Lovin' Mighty Fire: Nippon Funk Soul Disco 1973-1983Various Artists

• 1. Lily – Bye Bye Session Band
• 2. Rie Nakahara – Sentimental Hotel
• 3. Haruomi Hosono – Bara To Yajuu
• 4. Yasuko Agawa – Why Don't You Move In With Me
• 5. Pink Lady – Jiken Ga Okitara Bell Ga Naru
• 6. Yuko Asano – Summer Champion
• 7. Junko Ohashi – Preview Dancin'
• 8. Masayoshi Takanaka – Preview Rainbow Paradise
• 9. Mari Natsuki – Uragiri
• 10. Miyako Chaki – Maboroshi No Hito
• 11. Kay Ishiguro – Banana
• 12. Masaaki Hirao – Funky Miyo-chan
• 13. Ebonee Webb – Yashow Macashow
• 14. Naoya Matsuoka & Minako Yoshida – Lovin' Mighty Fire

Howard Williams (check his amazing Japan Blues show on NTS radio!) has assembled a compilation of Japanese funk, soul and disco for Ace Records offshoot BGP International.

From mavericks like Haruomi Hosono of the Yellow Magic Orchestra, with his low-down proto-disco groove, to soul singer Minako Yoshida belting it out on the epic title track; jazz vocalist Yasuko Agawa (of LA Nights fame) sweetly covers Roberta Flack, while Memphis soul group Ebonee Webb, funk up a Japanese folk tune, and that's just for starters. This compilation shows that Japan not only voraciously consumed soul and its offshoot genres, but - unknown to the rest of the world - it carved out its own sound too.

With original sleeves and label artwork, and voluminous sleeve notes. 

Essential!