sami kaneda | vocalist | composer

THE ARTIST: Since relocating from Okayama City, Japan to California in January of 1995, the career path of vocalist Sami Kaneda has blossomed into something of a "Hollywood dream" come true.
A popular performer in her home country, Sami was "discovered" singing stirring renditions of classic jazz standards in a local jazz club by an American record producer Sean Ahearn of Pangea Music International.
Ahearn was deeply impressed with Sami's singing and songwriting skills and backed by the support of Pangea Music arranged for Sami to relocate to Los Angeles, California.
Once in California Sami set about recruiting musicians to record and perform with.
Her live performances and demo tape brought her to the attention of Stix Hooper, drummer for the legendary band The Crusaders, one of the most popular jazz groups of all time.
Besides writing, recording and touring with The Crusaders, Stix is also an established solo artist and an accomplished record producer having produced albums by B. B. King, Ernestine Anderson, Nancy Wilson, Hugh Masekela and Eugene Maslov.
Impressed by Sami's unique vocal talents, Stix offered to serve as producer for her debut album.
Entitled "Songs of Seven Seas" the album features Sami performing an eclectic mix of jazz and Japanese folk standards backed by a group of top-flight jazz musicians in including drummer Ndugu Chancler and Pianist Eugene Maslov.
Released internationally in the spring of 1998 the album was especially well received in the US receiving regular national radio airplay on over 100 of the country's top Jazz stations.
The album made several top 40 play lists, and Sami was a featured guest on a variety national jazz / world music shows-the album remains a radio favorite and is still receiving significant airplay around the country!
In the fall of 1999, Sami relocated to San Francisco to further expand her musical expression and to enrich herself with the fantastic musical heritage that the bay area has to offer.
Living in San Francisco has inspired Sami to dedicate herself to finding her own unique musical and vocal style and to commit more energy to writing her own compositions. While building on her classic jazz training her original is a blending of such diverse musical elements as R & B, Hip-hop, world beat and Electronica.
Sami's new found eclectic style has received an enthusiastic response and she has become a regular performer on the west coast music scene.
In March of 2000, she traveled to Southern California to perform at San Diego City College Theatre and to headline the Juke Joint, a premier concert venue in downtown San Diego.
Her City College performance was broadcasted live over KSDS radio and she was a featured guest on local NPR affiliate KPBS Radio, performing live to an extremely receptive audience.
Upon returning to San Francisco, Sami was invited to perform as a special guest with trumpeter Dimitri Matheny as part of The San Francisco Diva's concert at Yoshi's, one of the finest jazz clubs in the USA.
Accompanied by a jazz orchestra Sami performed an extended rendition of her trademark medley "Porgy 'N Bess / Ringo Oiwake".
In May she appeared at San Francisco's legendary Great American Music Hall as part of the International Progressive Music Festival 2000 performing with 'Madan', her own world-beat / electronica band. Evolving since the fall of '99 Madan has become an exciting new contemporary music vehicle for Sami.
Supported by strong "word of mouth" amongst local fans the band has performed at a variety of Bay Area concert venues. Plans are now underway for Sami to record a full album of Madan material. A meeting with Greg Gordon, Owner of San Francisco's Pyramind Sound recording studio, at Madan concert has evolved into another prosperous musical encounter.
Impressed by the range and quality of Sami's singing and songwriting talents, Gordon recruited her tossing and co-write songs for his new recording project entitled Goddess Gaia. The project features a few of the Bay Area's top female singers mixing ethnic vocals with contemporary bass beats, drum loops and samples.
Sami and Greg have collaborated on new songs and the album is scheduled for release any time soon.
"Although I am in many ways influenced by great singing talents past and present I really want to follow my own artistic muse and create my own career path. A path that is both professionally rewarding while remaining musically challenging. A path that yields music that is well crafted yet accessible, music that touches peoples heart's and souls".
Riding this tide of artistic inspiration and backed by a wave of industry and fan support Sami is well positioned to realize her goal of creating her own unique musical path and professional career.

