Shun Sakai

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Biography

In 1976, Shun started her career as singer at legendary Jazz Club 'Misty' in Roppongi, Tokyo. A year after her stage debut she released her first album 'SHUN' and had several sensational hits. Soon to follow were two more successful albums and countless collaborations with other musicians. The following years were spent constantly touring and performing, until the sudden epiphany which brought her to the USA, opening her eyes to see the world and her performance from another perspective. Shun made the most of her time in the USA exploring an entirely different culture. When it was time for her to start a family she returned to her native Japan. After an extended hiatus raising her son, Shun decided to make a return to the music scene. Perhaps it was the time spent away from her homeland that led her to add some classic Japanese songs to her repertoire. It was during this period Shun first recorded 'Mangetu No Yuube' (Evening of the Full Moon), which would go on to be one of her signature songs. The song is about the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995, in which over six thousand lost their lives. In the period around 2004, Shun began to further explore new possibilities in sound and voice. Her interests and style left convention behind and moved to a more tribal, improvised sound that can not be defined in a single category. During this exploration, Shun released an experimental album 'Night at the Circus vol 1'. This was followed by the release in 2010 of two more albums, 'Plays Standard vol 1' and 'A Few Little Things', both of which were marked departures from her earlier recordings. Yet through her doubtless talents both received commercial success. Both albums were also notable for their cover art provided by leading artist Ryoji Arai. After these 3 albums Shun has found contentment and even greater confidence in her style and sound. Shun’s latest album Daily life of Spiral Staircase with Alt saxophonist Eiiti Hayashi and pianist Nobumasa Tanaka was released in 2012, and has become an important contribution to the catalogue of this prolific and ever evolving artist.

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