If something works well once, then it is most likely to work well again. And so it was that Electric Bird, a cult sub-label of King Records, that brought DJ Notoya on board. His first success came a few years ago with »Tokyo Glow«, a compilation of Japanese city pop, funk and boogie released on the legendary Nippon Columbia label. Now, DJ Notoya delves deep into the music box again and presents »Funk Tide – Tokyo Jazz-Funk From Electric Bird 1978-87«, another carefully curated mix.
As one of Japan’s oldest record labels, King Records knows a thing or two about global distribution—American labels like CTI and Blue Note have been part of the licensee’s repertoire since the 1970s. The idea of bringing Japanese fusion jazz to an international audience eventually led to Electric Bird. Once again, the selection on »Funk Tide« is not limited to local artists, but also includes American contributions from Ronnie Foster and Bobby Lyle. The album’s highlight: a dreamy remake of James Vincent’s cult classic »Space Traveler«. Recorded at the time with part of Earth Wind & Fire, it has now been reinterpreted by Katsutoshi Morizono, a member of the progressive rock band Yonin Bayashi.
