Time Capsule’s latest compilation Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985 captures the moment when J-reggae entered the broader public consciousness, merging commercial city pop style with an infectious backbeat that has drawn comparisons with the emergence of Lovers Rock in the UK around the same time.
For this special night, Time Capsule formed a band featuring one of the artists from the compilation, the legendary keyboard player Izumi “Mimi” Kobayashi who released 5 albums between 1978 and 1983 under her name traversing genres from jazz orchestration to Latin rhythms and digital programming. Notably, now highly sought after 1981 album Coconuts High featured Hervey Mason, Alex Acuna from Weather Report, Paul Jackson, Tower of Power and many more. In the same year, Kobayashi composed her biggest hit to date: the theme for the anime Urusei Yatsura, “Lum’s Love Song”, selling over 500,000 copies. Kobayashi has been living in London since 84 and recorded some global hits such as Break Out by Swing Out Sisters and Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode. She’s also a founding member of the Sudanese band The Scorpios with sellout shows throughout the UK for the last few years.
Backing her up, the band consists of young & fresh talents from London with another special guest saxophonist Megumi Mesaku a.k.a. Miss Megoo who has built her career in London for nearly three decades, worked with some of Jamaica & UK’s top reggae stars including The Skatalites, The Pioneers, Alton Ellis, Derrick Morgan, Prince Buster, Little Roy, Ska Cubano, the Trojans and the Topcats and many many more.
DJs on the night are the hottest imports from Japan since wasabi, Nina Yamada and Taniya Hashimoto from Jazzy Sport London with Time Capsule honcho Kay Suzuki.