
asked me to prepare a some of transcriptions
of this music for guitar. Side Note 2: David Liang's Shanghai Restoration Project is
also based on the music of Shanghai during the above-listed times
with American jazz, electronic and hip-hop (along with other American
influences tossed in. This Kansas-born native now living in Shanghai
SITE
ACCESS - Hong Kong Rock/Jazz/Funk fusion band
AMI SUZUKI - her disappearing act in the J-Pop scene resulted from selling 10 million total unites to her parents suing AG Communication - her
management/production company, to end her contract following the conviction of tax-evasion charges of AG Communication president Eiji
Yamada.
FAYE WONG - perhaps the most distinguished
female singer in contemporary Chinese musical circles/pop scene
for over 15 years,
YIN TS'ANG - MC Webber & Foenix Fortean founded the rap
group
JANE ZHANG (Zhang Liangying) - this
Chengdu (Sichuan) native was born on October 11, 1984 and a Chinese
pop singer with a spinto soprano voice came to prominence after
her third-place performance in the 2005 season of the Super Girl
contest, a national all-female singing competition in the People's
Republic of China. Throughout the competition, she sang in English,
Spanish and Cantonese in addition to Mandarin Chinese. She was
given the nickname "The Dolphin Princess" during the competition
for her ability to sing in the whistle register because Chinese
musicians refer to the whistle register as the dolphin vocal sound.
Zhang's debut album was titled The One and was produced by Craig
Williams. Her next album, Update, broke away from the Chinese
pop scene by combining elements of R&B and jazz. She participated
in a World Peace One concert that was designed to increase awareness
and activism for world peace, and to raise funds for humanitarian
relief with U2, Madonna, Pink Floyd and Green Day. She developed
a taste for American country singers in addition to Western pop
singers, such as Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera.
RACHEL FACTOR - Artist (born Christine Horii from Hawii)
performs music appropriate to her Jewish faith
STEVE LEE - a self-proclaimed "weird guy" who's rockin' out with
fans of all ages. The Nashville-based Korean-White singer/songwriter/guitarist
released "What Did You Do Today, Stephen Scott Lee?" a wildly
imaginative indie-pop album that takes listeners through a day in the
life of young Stephen. Think Raffi tunes with a
psychedelic edge.
FUMINO ANDO - she was selected as the Assistant Concertmaster of the
Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra in 2001 and 2002 and became a
member of the Crouse String Quartet. She joined the Oregon Symphony
in 2002. As a soloist, she was an invited guest artist in the
classical series of the Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra in Arkansas.
In Portland, Oregon, where she lives, she often performs on violin
with the Sakura-Koto Ensemble, who play traditional Japanese
instruments.
AHN TRIO - Three Korean-born
sisters combine pop and classical. They've played pieces commissioned
by Julliard friend Kenji Bunch for more than a decade such as
"Danceband" and "Disco Boogie" that represents
their eclectic musical tastes that extends from their classical
foundation.
SARAH CHANG - (Chang Young Joo) Classical violinist extradionaire
CATHRINA CHEN - she was a Grand Prize winner in the third International Gnessin Violin
Competition in Moscow, Russia, Prize of Honor from the
Norwegian Music Publisher Union in 2002, Karoline Prize in
2003 and Sparre Olsen competitions in 1997, 1998, and
2002. Catharina was the youngest musician in Norway ever to be
awarded the highly respected and prestigious Oslo City Culture Prize
(2004). Most recent award is the 2nd Prize at the Jeuness Musicale
International Violin Competition in Bucharest, Romania (2007).
UNSUK CHIN - has a fascination with non-European musical cultures,
especially about the sound world of Balinese gamelan music while
serving as an inspiration for many pieces of her pieces. She
always try to introduce a completely different colour into her
compositions based on her
experience of non-European music. To read her interview, click
HERE
MENG-HSUN CHUANG - this Taiwan native was the youngest first
prize winner in the Taiwan National Viola Competition, won the Taiwan
National String Quartet Competition, received first prize in the
International Chamber Music Competition of the Chamber Music Foundation
of New England and the Taiwan National Theater and National Concert
Hall Young Artists Award,
JOEL FAN - Prize-winning pianist & member of Silk Road
Project
WU HAN - Pianist Creates Classic Classical Artistry with Husband David Frinckel
BEN HONG - L.A. Philharmonic's assistant principal cello player played on Jamie Fox-starrer
""The Soloist." While commutting on his limited edition MV
Augusta F4-1000, this cellist performs in an eclectic array of
nonclassical performers, including L.A.'s daKah Hip Hop Orchestra
and actor-comedian Taylor Negron, and is learning to play an African
djembe drum in his spare time. He is learning improvisational
jazz with violinist-singer-songwriter
LUCIA HWONG - Composer & instrumentalist for many genres
JENNIE JUNG - Pianist Jennie Jung is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate
at the Juilliard School. She received a Master of Music and Artist
Diploma at Yale University's School of Music (under Claude Franck).
