Music
Press
The following e-mail was received from Derek Sivers, the President of CD Baby:-
Saiichi -
I love your "So Am I" CD so much I'm going to feature it on the FRONT PAGE of CD Baby for a few days.
We're REALLY picky about what goes on the front page. We get about 100 new albums a DAY coming in here now, (about 100,000 total), and yours is one of the best I've ever heard.
Love ya!
--
Derek Sivers
president, CD Baby & Hostbaby
5925 NE 80 Ave, Portland OR 97218-2891
http://cdbaby.com
-- best new independent music
The review that appeared on the CD Baby front page reads:-
If you have a soft spot for late 60's/early 70's Brit rock, you would be bloody mad to not take a listen to the stunning bluesy, retro jams on So Am I. Born in Tokyo but having spent most of his life in England, Saiichi Sugiyama may seem like an odd candidate to champion this sound, but he clearly has a firm handle on the style.
The 14 distinct tracks here cover a lot of ground, from guitar heavy electric blues and acoustic percussion-laced ballads, to anthemic rockers like "The Band Played On." The common bond they all share is breathtaking guitar work topped with intelligent narrative lyrics that take the listener on a journey that builds continuously with the chord progressions.
While showcasing the guitar work without relying on solo-heavy wailers, Saiichi has put together an indelible collection of songs that is a must for any fan of the classic rock blues genre.
- CD Baby front page review
Discography
Saiichi Sugiyama (1994) Blue Water - iTunes
So Am I (2004) Hendrixx - iTunes
SAIICHI (2005) Cedar Mountain Music - iTunes
Photos
Bio
Born in Tokyo and living in Surrey, a virtuoso blues guitarist and lyrical singer-songwriter, Saiichi Sugiyama can be heard mostly on the English blues circuit. He has become a unique voice of a generation.
The best known Japanese blues guitarist in Britain in the last decade, Saiichi Sugiyama - who has been working closely with the lyricist of the multi-platinum band Cream, Pete Brown - is one of the most recognisable performers in British blues today.
Saiichi Sugiyama, the performer, the co-writer and the co-producer of his three critically acclaimed solo-albums, which continue to drive sales on iTunes worldwide, first exploded onto the London blues scene in 1989 with Creamy, formed by the ex-Graham Bond drummer Paul Olsen, that paid homage to the music of Cream. His solo career with original music soon followed in the early '90s. The track record of appearances with artists such as the Yardbirds, Stan Webb's Chicken Shack, and collaborations in studio and on stage with Zoot Money, Clem Clempson, Malcolm Bruce, Shana Morrison, Pete Brown, various former members of Bad Company, Graham Bond, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Rory Gallagher Band is impressive. Saiichi Sugiyama is in a class by himself.
Now, fifteen years after the critically acclaimed debut album as a solo artist, the newly reformed Saiichi Sugiyama Band fronted by the soulful vocalist Rietta Austin play a groovy blend of Soul, Funk, Motown, Gospel music topped with the band leader’s fine Blues guitar. Their concerts feature an uplifting emotional and definitely very danceable mix of some fine songwriting and cool covers.
Whether they are rocking out on Sugiyama-Brown compositions like "Cellar Full of Noise" or "I Never Turn" or rolling out psychedelic extended blues jam on their version of Cream's "Spoonful", Saiichi and his band have been pleasing enthusiastic audiences with a show that captures the essence of Good Music.
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