Howard Williams' Japan Blues series returns to OTO with Howard playing records from his extensive collection of Japanese music, anything from traditional folk, 30s jazz, 50s rock’n’roll, 60s beat /kayou / psychedelia, 70s kayou to 80s electronics & disco/boogie. And everything in-between — all Made In Japan.

An independent record distributor and founder of Ethbo - a label whose roster includes releases by Mike Cooper; Killing Melody, a collection of 70s Japanese gangster soundtracks; the crazed garage-rockabilly of Dean Carter, and most recently a reissue by Alternative TV. He co-compiled the Moondog retrospective "The Viking Of Sixth Avenue”, and a compilation of Japanese jazz singer Maki Asakawa, both for Honest Jon's and three compilation albums of vintage music for Ace Records: Nippon Guitars - a selection of Japanese guitar pioneer Takeshi Terauchi; Nippon Rock'n'Roll, a compilation of Masaaki Hirao's late 50s rokabirii and Lovin’ Mighty Fire, a selection of Japanese soul, funk and disco.

An avid collector of vintage Japanese records, he has played at The Barbican, The Tate Modern, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and has toured extensively. Japan Blues is also the name of his monthly Japanese music show on NTS Live and he has guested for Hessle Audio on Rinse FM. His eponymous label imprint released his debut “Sells His Record Collection” and an album by Osakan transcendental steel drum maverick, Iku Sakan. He also released an EP by Tokyo minyo/ analogue techno group, Kufuki, on yet another in-house label Les Editions Japonais.

Japan Blues - 15th May 2015 by Nts Radio on Mixcloud