Jennie made her debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at the
age of eleven and has since performed as a soloist and chamber
musician. In 2004, she was awarded the Sheen Fellowship in Collaborative Piano
at the Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara. She was the
recipient of the Steven S. Kang Young Artists and Scholars Award in
Chicago for three consecutive years from 2001.
JUNG TRIO - They consist of the above-listed Jennie Jung
along with her sisters Ellen and Julie. These Toronto-native
winners of the Grand Prize at the 2002 Yellow Springs Chamber
Music Competition and the Bronze Medal at the 2002 Fischoff
Competition have been featured in Strad, Strings, and Auditorium
(Korea) magazines, in the Korea Times, as well as on the South
Korean television program, A Classical Odyssey. They've won
prizes at the Canadian Music Competition, Kiwanis Music Festival,
and the CIBC National Music Festival. They are the first musical
group ever to perform at the United Nations (UNEP) in Nairobi.
Violinist Ellen Jung has been featured as a soloist with the
Korean-Canadian Symphony, North York Symphony, and University
of Toronto Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. Cellist Julie Jung
has performed as a soloist with the Toronto Symphony, Canadian
Chamber Academy, and the Taejon Symphony Orchestras. Her appearances
include the Verbier (Switzerland) and Manchester (England) festivals,
and a tour of Germany with the NEC Chamber Orchestra.
REV. TOM KURAI - Virtuosos of the taiko & Japanese percussion
SAYAKO KUSAKA - This violinst was the recipient of the "Best Musician of the Year" Award from the Critic's
Association of Japan (2005). She is the 1st Prize winner at the 21st Rodolfo Lipizer
International Violin Competition in Italy, received Silver Medal at
the Premio Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy (where
she also won the Best Performer Caprice Award), and Third Prize at
the 8th Jean Sibelius International Violin Competition in Finland.
Other awards include 1st Prize at the Neaman International Violin
Competition in 1995, top prize at the Michelangelo Abbado
International Violin Competition, and 4th Prize at the 3rd Pablo de
Sarasate International Violin Competition. In her native Japan, she
received a 1st Prize at the 69th Japan Music Competition, as well as
numerous national awards. Sayako soloed internationally with Tokyo
Symphony, Kirov Orchestra, Japan, Osaka and Kansai Philharmonics,
with Geidai Symphony, and in recitals in St. Petersburg, Italy,
Israel, Germany.
TIM LANDAUER - was proclaimed by the New York Times as "a cellist
of extraordinary gifts" in 1983 when he won the coveted Concerts
Artists Guild International New York Competition Award. The thirty-two year old principal cellist of the
Pacific Symphony, is a cellist with a colorful past. Landauer's
grandfather was a German scientist who fled the Nazis because he was
Jewish. He went to China before the beginning of World War II, and
then was unable to leave China. After the war, the United Nations
recruited him as a public-health official. When the Communists took
power in 1949, Landauer's grandfather fled to Taiwan with the
Nationalist government. Later still he went to the United States,
from which he sought to be reunited with his family, which was a very
difficult process.
JOHNNY LEE - the Cleveland-born L.A. Philharmonic second violin player graduated
cum laude from Harvard but also studied medicine and economics before
settling on music.
TREY LEE - this young artist garned acclaim for
combining intellectual sophistication with emotional sensitivity. Winner of the
2004 International Antonio Janigro Cello Competition as well as major
prize-winner of New York's Naumburg International Cello Competition,
Helsinki's International Paulo Cello Competition, and the Geneva
International Music Competition, Trey has been actively engaged with festivals, concert halls and orchestras throughout the world
YUNDI LI - Youngest winner of International Chopin Competition
. He studies half the year at Hanover Conservatory of Music in
Germany and spends the other half touring.
MAESTRO XIAO-LU LI - His reputation as a symphonic conductor and concert viiolinist of international acclaim has been affirmed from East to West, from the Shanghai Concert Hall to Carnegie Hall.
