Nanbei Ryokou [LP]

This fourth album overall, and the first release after moving to the Showboat label, is a conceptual work built from songs born during travels through Mexico, the Bahamas, and New Orleans with his beloved wife KURO, and recorded in a Los Angeles studio. It lovingly sings of the landscapes of Central and South America, as well as the encounters and farewells experienced along the journey. The warm performances by the members of So Bad Review and steel pan master Robert Greenidge bring a calm, happy, and relaxed mood to the album. From the classic "Gypsy Song," which has continued to be covered by many musicians, to the light Latin touch of the title track "Minami Ryokou," all ten songs shine with an evergreen brilliance.