Interesting instrumental group play calypso, mambo, ska and more. Sometimes upbeat, some songs rather laid back.

Akiko is the first Japanese singer to record for the Verve record label. She sings Brazilian music, and plays with Brazilian musicians from Rio and Salvador, including Marcos Suzano, Kassin, Domenico, Moreno Veloso, Pedro plus Arto Lindsay. 12 tracks, including Batacuda, Meu Cora, Payapta Turdi, Chega de Saudade, and Jardim Bot Nico. Giles Peterson has played her on his BBC Worldwide programme on Radio 1.


Price:   £18.99

Talented Japanese bossa nova singer from Tohoku in northern Japan where she has built up a large following. Good singing and guitar playing mix of bossa classics and original tunes. 13 tracks.

Okinawan/Peruvian Alberto Shiroma was the talented singer and guitarist with Diamantes. Shingo 'Carlos' Kanno formed Japanese salsa band Orquesta de la Luz and later Nettai Tropical Jazz Big Band. On this album they get together with some members from the Nettai Tropical band for some songs, playing covers of Japanese pop, a few Latin standards and some original songs too. 11 tracks including Good Bye Day, Solamente Una Vez, Begin the Beguine, and Cerveza.


Price:   £18.99

Japanese quena and zampona (South American panpipes) player some tracks composed for the Nasca exhibition in Japan. Some feature Peruvian accordion and piano player Hugh Fataluso. Mostly ambient, easy listening style. 11 tracks.

Originally released in 1968, limited edition CD of shakuhachi maestro Hozan Yamamoto together with koto player Tadao Sawai and band leader Toshiyuki Miyama and New Herd playing bossa nova classics. 10 tracks. 1. Adieu Tristesse 2. The Look of Love 3. Sunny 4. Il Bacio 5. Mas Que Nada 6. Constant Rain 7. Vivre Pour Vivre 8. Un Homme et Un Femme 9. Agua de Beber 10. The Girl from Ipanema.


Price:   £16.99

Formed in 1949, The Tokyo Cuban Boys were the first Japanese group to seriously play Latin music. They were all outstanding musicians with a tight brass section backed up by some funky percussion. This album features their recordings from the late 1950s to 1960s. There are some great arrangements by two musicians Yoshitaka Ichinose and Toshio Fukui. 2 CDs, 46 tracks.

Disc 1: 1. Mambo Jambo (El Mambo) 2. Mambo No.8 3. El Cunbanchero 4. Jungle Drum 5. Miami Beach Rumba 6. Rumba Raphsody 7. Siboney 8. Soyokaze to Watashi 9. Solamente Una Vez 10. Besame Mucho 11. La Comparsa 12. La Malagena 13. Boku no Ryhthme o Kiitekure 14. Papa wa Mambo ga Osuki 15. Chibilico Mambo 16. Leza 17. Toristesa 18. Quien Sela 19. Estrerita 20. Kuroi Orfe 21. Ipanema no Musume 22. Oje Negra 23. Adios

Disc 2: 1. Mambo No.5 2. Togyushi no Mambo 3. Tico Tico 4. Guantanamera 5. Aru Koi no Monogatari 6. Taboo 7. Nainkinmame Uir 8. My Showl 9. Cachito 10. Frenesi 11. Coffe Rumba 12. Mas Que Nada 13. Quizas Quizas Quizas 14. Cha Cha Cha Flamenco 15. Cerezo Rosa 16. Cuban Mambo 17. La Bamba 18. Desafinado 19. Begin The Begin 20. Maria La O 21. Amor 22. Bahia Con Dios

Celebrating 50 years of playing Cuban music, vintage recordings from 1950-1964. Latin music with a Japanese twist. 23 tracks.


Price:   £18.99

Fantastic album of Japanese tunes set to latin rhythms, includes 'samba soran' the famous Japanese folk tune, 'soran bushi' set to samba.

Sings mainly Brazilian numbers and other latin songs with Brazilian musicians.


Price:   £18.99

Japan's very own tango queen, performing tango and latin standards. 24 tracks.

Compilation of Japanese artists recorded during heyday of the Japanese latin music boom. 24 tracks.


Price:   £18.99

Willie Nagasaki is one of Japan's great percussion players. For this album he put together a first class band of Japanese players to perform classics by Tito Puente, Machito and other greats of latin music. Great musicians at the top of their form.

One of the biggest artists of the 'tango boom' in Japan.


Price:   £18.99

Amazing that when there is a so-called 'boom' in Japan, this time Bolivian folklore, out come the Japanese versions. They usually play beautifully, and the best ones add their own take. This is a good one, including Japanese songs.

Superb Japanese bandoneon player, interpreting tunes by Piazzola and other Argentinian tango greats.Has made the bandoneon and tango popular with young people in Japan.


Price:   £18.99

And now Japan has it's own women Paraguay harp player, apparently spawning a new trend. She plays beautifully,but album has a feel of a marketing ploy by big company.Japanese, Mexican, Argentinian tunes.

Definitive compilation of the hits of Japan's finest salsa copy band, especially popular in Japan and Latin America at the beginning of the 90s. You would never know they were Japanese.


Price:   £18.99

Bossa Nova versions of Christmas tunes including Winter Wonderland, Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow. Lisa is a fine bossa nova singer, and has popularised the genre with spectacular success.

Mio Matsuda is a Japanese singer who sings (very well) in Portuguese. What makes this album really worth checking out is the producer, Makoto Kubota, the man behind some great music for past 30 years and in recent years, the acclaimed Blue Asia. It definitely has that Kubota trademark sound and even has a Blue Asia mix of Lambada. Kubota has been obsessed recently with the Brazlian nordeste music and this album was recorded in Recife with some superb musicians. There are various other Kubota mixes - the intriguing Forrobada- another two versions of the Lambada and overall about 42 minutes of Brazilian bliss.


Price:   £16.99

Japanese Marimba group playing mainly Cuban and latin standards.