MIDORI - In the nearly two decades of her career, Midori has worked with
artists such as Claudio Abbado, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Emanuel Ax,
Jonathan Biss, Daniel Barenboim, Leonard Bernstein, Sir Colin Davis,
Christoph Eschenbach, Nobuko Imai, Mariss Jansons, Yo-Yo Ma, Kurt
Masur, Zubin Mehta, Sir Simon Rattle, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Isaac Stern
and Pinchas Zukerman
AKI TAKAHASHI - She is a friend of meditative, abstract, poetic composers in her native Japan and the world over. But she has her quirks. In 1989, she began her "Hyper Beatles" project, persuading John Cage, Kaija Saariaho, Pauline Oliveros, Alvin Lucier, Tan Dun, Terry Riley, Toru Takemitsu and 40 other unlikely experimentalists, East and West, to make arrangements of Beatles songs for her.
YUJA WANG - 2006 Gilmore Young Artist has been a prize winner in national and international competitions such as Huapu Cup National Piano Competition, the First "Mido" Concours De Tiano Sino-Francais, the Xinghai Cup National Piano Competition and the Veo Internacional Primer Premio in Spain.
SHARON WEI - she has won top prizes at the
London Scholarship Competition and Washington International
Competition. She has toured France with Joseph Silverstein and Claude Frank.
WU HAN - pianist is married to Emerson Quartet cellist David Finckel and together formed classical music's first Internet recording company (ArtistLed). Works with Da-Hong Seetoo on recordings.
On their recordings, her playing strikes
me as his equal and who is precisely the performing partner Finckel's
unique musicianship demands. Her emotional range matches his
perfectly, such that all of their recorded performances are true
duets.
XIAN ZHUO - he was the First Prize Winner in the Fourth China National Cello Competition
(2000). Xian was one of the few teen musicians invited to 2001
Shanghai International Music Festival - a high profiled music event
in China - where he received Excellent Performance Award, and
praised by China Music Weekly Review, a professional music
commentary magazine.
KENT NAGANO - this unconventional, talented and risk-taking artist is a world-acclaim composer/directorExtraordinaire
that performed the piece "Manzanar"
at UCLA. Kent Nagano is renowned for interpretations of clarity, elegance and
intelligence. He is equally at home in music of the classical,
romantic and contemporary eras, introducing concert and opera
audiences throughout the world to new and rediscovered music and
offering fresh insights into established repertoire. In September
2006 he succeeded Zubin Mehta as Music Director of the Bayerische
Staatsoper and became Music Director of the Montreal Symphony
Orchestra.
A.R. RAHMAN - Bollywood composer is Asia's most successfu
artist
NATHAN WANG
- Talented composer/keyboard/arranger
who has provided music for movie
and tv. He has also worked with Coco Lee, Sandy Lam, Jenny Tseng
and Chris Wong while composing the music for Zhang Ziyi's latest
movie entitled Sophie's Revenge. To listen to the theme that Nathan
composed, click HERE
CHEN YI - Part of the East-West wave of classical
composers
XIAN ZHANG - Associate Conductor of the New
York Philharmonic. GainED attention after winning First Prize
at the 2002 Maazel/Vilar International Conductors' Competition Did
You Know in 2009:Each L.A. Philharmonic players's
musicianship has been honed by endless hours of practice and a
borderline ecclesiastical dedication to canonical music: Orchestra
members work 11 months a year, perform eight "surfaces"
(concerts and rehearsals) every week and practice at home for
hours each day. L.A. Phil players command salaries between $112,000
and $350,000 for their trouble.
.
ERICA MAEYAMA - Organizes tours and concerts for Asian underground
artists
ARIF MARDIN - Legendary Turkish American Producer and Arranger
of Rock/R&B's Royalty
COBI NARITA -
The California native began producing jazz concerts when she moved
to New York in 1969. Nearly four decades later, she has gained
a reputation as a champion of little known but hugely gifted artists.
In the late 1970s Narita founded Women in Jazz in an effort to
expose their talent to the public at large. She managed the Collective
Black Artists, a repertory orchestra and support group for underprivileged
musicians.
DA-HONG SEETO
- Chinese-born, New York-based Da-Hong Seetoo is the engineer
and producer for the Tokyo and Emerson string quartets as well
as many other ensembles. His father was the principal second violinist
of the Shanghai Symphony and greatly suffered during the Cultural
Revolution.
CHARMAINE
CLAMAOR - What is surprising about her singing, with its very
real sense of jazz authenticity, is the fact that Clamor is a
Filipina, born in the provincial town of Subic-Zambales and the
first Filipina jazz singer with a recording heard on more than
100 radio stations across the U.S. She's been featured at the
various Fil-Am
Jazz Festivals throughout the country to glowing reviews.
