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Biography
Citations missing|date=July 2007 Hiroshima is an United States|American jazz fusion / smooth jazz band formed in 1974 by Sansei Japanese American Dan Kuramoto (wind instruments and band leader), Peter Hata (guitar), June Kuramoto ( Koto (musical instrument)|koto ), Johnny Mori (percussion and taiko ), Dave Iwataki (keyboards) and Danny Yamamoto (drums). Named for the Japanese city of Hiroshima , the band is best-known for the fusing of Japanese music and other forms of world music into its playing. Its early jazz-pop R& B sound gave the group a huge following among the African American community and they are regarded as musical pioneers among the Asian American and Japanese American communitycitation needed|date=November 2010.
Hiroshima's debut album in 1979, the self-titled Hiroshima , contained the single "Roomful of Mirrors," which caught the ear of the " Easy listening music|easy-listening " community.
Hiroshima became popular in the smooth jazz|New Adult Contemporary community upon the release of its 1985 album Another Place (Hiroshima album)|Another Place , which spawned the crossover hit "One Wish."
One of the highlights of Hiroshima's career was serving as the opening act for the Miles Davis 1990 world tour. Since then, despite moving towards new age music , the group continues to gain a wider audience for its music.
June Kuramoto is the only founding member who is not American-born. She was born in Saitama Prefecture , a part of the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan and moved to Los Angeles at a young age.
The band was featured in a 1976 documentary titled Cruisin' J-Town , directed by Duane Kubo . The group wrote an original song titled "The Moon is a Window to Heaven" for the 1989 film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier . One of their songs from their 1987 album "Go," "Hawaiian Electric," was used for a TV ad campaign in Hawaii for Hawaiian Electric Industries|The Hawaiian Electric Company , which featured June in the commercial. Hiroshima also composed the theme music for television cooking show Simply Ming hosted by chef Ming Tsai .
Hiroshima is still active after 30 years of creating music. Its album, Little Tőkyő , continues the group's style of Jazz fused with Asian instruments and synthesizer, which sounds like no one else. In its personal statement the group said, "For us, its always about being different. Its vital to not be the same. We embrace our sound." http://www.hiroshimamusic.com/pages/framebios.html Bottom Frame scales
Legacy , a celebration of their 30th year in the recording industry. It is the first installment of what is expected to be a series. This initial album in the series is primarily a re-visitation of songs from the band's first decade. Essentially recorded live at studio Tofuville, it features the six band members along with guest artists.
Their latest album is titled Departure . It was initially released on Hiroshima's Facebook page in December 2011, and is set for an official release in January 2012.
Members
Dan Kuramoto (1974–present) (Flute)
June Kuramoto (1974–present) (Koto - ancient Japanese instrument)
Danny Yamamoto (1974–present) (many instruments, mainly drums)
Kimo Cornwell (present) (Keyboard)
Dean Cortez (present) (Bass Guitar)
Shoji Kameda (present) ( Taiko , Tuvan throat singing|throat singer ) http://onensemble.org/about/ About, Members biography. On Ensemble.
Past
Johnny Mori (1974–2003) http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/profiles/78/ Johnny Mori. Discover Nikkei, Japanese American National Museum. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
Peter Hata (guitar, 1974–1984)
Dave Iwataki (keyboards, 1974–1979)
Dane Matusmura (bass guitar, 1977–1980)
Richard Matthews (1979-1980. http://www.music-hills.com/Hiroshima/Odori-B00000HZON.htm Suicide in early 80s.) (Keyboard-Composer)
Teri Kusumoto (vocalist, 1977–1982)
Jess Acuna (vocalist, 1977–1982)
Barbara Long (vocalist, 1985 album " Another Place (Hiroshima album)|Another Place ", 1987 album "Go")
Margaret Sasaki-Taylor "Machun" (vocalist, 1989 album "East")
Jeanette Clinger (vocalist, 1992 album "Providence")
Terry Steele (vocalist, 1999 album "Between Black & White")
Teri Koide (vocalist, 1994 album "LA")
Discography
Hiroshima (Arista/BMG) 1979
Odori (Razor & Tie/BMG) 1980
Third Generation (Epic/CBS) 1983
Another Place (Epic/CBS) 1985
Go (Epic/CBS) 1987
East (Epic/CBS) 1989
Providence (Epic/SME) 1992
L.A. (Qwest/Reprise/Warner Bros.) 1994
Urban World Music (Qwest/Warner Bros.) 1996
Between Black and White (Windham Hill/BMG) 1999
The Bridge (Heads Up) 2003
Spirit of the Season (Heads Up) 2004
Obon (Heads Up) 2005
Little Tőkyő (Heads Up) 2007
Legacy (Heads Up) 2009
Departure 2011
June's solos
Spirit and Soul (Junku) 2002
The Way of the Tea 2005
Under the Stars 2009
Other music credits
June - koto player Sukiyaki (song)|Sukiyaki , 1981 cover version by A Taste of Honey (band)|A Taste of Honey http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fm20000307a1.html A great song by any other name . . .. The Japan Times , March 7, 2000
References
External links
http://www.hiroshimamusic.com Official Web Site
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=sJEzRA_FbFo& ob=av2e Music Video: "One Wish" (click "x" on ad window to remove ad)
http://asianamericanmedia.org/rf_cms/index.php? cmd=showPage& page_id=1.4.1.2.42& section=1.4 Cruisin' J-Town, distributed by the Center for Asian American Media
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p6748|label=Hiroshima
DEFAULTSORT:Hiroshima Category:American jazz ensembles Category:Jazz fusion ensembles Category:Smooth jazz ensembles Category:Koto players Category:American musicians of Japanese descent Category:Heads Up International artists Category:Epic Records artists Category:Qwest Records artists
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