Sandii is a colorful veteran of the Japanese music business, who has gone through a number of stylistic changes over time, yet still maintained a substantial audience. Born Sandii Suzuki in Hawaii, with a mix of Japanese, Spanish and American blood, she moved to Tokyo in the early 70s and became a DJ on NHK radio. After winning a Yamaha sponsored songwriting contest in 1976, and having a solo hit single “Mystery Nile” in 1979, Sandii joined up with Yuyakegakudan, (who later became the Sunsetz), a group led by guitarist Makoto Kubota, who she later married. Kubota was an experienced musician, who had traveled extensively and picked up a variety of musical influences, including New Orleans, reggae, and various types of Asian music. Amazingly, their first gig together as a band was opening for
Yellow Magic Orchestra at Budokan in 1980. Sandii’s first album,
Eating Pleasure (1980), was sung entirely in English, and received much critical attention. Her second album
Heat Scale (1981), was recorded in Ibiza, Spain, and released in a total of 17 countries. Both albums were produced by Harumi Hosono of YMO. Sandii’s model-like good looks definitely helped the band draw attention, and amongst the band’s international fans were Melody Maker writer Adam Sweeting and David Bowie. Their third album, on which they became Sandii & the Sunsetz, entitled
Immigrants (1982) featured guest appearances by David Sylvain of the group Japan, Dollette McDonald, Steve ...
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Sandii is a colorful veteran of the Japanese music business, who has gone through a number of stylistic changes over time, yet still maintained a substantial audience. Born Sandii Suzuki in Hawaii, with a mix of Japanese, Spanish and American blood, she moved to Tokyo in the early 70s and became a DJ on NHK radio. After winning a Yamaha sponsored songwriting contest in 1976, and having a solo hit single “Mystery Nile” in 1979, Sandii joined up with Yuyakegakudan, (who later became the Sunsetz), a group led by guitarist Makoto Kubota, who she later married. Kubota was an experienced musician, who had traveled extensively and picked up a variety of musical influences, including New Orleans, reggae, and various types of Asian music. Amazingly, their first gig together as a band was opening for
Yellow Magic Orchestra at Budokan in 1980. Sandii’s first album,
Eating Pleasure (1980), was sung entirely in English, and received much critical attention. Her second album
Heat Scale (1981), was recorded in Ibiza, Spain, and released in a total of 17 countries. Both albums were produced by Harumi Hosono of YMO. Sandii’s model-like good looks definitely helped the band draw attention, and amongst the band’s international fans were Melody Maker writer Adam Sweeting and David Bowie. Their third album, on which they became Sandii & the Sunsetz, entitled
Immigrants (1982) featured guest appearances by David Sylvain of the group Japan, Dollette McDonald, Steve Scales from the expanded Talking Heads band, and Dave Jordan of Fun Boy Three. In 1982 Sandii & the Sunsetz toured behind the album in Europe with Japan. Sandii was especially popular in Australia. In 1983 she toured Australia as the opening act for Midnight Oil, and in 1984 did an extensive tour in the support slot for INXS. She also had a top ten single there, “Sticky Music”, which was included in the Aussie compilation “Viva Lava Liva” in 1984. Furthering her European profile, Sandii recorded a duet with the UK's Stephen Duffy and sang backing vocals for David Sylvian. Sandii & the Sunsetz also wrote songs for pop idol
Akina Nakamori, including her hit “Babylon”. Later the band moved to Toshiba-EMI, and explored Jamaican music with the album
Rhythm Chemistry, which they recorded in Jamaica. They also performed at a festival in the island home of reggae. After the band officially broke up in 1990, Sandii began an in depth exploration of Asian music, and recording a number of solo albums, including songs in sung in Mandarin, Malay and Indonesian. In more recent times Sandii has concentrated most heavily on traditional Hawaiian music, and in addition runs a hula school and restaurants with Okinawan themes.
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