MON DAVID - he was the
only Asian chosen as one of 12 semifinalists in the First London
International Jazz Competition for Vocalists beating over one hundred
of applicants from over 25 countries including Armenia, Austria,
Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Spain,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and USA.
HIROMI - Fast-Rising & Genre-Bending Jazz Pianist.
HIROSHIMA - Jazz fusion group featuring
taiko drums and the koto
JON IRABAGON - Filipino sax player who won the 2008 Thelenoious Monk Institute Grand Prize
JON JANG - Combines classical Chinese instruments with great jazz
NORAH JONES - Sultry vocalist & pianist (Father: Indian Sitar
legend Ravi Shankar - Mother is White)
TORU "TIGER" OKOSHI - he has a reputation as a jazz artist of innovation and creativity and is aprofessor of music at the famed Berklee College of Music. He first gained attention playing with Gary Burton; he also had a stint with George Russell's Living Time Orchestra and recorded with Bob Moses.
MICHAEL PAULO - smooth Filipino jazz-fusion saxophone player.
PAULINE WILSON - great Hawaiin singer, formerly with Seawind.
JOOHEE CHOI - Tony Award Nominee for Best Featured Actress
in a Musical, winner of the Theater World Award for Best Debut
Actress for her performance of Tuptim in Broadway's The King and
I.
XIU WEI SUN - this natural Puccini soprano has received
wide acclaim for her great performances throughout the world.
HAO JIANG TIAN - Since his Metropolitan Opera debut during
the 1991/92 season, Hao Jiang Tian has earned widespread recognition
as one of today's true basso cantantes.
MARGARET CHAPMAN - Hawaiian-born Margot Chapman might lay claim to
being the first Asian Pacific American (as part of the successful Starland Vocal Band - had hits such as "Afternoon Delight") to co-host a network musical
variety series.
YVONNE ELLIMAN - Sang the lead role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus
Christ Superstar, was Eric Clapton's right-hand woman and had
3 MOR hit singles (Bee-Gees' "Love Me," "Hello Stranger" "I Can't
Get You Out Of My Mind").
Jade - this Canadian-bred/Hong Kong-born pop-rock artist (who is managed by Danny O'Donovan of the Jackson Family fame) had her self-titled 2003 debut (released in her adopted country on
EMI) scored two major radio hits on Canada's BDS/AC charts.
KAREN KAMON - Could be the 1st APA Solo Singer that had a video
shown on MTV ("Da Doo Ron Ron")
KIM SISTERS - The Kim sisters, composed of three sisters, Sook-ja, Ai-ja, and Mia, came from Korea to Las Vegas in February, 1959. Their first contract in American was to perform at the Thunderbird Hotel for four weeks as part of the China Doll Revue, the main showroom program. This engagement led them to a successful career.
HAYLEY
YEE-LING - the UK born singer/songwriter, half Filipino/Spanish and Chinese artist has been described as explosive yet seductive with
octaves ranging from G2 to G8. She has toured with Musiq Soulchild, Jin and D'Angelo.
DEFTONES
- Chino Moreno (vocals), Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Chi Chang (bass) and Abe Cunningham (drums) combines elements of punk, pop, hip-hop and traditional metal. The new album, the Deftones' sixth (including a 2005 rarities collection), presents another dynamic collision of atmosphere and metal guitar as singer Chino Moreno soars and tumbles through the ether, fueled by wonder and alienation. It is a sound both agonized and wistful, the kind of contemplative shoe-gazing rock that occurs when you're doubled over in agony.
ANNABELLA
LWIN OF "BOW WOW WOW - Bow Wow Wow's music ranges from simple,
goofy, non- sensical tunes to complex, crisp pop masterpieces.
Their music has been described as a pastiche of Latin and African
beats, 50's rock-n-roll, and spaghetti western soundtracks placed
together with an incredible sense of humor and vigor.
JENI FUJITA - Japanese "Teena Marie" who worked w/Wyclef Jean
SECOND WIND - bodacious music crew of madness mixes r&b, rock
and funk with heavenly vocals with individual credits of working
with Don Was, Brian Wilson, Rod Steward and many others.
GERRY WOO - was signed with Polydor in 1988, issued one LP
Listen To My Heart, sang on one track on the UCLA Gospel Choir's CD and reappeared as Harlemm Lee who won on Debbie Allen's TV Show on NBC.