THE ALBUM: "Songs of Seven Seas" was recorded in Hollywood,
CA and completed in January of 1998. Upon completion, the album was picked up by Teichiku Records, one of the leading record companies in Japan.
Sami also signed a publishing deal with Shinko Music, one of Japan’s most prestigious publishing companies.
The album features an intriguing blend of popular jazz and blues standards such as, "Lover Man", "I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues",
"You Don’t Know What Love Is", plus Latin influenced tracks "Speak Low" and "I Didn’t Know What Time It Was".
Sami builds on her Asian heritage via unique renditions of two classic Japanese folk songs "Ringo Oiwake",
which masterfully transforms into a medley built around Gershwin’s
"I Loves You Porgy", and a funk driven Japanese – English version of "Ue Wo Muite Arukou"(The Sukiyaki Song) one of the most popular Japanese songs of all time. The album also features Sami’s haunting original film score composition "Awakening Of A Dream" which was featured in the movie "From Richard, With Love". Upon completion of "Songs of Seven Seas", the album was released in Japan in March of 1998. It quickly rose to #1 on the Japanese jazz vocal charts. "Songs of Seven Seas" was released on America on the Pangea/Outer Music label in June of 2001. The album is distributed nationally via DNA/Valley Media and radio promotion is handled by Los Angeles based Groove Marketing.
The album has been very well received and is currently in rotation on over 100 of the top jazz stations in America.

RECORDING BAND: For the recording Stix recruited a diverse group of top West Coast session pros.
Veteran drummer Ndugu Chancler, has recorded and toured with numerous jazz greats including Miles Davis, Anita Baker and Carlos Santana. Russian born pianist Eugene Maslov, a classically trained graduate of the prestigious Rimsky-Korsakov conservatory in St. Petersburg, is one of the "the rising stars" on the American jazz scene. Since immigrating from the Soviet Union in the late 80’s,
Eugene has made several solo and group recordings, performing with the likes of Grover Washington Jr., Pat Metheny, Archie Shepp, and Gary Burton. He recently recorded a new solo album with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Omar Hakim. He was chosen by legendary producer Ettore Stratta as a featured performer at the recent Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim Festival at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City, sharing the stage with the likes of Al Jareau, The Manhattan transfer. Bassist Dave Enos is regarded as one of the top young talents in modern jazz.
His skill on both the acoustic and fretless electric bass have made him one of the most sought after session players in LA. He is also a member of Latin-jazz legend Arturo Sandoval’s touring band.
Guitarist Pat Kelly is one of the most highly regarded session musicians in Los Angeles having made a name for himself as guitarist in Jazz-pop legend George Benson’s band, with whom he tours and records regularly. His patented guitar stylings featured on numerous jazz and pop albums, as well TV and motion picture soundtracks.
The percussion duties fell to the producer as Stix and session pro Ronnie Ciago added their distinctive percussive talents to the recording. The album was engineered and mixed by Austrian production wizard Franz Pusch, who has worked with such diverse artists as keyboardist Gary Wright, jazz vocalist Ernestine Anderson and British jazz-rock legends Brand X.
"Songs of Seven Seas" marks the refreshing recording debut of Sami Kaneda and is sure to enhance her reputation as one of the brightest young talents in her field today.

Sami Kaneda selected credits:
March of ’98
"Songs of Seven Seas" is released in Japan by Teichiku Records
April of ’98
Debut album charted as the top selling Japanese jazz vocal album continues #1 through May
May of ’98
Toured Japan performing at many of the countries top jazz clubs concert halls and regional festivals, while making several TV and radio appearances.
Fall of ’98
Sami performs at many of California’s top Jazz clubs including Steamers Café, Atlas Bar & Grill, Lunaria, Kikuya and Monkey Bar.
May of ’99
Her album "Songs of Seven Seas" is released nationally via DNA/Valley Media.
July of ’99
Headlined the Female vocalist Series at the North Beach Jazz Festival in San Francisco, CA.
July of ’99
Featured vocalist on Evan Marks’ new, world beat album "Heartbeat".
Sept. of ’99
Sami’s original composition "Awakening of a Dream" earns Billboard Magazines Top 500 Songs of the Year Award.
Dec of ’99
Performed as featured artist for her hometown of Okayama/Kurashiki City Christmas Celebration which was broadcasted live on the radio.
Sami Kaneda Selected Discography:
She is currently working on three recording projects of her original compositions and jazz, world-electronica improvisational music produced by Madan her original band and Greg Gordon San Francisco based producer.
July of ’99
Featured vocalist on Evan Mark’s release "Heartbeat"
January of ’98
Debut album produced by Stix Hooper "Songs of Seven Seas"
April of ’98
Collaborated with David Allen and Gilli Smyth of Gong in "Live at the Steamers Café".
July of ’97
Recorded during the recent tour "Live at the Avenue in Japan"
May of ’97
Produced by Franz Pusch a modern dance single "The Need"
April of ’97
"Awakening of A Dream" original composition for the soon to be released movie "From Richard, With Love" .