’89年DJ活動を開始。今年でキャリア35年目を迎える。’93年〜’95年、本場イギリスへDJ留学。帰国後、地元大阪でDJ/音楽制作活動を再始動。’97年、DJ YOKUプロデュースによるユニットA Hundred Birds (以下、AHB) を結成。また、同年A Hundred Birds Orchestraのクリスマスライブを始める。
AHB名義では‘99年”初のオリジナル作品”Sun That Shine”, ’00年にはニューヨークのレコードレーベルWAVE MUSICから４タイトルのシングルをリリースし”Batonga” 等のダンスクラシックを残した。制作活動を続けながら、地元大阪で数々のレジデントパーティでプレイ。
’04年には、DJ Yoku名義でイタリアのレーベルIrma RecordsからMix CD “Irma Itaro house and …Disco”をリリース。また、同年AHBもフォーライフミュージック傘下GUTから”Fly From The Tree”でメジャーデビューを果たし、同レーベルから数々のアルバム、シングル作品を発表。その他、AHBとしてRemixも数多く手懸け、世界観を構築。
’11年より自主レーベル100recordsを立ち上げ、AHBによるディスコの名曲カバーシリーズをアナログ12inchにて毎年クリスマスにリリース。2016年5月、その収録曲がアルバム”DISCOvery”としてBBE Records (UK)よりリリースされた。
Vinyl、USBのDJスタイルだけではとどまらず、AHBが毎年クリスマスに行う30人編成を超えるオーケストラライブでは、HOUSE〜DISCO〜TECHNOの名曲をYOKU自身がヒューマンクロスフェーダー如くミュージシャンを操り、指揮者＝DJとなり、実験的なライブ活動を続け、一昨年で25年を迎えた。近年ではBello, Japanet Jackson名義でトラック制作も行っている。
DJ Spiritsを源にサウンドプロダクション〜ライブを融合させながら活動を続けるDJアーティストである。
www.ahbproduction.com
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DJ YOKU (A Hundred Birds/100records)
Yoku started to DJ in 1989 making this the 30th year of his career. In 1993, he spent two years in London before moving back to his home city of Osaka. DJ Yoku formed a unit called A Hundred Birds in 1997, quickly followed by a live orchestral group called A Hundred Birds Orchestra (hereinafter, called ‘AHB’ or ‘ AHBO’), that still performs, live, every Christmas Eve in Osaka.
While working on productions for AHB, he continued playing in many resident parties in his home city of Osaka, and in 2004 he released a Mix CD called “Irma Italo house and … Disco”, from Irma Records in Italy. In the same year, AHB also made a major debut with the album entitled “Fly From The Tree”, from GUT under For Life Music. Since then, AHB has released numerous albums and CD singles from the same label.
In 2011, Yoku launched an independent record label called “100 records”, featuring a series of Disco covers recorded by AHBO and released on 12” vinyl every Christmas. In 2016, these tracks were released on an album called “DISCOvery” from the well-respected BBE label (UK).
One of the most striking elements of Yoku’s career is his conducting of the AHBO. It’s rare to find someone from a DJ background that has the necessary knowledge and skill to lead an orchestra, which often exceeds 30 musicians, through a set of classic House, Disco and Techno, mixed non stop, track by track, that is still a live show but performed like a DJ mix. To that effect, DJ Yoku conducts like a human cross fader. DJ Yoku continues to fuse sound production and live performance with a DJ spirit.
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Japanet Jackson
Japanet JacksonはA Hundred Birds のDJ YOKUとShigeki Tamuraによる変名ユニット。2021年にはKYOTO TRAXより配信にてEPをリリース。HOUSEをベースに自由気ままに制作を続けている。
Japanet Jackson a.k.a Yoku and Shigeki Tamura from A Hundred Birds Orchestra (AHBO) Osaka Japan. AHBO is an ambitious dance music orchestra that has been performing across Japan. Inspired by the success of albums such as Masters at Work’s Nuyorican Soul and by the rich catalogue of material from big disco labels from the 70s such as Salsoul and their own studio musicians (MFSB), AHBO began peforming large shows every Xmas in their hometown of Osaka in 1996. In the year 2000,Francois K invited them to record their live version of Underground Resistance’s techno classic, ‘Jaguar’. They followed this up with ‘Batonga’ featuring the vocals of AHBO mainstay, TeN, which further cemented their international credentials. AHBO is looking forward to breaking out of Japan and becoming a global live music entity in the near future.
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