LYRICS BORN - born in Tokyo but raised primarily in the States, and has been a fixture (w/his wife Joyo Velarde) on the Bay Area underground hip-hop scene for more than a decade, affiliating in 1990 with the Quannum crew, then known as Solesides. The collective has produced some of the genre's most successful purists, including DJ Shadow, Blackalicious and Jeff Chang (author of the critically acclaimed "Can't Stop Won't Stop").
CIBO
MATTO - Popular
Japanese rock band. Former member and Gorillaz star Miho Hatori has started a solo career with her Ecdysis cd.
Hatori's tour band consisted of Mauro Refosco on percussion (who
also performed on her album), composer-pianist Shoko Nagai on
keyboards and Masa Shimizu on guitar/bass.
FANNY
- Probably the first all-female rock band to sign with a major
label was fronted by two Asian Pacific American women. (Filipinas
Jean/June Millington).
DENGUE
FEVER - Chhom Nimol
is the Cambodian lead singer to this wildly eclectic band of musical
adventurers that meshes Cambodian psychedelia with surf-rock and
other diverse musical genres. Ethan Holtzman heads the band, with
Zac Holtzman, Senon Williams, David Ralicke and Paul Smith supplying
the musical landscapes
DAPHNE
CHEN - Prominent string contractor and violinist.
RAY CHEW - producer, musical director, arranger, musician and artist - with a musical career spanning over 25 years in recording, television and live performances. Ray has worked with Ashford & Simpson, Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Teddy Pendergrass, Donnie Hathaway, Grover Washington, Alicia Keys, Missy Elliott, Debra Cox, Brian McKnight and Yolanda Adams.-
JAKE SHIMABUKURO - Ukele legend known to many people. His musical icons include Bela Fleck, late acoustic guitarist Michael Hedges and electric guitar revolutionaries Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen. Thanks to Jimmy Buffett and others have helped bring him to larger audiences. His 2006 CD "Gently Weeps" is a showcase of his remarkable skills while displaying the surprising capabilities of the ukele.
CUONG
VU Oone of the top 50 young Jazz Artists/Session players. Vu began to play the trumpet at the age of 11, after receiving the instrument as a gift from his mother. In high school, he played in bands and jazz combos, and became interested in the fusion jazz of players like Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, and Mike Stern, preferring modern jazz over older styles such as bebop or swing. He has performed with Laurie Anderson, David Bowie, Dave Douglas, Cibo Matto, Gerry Hemingway, Bobby Previte, Mark Helias, Andy Laster, Orange Then Blue, Mitchell Froom, Matthias Lupri and Chris Speed. He has toured with Pat Metheny as trumpeter and vocalist.
Hawaiian
ROBERT CAZIMERO - Hawaiian pop star is the 1st Grammy Award-winning
artist in the category of Hawaiian music.
DANIEL HO - Influences of jazz, blues, pop & Hawaiian slack key guitar are heard
KUIOKALANI
"KUI" LEE -
Don Ho, who recorded many of Kui Lee's songs, said of their deep
bond, "...We both felt that the people of Hawaii should try to
create their own music - take it to a different level from the
hula- type music into a more cosmopolitan level." The "Lenny
Bruce of Hawaii (July 31, 1932 - December 3, 1966) was a singer-
songwriter, who took part in show business both in New York and
Hawaii. The now-famous Aloha From Hawaii concert by Elvis Presley
and concert merchandise sales were a benefit that raised $75,000
for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund.
PAT "CHIYOKO" SUZUKI - Bing Crosby helped get her a RCA Records recording
contract that led to a guest appearance on the Frank Sinatra Show and Linda Low in 1958's original Broadway production of
Flower Drum Song.
TRAVELERS 3 - "folk" music group of highly polished
arrangements of traditional songs and soothing harmonies that included Charlie Oyama and Pete Apo.
Salsa
OZOMATLI - Latin salsa, urban hip-hop & jazz-funk (w/Jiro Yamaguchi) and American musical ambassadors to the world
Ska
ORESKABAND - the all-girl Japanese ska band (whose members recently graduated from their high schools) was signed by Barry Rosenbush, executive producer of "High School Musical," to Sony Music.
In July 2006, they released a mini-album "Ore" on Sony Music Associated Records Inc.
Their first full album, "WAO!!" (short for We Are Oreskaband) is on Sony Music.
The Oreskaband: Ikasu: Guitar & Vocal, Tomi: Bass & Vocal, Tae-San: Drums, Saki: Trumpet, Moriko: Sax and Leader: Trombone
REEL BIG FISH - Ska/funk concoctions featuring Matt Wong on bass.
SAVE FERRIS - Third wave ska band w/Bill Uechion on bass
