Toshio Matsuura | Sweet Soul from LA to Listen to This Summer

Toshio Matsuura | From TOKYO MOON, Aired June 30

Sweet Soul from LA to Welcome Summer

DJ Toshio Matsuura’s music program for adults, ‘TOKYO MOON,’ airs every Sunday night at 11:30 PM on InterFM 76.1MHz. We introduce fresh music from around the globe and topics that stimulate the intellectual curiosity of adults. Here, we look back at the content that was just broadcast. This is a series where you can enjoy ‘TOKYO MOON’ with your eyes and ears, delving deeper into artists, introducing related songs, and even allowing you to purchase them. This week, we feature the LA-based unit, The Decoders.

Text by MATSUURA Toshio

LA's Booming Music Scene

Over the past few years, Los Angeles has been the birthplace of many wonderful works, thanks to collaborations between local artists and talented musicians who have moved here from all over the world. For music lovers, this is common knowledge, and it feels like the LA scene, across genres like beat, hip-hop, soul, and jazz, has more momentum than the dance music scene in Berlin, Germany, did in the past.

I Am The Black Gold of The Sun"> The Decoders "I Am The Black Gold of The Sun"

"The Decoders
"I Am The Black Gold of The Sun"

The unit we are introducing this time is The Decoders, an underground act that nonetheless conveys a strong passion and love for music.

They are centered around Itai Shapira, a producer/engineer who also plays bass and guitar, trumpeter Todd Simon, and keyboardist Adam Berg. They blend elements of 1960s-70s soul and funk, jazz, Brazilian music, and reggae—inspired by artists like Minnie Riperton, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Burt Bacharach—and flexibly assemble vocalists and members for each track.

Their style is strongly reminiscent of the late Charles Stepney, a producer they likely admire, but their skillful balance, avoiding excessive nostalgia, is perhaps what makes their music so pleasing to our ears today. While they release music in small increments, primarily through the internet, they are an artist worth following. Let's keep an eye on their future activities.

SoundCloud

The Decoders / EPK : An Introduction)

The Decoders / Vol. 2 EPK Series

REVIEW | TRACK LIST

Click on the songs marked with a ★ to listen and purchase. Please install the "iTunes" software beforehand to enjoy.

01.Milton Nascimento / Vera Cruz (A&M)★

02.Edu Lobo / Casa Forte (Elenco)★

03.Egberto Gismonti / Salvador (Elenco)★

04.Lucas Santtana / O Violão de Mario Bros (Mais Um Discos)★

05.Iaiá / Grupo Arembepe (Far Out)★

06.Os Ritmistas / Samba de Pacto (Mais Um Discos)★

07.Tanganica / Luis Carlos Vinhas (Far Out)★

08. String Band Featuring Isao Suzuki / Nica's Dream (Flying Disc)

09.The Decoders / I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun (The Dcorders)★

10. Bosq / Paciencia De Jo (Ubiquity)

11.Omar / Ordinary Day (P-Vine)★

12.Diego Barber & Hugo Cipres / Poncho (Origin)★

13. Isolee / Dennis (Tamed Musiq)

14. Sad City / What I Talk About (Phonica)

Milton Nascimento
"Courage"

Edu Lobo
"Cantiga De Longe"

Egberto Gismonti
"Egberto Gismonti"

Lucas Santtana
"Sem Nostalgia"

V.A. "Nicola Conte Presents
Viagem 5"

V.A. "Oi! A Nova Musica
Brasileira!"

String Band Featuring Isao Suzuki
"String Band Featuring
Isao Suzuki"

Bosq
"Bosq Y Orquesta De Madera"

Omar "The Man"

Diego Barber & Hugo Cipres
"411"

Isolee "Dennis"

Sad City
"You Will Soon Find That
Life Is Wonderful"

This Week's "TOKYO MOON on iTunes"

You can purchase selected songs from those introduced so far here. Experience the joy of instantly acquiring music that catches your ear. Our new TOKYO MOON initiative, Jazz Hip Jazz, which introduces world-standard works by Japanese jazz musicians, has recently launched. This time, from our archives, we pick out songs by three artists, both new and old. While their worlds differ—bossa nova, spiritual jazz, and fusion—please enjoy these three songs that connect with the world.

Click on the songs to listen and purchase.
Please install the "iTunes" software beforehand to enjoy.

Masa Sextet / Nem Precisou Aired 2010.9.5

Hideo Shiraki Quintet / Sayonara Blues Aired 2011.3.6

AB'S / Déjà Vu Aired 2012.1.15

Toshio Matsuura's "TOKYO MOON"

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