Sunday 29 December 2024, 7.30pm
Howard Williams' Japan Blues returns to OTO with Howard playing records from his extensive collection of Japanese music, encompassing anything from the dawn of recorded music to the present day — all Made In Japan.
An independent record distributor and founder of Ethbo - a label whose roster includes releases by Mike Cooper; 70s Japanese gangster soundtracks; crazed garage-rockabilly, a reissue of Alternative TV, and more recently the debut LP by The Dengie Hundred. He co-compiled the Moondog retrospective "The Viking Of Sixth Avenue”, and Japanese jazz singer Maki Asakawa, both for Honest Jon's and three compilation albums of vintage music for Ace Records: Nippon Guitars, Nippon Rock'n'Roll, and Lovin’ Mighty Fire, a selection of Japanese soul, funk and disco.
An avid collector of Japanese records, he has played at The Barbican, Frieze, The Tate Modern, the V&A, and has toured extensively. Japan Blues is also the name of his monthly Japanese music show (now in its tenth year) on NTS Live, following his radio debut as a guest for Hessle Audio on Rinse FM.
His eponymous label released his debut “Sells His Record Collection” and an album by Osakan transcendental steel drum maverick (and OTO performer) Iku Sakan, reissued a Japanese private press "psych/folk" 7" belter from 1970, by Agi Jo and a retrospective of Japanese singer/songwriter Lily . He also released an EP by Tokyo minyo/ analogue techno group, Kufuki, on yet another in-house label Les Editions Japonais, and collaborated on the compilation of Yiddish East End Jazz, "Music is the Most Beautiful Language in the World", on JWM. 2023 saw his collaboration LP (and a tape) "Japan Blues Meets The Dengie Hundred" on Demdike Stare.
