Welcome to another new edition of our bi-weekly record-diving sampling extravaganza!
Thank you all for joining in another week of sampling goodness! Before we get into our artist and track in focus, and in case you aren’t already aware, there are some other Mission Briefs/Challenges currently taking place that you may also fancy spending some time on here:
- @Yabba is hosting Elektronauts Hip HopBattle #29 The Doors
Here is an album that pleasantly surprised me the first time listening to it, and again today because there lies a sample on this album that I’d been in search of for over 10 years. Out of respect to that producer, I chose not to use that particular song, and instead, this week we’ll wander into the smooth sounds of “Kokoro,” a song by the group named, Hiroshima. It is the third track on Hiroshima’s self-titled album, which was recorded at Ocean Way Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA, and released in 1979 on Arista Records (Arista – AB 4252).
Here is some information about Hiroshima, and the album, from Wikipedia and Mainly Piano:
Dan Kuramoto, Hiroshima’s leader, is from East Los Angeles. He attended California State University, Long Beach, then led its Asian-American studies department. Through playing in a band on weekends he met June Kuramoto, a native of Japan who grew up in Los Angeles and played koto, a Japanese stringed instrument. Kuramoto admired Earth, Wind, and Fire for the way it combined jazz and R&B, and Santana for his identification with Latinos. He wanted to create a band that would represent Asian Americans. He named it after the Japanese city Hiroshima, which was mostly destroyed by an atomic weapon at the end of World War II.[2]
Hiroshima’s debut album sold more than 100,000 copies in its first three months. The band’s second album yielded the song “Winds of Change”, which received a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Instrumental. Hiroshima got its first gold album in 1985 with Another Place and the second with Go which followed it. The album Legacy was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2010. Hiroshima has sold more than four million albums worldwide. In 1990, the band was the opening act for Miles Davis,[2] and in 1988 they played with T-Square at the Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall.
Hiroshima consists of Dan Kuramoto (saxophone, flute, keyboards, shakuhachi), June Kuramoto (koto), Kimo Cornwell (Keyboards), Dean Cortez (Bass guitar), and Danny Yamamoto (drums and taiko).[2]
Hiroshima was given the Visionary Award by East West Players, the oldest Asian Pacific American theatre company in the United States,[3] for the band’s “Impact on the Asian Pacific American (APA) community through their artistic excellence and support of the Asian Pacific American performing arts.”[4]
-Taken from Wikipedia.org
"Hiroshima’s eponymously titled first album surfaced in 1979 and sold more than 100,000 copies in its first three months. It’s an Asian American fusion band that defies categorization as it integrates jazz, R&B, and Latin rhythms with Japanese traditional instrumentation, particularly the koto, which defines its sound and identity.
Named after the Japanese city of Hiroshima, which was destroyed by the first dropping of the atomic bomb by the U.S. and that killed over 90,000 to 166,000 human beings, the band’s emergence in 1974 was tied to the movements for ‘self-determination’ and recognition, and in solidarity with the greater social movements that engulfed this country in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Their appearances were always enthusiastically welcomed in Asian American communities on the West and East Coasts. They did not land their first recording contract until 1979 with Arista Records. While the band was signed by an enthused African American talent executive, they hit a wall of skepticism and racism within other sections of the record company itself. Executives doubted the viability of the music and just dissed them with commentary along the lines of “Asians don’t sing or dance,” and "their name is a detriment (www.hiroshimamusic.com).”
How were they able to sell 100k records in its first three months without the validation and support from their record company? Hiroshima’s founder and leader, Dan Kuramoto, explains, “In our first three months we sold over 100,000 records. How? Black Radio [my emphasis]. We were embraced for our music and our message and Black radio did NOT discriminate against us. [Black music stations and DJ’s] started to play us constantly. And an audience grew. And our Asian community, who listened predominantly to Black Radio, gave us unbelievable support.”
This band’s first album, as far as I am concerned, is a result of a struggle for human rights (and against racism and discrimination) by a social movement that produced Asian American and Ethnic Studies in several university campuses on the West Coast through student lead strikes at San Francisco State and UC Berkeley. Sounds too rough? Read on…
Hiroshima is really a musical gem that captures with muscular high energy syncopation with several songs, and then with some rich easy-listening vocals. All with the koto’s and shakuhachi’s (Japanese flute) omnipresence.
Things take off with Lion Dance, an energetic introduction with taiko drums, and followed by Roomful of Mirrors by female vocals.
Kokoro is a mellow smooth jazz/easy listening thang that has played in more than one wedding ceremonial walk that I’ve been present.
Long Time Love with soulful male vocals about his lament and anticipation by “sleeping with the lights on.”
Da-Da allows June Kuramoto to really showcase the versatility of the koto with electronic orchestration and blues-infused guitar work. Really something.
Never, Ever and Holidays are easy listening vocal delights. Yes, you did hear steel drums on “Holidays.”
The album closes with the anthem-like and toe-tapping Taiko Song. If you aren’t familiar with the Japanese taiko drum, this can be another introduction to this barrel-shaped traditional percussion. Enjoy!
Hiroshima has been active through all the past 40 years. They followed their debut album with Odori in 1980, then Third Generation (1983), Another Place (1985), and many more thereafter. Go to their website or allmusic.com for a compendium of all their music. On January 4, 2022, Rafu Shimpo, the Japanese American daily, announced that they will be slowing down."
- Review for Mainly Piano by Steve Yip
Here are two versions of the track available on YouTube, in case anyone experiences regional playback issues:
Here is a link to a version of the track that has been converted to 16bit/44.1KHz wav, and to the STEMS, please delete it after using:
HIROSHIMA - KOKORO (WAV)
HIROSHIMA - KOKORO (STEMS)
links are active for one week from today (03/02/24)
Album Photos:
images from google search
THE BRIEF
YOU have been selected by the notorious Global Sound Syndicate for a top-secret operation. Not really, please, share with your friends, family, and even the lovely mothers in Cuba rolling exquisite cigars for the world to enjoy.
Mission:
-Sample any part(s) of the track we’ve nominated
-Spend no more than 1 week turning it into music
-Post your creations here for us all to enjoy
Deadline: Sunday, March 10, 2024
Submit your entry no later than 11:59 PM, Sunday, March 10, 2024, or be faced with a brief moment of self-loathing for not participating. Submissions entered on later dates are also welcome!
Compensation:
Hearts and compliments from the community
(not guaranteed)
You can use as much or as little of the sample track as you like, you just have to use it. No winners, no losers, just good times!
Every two weeks we will post a track from our record collections, ideally something you’ve not heard before. Jams, full tracks, noodles - share whatever you like!
Also, the stems status has been updated!
Oof man what a phat track, awesome sampling with the koto, it’s really fun to ride along with to that crisp ending. Thanks for sharing man, and I’ll be dedicating this weekend to the Doors challenge! 
beat man! Also, neat to see the Japanese vocals in the mix. Actually have a Japanese rap track I’m saving for a future drop haha. Thanks for the kind words and for sharing, it’s always a two way street man! 
One of those nice moments where the acapella was in tune with my beat when I found it.