{"title":"Makoto Kubota and The Sunset Gang","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"hawaii-champroo","title":"Hawaii Champroo","description":"\u003cp\u003eRecorded in 1975 at the famed Sounds of Hawaii studio in Honolulu,\u003ci\u003e Hawaii Champroo\u003c\/i\u003e was co-produced by Haruomi Hosono and marks the start of Kubota's keen interest in Hawaiian and Okinawan music.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe album was at the forefront of a tropical musical movement started in Japan in the mid-70s. The core Sunset Gang consists of Kubota on Guitar, Takashi Onzo on bass, Yosuke Fujita on guitars and mandolin, Keni Inoue on lead guitar and Hiroki Komazawa on pedal steel guitar. They are joined on the album by Hosono on drums and Teriyuki Kokubu on piano.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are a number of cover songs on \u003ci\u003eHawaii Champroo\u003c\/i\u003e, including Jesse Fuller's 'San Francisco Blues', The Rooftop Singers' 'Walk Right In' (an old Gus Cannon ragtime) and The Texas Playboys' classic 'Steel Guitar Rag.' There are originals of course including the funky 'Shanghai Gaeri' One of the highlights of the album is the classic 'Haisai Ozisan', the Okinawan 1972 cult classic by Shoukichi Kina which has become a standard in Japan. All in all, \u003ci\u003eHawaii Champroo \u003c\/i\u003eis a timeless classic and one of the key Japanese albums from the 70s which Wewantsounds introduce outside of Japan for the first time.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wewantsounds","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50417733173579,"sku":"1125561","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/893984d3-4001-4e86-a238-86cfa2c609d8_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726735952"},{"product_id":"dixie-fever","title":"Dixie Fever","description":"\u003cp\u003eA year after the release of their highly-acclaimed album\u003ci\u003e Hawaii Champroo\u003c\/i\u003e in 1975, Makoto Kubota and The Sunset Gang reunited at Sounds of Hawaii studios with co-producer Haruomi Hosono to record a new album, \u003ci\u003eDixie Fever\u003c\/i\u003e. They used pretty much the same ingredients that had made the success of Champroo - an effortless mix of Japanese folk and American roots music with some tropical influences. As per previous releases\u003ci\u003e Hawaii Champroo\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSunset Gang, Dixie Fever \u003c\/i\u003eincludes a mix of original compositions and covers, such as The Lovin' Spoonful's 'Wild About My Lovin' and a funked up version of Ralph McTell's 'When I Was a Cowboy'.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Gang's usual musicians (Keni Inoue on guitar, Yosuke Fujita on slide guitar and Takashi Onzo on bass and keyboards) are augmented Tin Pan Alley drummer Tatsuo Hayashi, Motoya Hamaguchi on percussion and New Orleans pianist and Dr. John friend, Ronnie Barron. One of the highlights of the album is undoubtedly 'Hoshikuzu' (Stardust) which has become a cult classic over the years on the international City Pop. Wewantsounds presents this album for the first time internationally.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wewantsounds","offers":[{"title":"Black | LP","offer_id":50417733566795,"sku":"1125560","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/5c7fc5e6-a77a-42b7-9211-f97f8d3210e3_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726735975"},{"product_id":"sunset-gang","title":"Sunset Gang","description":"\u003cp\u003eMakoto Kubota's trip to the US' East and West Coast at the dawn of the 70s had been ear-opening. Now back in Japan and after recording his solo album 'Machibouke' for the Express label, he set to record a second album with likeminded musician to emulate the sound he had witnessed during his US trip. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKubota gathered fellow musicians in the studio with producer Kinji Yoshino, alongside a few guests including Haruomi Hosono, Tatsuo Hayashi and Takashi Matsumoto from Happy End\/Tin Pan Alley galaxy to record nine tracks inspired by R\u0026amp;B, soul, blues and tropical influences. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom the bluesy 'Kawa wo Kudatte' and 'Sunset Sunset' to the Southern groove of 'Louisiana Mama' and the Grateful Dead-like feel of \"Bang Bang Bang \/ Yukake Blues, the album is a superb mix of laid back music and an homage to American roots music. The album marks the start of a musical odyssey Kubota and his musicians would develop further in subsequent albums by the Gang. \u003ci\u003eSunset Gang\u003c\/i\u003e represents one of the key stones in this edifice, which Wewantsounds present to you here for the first time outside of Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wewantsounds","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50417735205195,"sku":"1125559","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/1463bd7d-9fb4-4db8-a7a1-c66f516a5bdb_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726735999"},{"product_id":"on-the-border-4","title":"On The Border","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe album, \u003ci\u003eOn The Border\u003c\/i\u003e was released by the unit named \"Harry and Mac\", composed of Kubota Makoto and Haruomi Hosono in 1974, which is after Kubota's solo album, Machibouke. had been released, and is finally reissued in 2024 on analogue.  This album, recorded in three locations including Woodstock, New Orleans, and Cajun during a journey in 2000, is a road movie-like creation by the original traveller Makoto Kubota, who transformed the local sounds into swamp and country music vibes. Heavyweights of American rock such as Garth Hudson, Levon Helm, and John Sebastian, who also participated in \"Road to Louisiana\" by Harry and Mac, contributed to this work.  Featuring an eclectic mix of genres and beats, this album offers a unique sound experience with each track. With Kubota Makoto's expansive vocals which seem to lift the listener to celestial heights, and the splendid sounds of instruments, remastered by himself, this long-awaited reissue promises to bring you an exhilarating experience.  Due to constraints on the recording time of the vinyl record, the three tracks \"Blessing\", \"Oaxaca\", and \"Rain on the Border\" included in the CD\/digital distribution are omitted from this edition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Beams Records","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50531927392587,"sku":"2195349","price":47.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/unnamed_7_470ff896_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1728113221"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/fr\/collections\/makoto-kubota-and-the-sunset-gang.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}