Nacomi Tanaka “Onward and Upward” CD

Last year, I was introduced to Nacomi Tanaka by Akira Bunya, an American roots music lover. Her songs were played on the radio, and that's how this CD came to be released. It's a bond that could never have happened, but if you pick up this CD, please help to further strengthen that bond. Onward and Upward! --Peter Barakan

NACOMI sings his blues smoothly and calmly like the wind, and we hope you enjoy the coolness and sexiness hidden within.

From 2014 to 2016, she was the first Japanese to perform at the Little Walter Music Festival (Louisiana) and was met with rapturous acclaim. In 2015, she was ranked 7th in the Top 25 Female Musicians Popularity Poll by the American blues magazine Blues-e-news. Nacomi Tanaka is a blues woman, singer-songwriter and guitarist who will represent Japan in the future. She has a wide range of songs, from pop Japanese songs that are not limited to blues to original English songs that have a glimpse of American roots music. This album, which includes new songs by Megumi and her past masterpieces, has finally been released by P-Vine. Peter Barakan's recommended track "Little Red Rider" features Takezo Takeda, who is close friends with Elvin Bishop, as well as Steve Willis and Ruth Davies, members of Elvin's band. The song is cool and unpretentious, and the occasional hint of southern American flavor is superb.

■There was no artist in our generation who could express roots music with such a selection of songs - June Yamagishi

■I don't know any other woman who can sing the blues with such a "space" - Yoichiro Hattori

■Track list