Akiko Yano

"Wewantsounds is delighted to continue its series of reissues of Akiko Yano albums with the release of her third album, To Ki Me Ki, recorded in New York in 1978. The album is the follow-up to Iroha Ni Konpeitou, and features the same mix of Japanese pop with New York jazz funk, featuring such luminaries as Rick Marotta, Will Lee and David Spinozza. Programmer Hideki Matsutake also joins Akiko and Yellow Magic Orchestra on their international tour the following year. Together, Akiko and her musicians concoct a superb blend of styles ranging from funk and Latin influences with "Uo Sao" and Nicky Marrero's percussion to ballads such as "Kodomo Tachi" and "Andante Cantabile", showcasing Akiko's piano playing, unique vocals and unrivalled talent for sophisticated melodies. Brimming with originality, To Ki Me Ki is a landmark work in Akiko's discography at a key period in her career when she was about to plunge into the YMO adventure and would go on to record her fourth album Tadaima with them in 1980. To Ki Me Ki is reissued here for the first time outside Japan, remastered in Tokyo by Mitsuo Koike with the original sleeve illustrated by Tsutomu Murakami and a 4-page color booklet containing new liner notes by Paul Bowler." - Wewantsounds