Yoko Utsumi
Encyclopedia
Yoko Utsumi is a Japanese musical artist. Her solo music is a blend of punk
, rock
and ska
influences, with some blues and jazz thrown in. During her long career, she has also played Japanese traditional music.
Utsumi has been a member of a few important Japanese underground bands, including Mescaline Drive, Soul Flower Union
and Soul Flower Mononoke Summit. Although she left Soul Flower Union in 1998, she still occasionally appears on the band's albums and live shows. She is also still a member of Soul Flower Mononoke Summit, an acoustic offspring of Soul Flower Union which plays traditional Asian music with protest lyrics.
She has one self-titled album released in the United States on the Asian Man Records
label, in 2005. She also performs with a band called YOKOLOCO, which includes Soul Flower Union
keyboardist Shinya Okuno and former Thee Michelle Gun Elephant
drummer Kazuyuki Kuhara.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
influences, with some blues and jazz thrown in. During her long career, she has also played Japanese traditional music.
Utsumi has been a member of a few important Japanese underground bands, including Mescaline Drive, Soul Flower Union
Soul Flower Union
Soul Flower Union, also known as SFU, is a Japanese musical group that incorporates Asian styles and world music styles into a rock and roll band. They are known for their blend of psychedelic, rock, Okinawan music, Celtic music, chindon , swing jazz, as well as Japanese, Chinese and Korean folk...
and Soul Flower Mononoke Summit. Although she left Soul Flower Union in 1998, she still occasionally appears on the band's albums and live shows. She is also still a member of Soul Flower Mononoke Summit, an acoustic offspring of Soul Flower Union which plays traditional Asian music with protest lyrics.
She has one self-titled album released in the United States on the Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:...
label, in 2005. She also performs with a band called YOKOLOCO, which includes Soul Flower Union
Soul Flower Union
Soul Flower Union, also known as SFU, is a Japanese musical group that incorporates Asian styles and world music styles into a rock and roll band. They are known for their blend of psychedelic, rock, Okinawan music, Celtic music, chindon , swing jazz, as well as Japanese, Chinese and Korean folk...
keyboardist Shinya Okuno and former Thee Michelle Gun Elephant
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant
Thee Michelle Gun Elephant was a Japanese garage rock band formed in 1991.-History:The band was formed in 1991, while the members were students at Tokyo's Meiji Gakuin University. They later drew influence from The Roosters...
drummer Kazuyuki Kuhara.