 "THE SIXTH SENSE" US Tour Promotional Picture A few years back I was lucky enough to attend ai kuwabara trio project's concert at the Los Angeles Theater Center as part of their US Tour supporting their second album "THE SIXTH SENSE". I was blown away by their playing and by Ai's skill on the piano as well as that of bassist/producer Yusuke Morita. Shintaro Imamura was also present that night on drums, who played on their second album and would eventually contribute some drums on their third. Anyway, I couldn't just leave this concert at that so I picked up both of their albums released up to that point, the aforementioned "THE SIXTH SENSE" and their first CD "from here to there". For this Throwback Thursday we will take a look at that first CD and cover a genre of music that we have not yet at A-To-J Connections; jazz
 Every now and then, a band comes out of Japan whose music practically screams "yes, we listen to Number Girl". While such bands as ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION and Kinoko Teikoku have found varying levels of success in the West, it's not often that we get to hear a fresh take on the melancholy, nostalgic indie rock of the late 90s. Enter: Cider Girl.
WagakkiBand is as busy as ever! A-To-J Connections recently wrote about the release of their new single that was used as the official Japanese theme song for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The eight-piece powerhouse paid a visit to Los Angeles just two months ago as they embarked on their first American tour, conducting several interviews along the way - one of which being on Revolt TV.
Revolt TV features famous artists and bands from all around the world, such as The Weekend, Drake, and Lady Gaga, though WagakkiBand is officially the first Japanese artist to perform on Revolt Sessions.
Tsugaru shamisen player Beni Ninagawa demonstrated her technical skill in an instrumental piece entitled ‘Jongara.’ Koto player Kiyoshi Ibukuro and shakuhachi player Daisuke Kaminaga then backed Yuko Suzuhana’s impressive demonstration of her ancient singing-style, shigin. Last came an impressive acoustic performance of their smash-hit ‘Senbonzakura,’ the PV of which recently having achieved 46 million views over YouTube (and counting).
WagakkiBand also continued to wow fans with their ever-improving English in an informative interview regarding the use of Japanese folk instruments. The band had a few laughs when the topic shifted towards other frequently asked questions, such as if the members wore kimono and other traditional attire on a daily basis - Yuko gave a light-hearted no!
As the busybodies that they are, WagakkiBand has proven to be warm towards their audience worldwide time and time again, promising more overseas activities in the future. Here’s to hoping they make their return very soon, and stay tuned for more updates! -Dia  We at A-To-J Connections had the wonderful opportunity to cover WagakkiBand’s DEEP IMPACT Tour in its entirety and were able to catch up to them prior to their San Francisco show for an interview! During the discussion it was clear that they were in the midst of a very special series of shows and that their show the following day was going to be one to remember! We at A-To-J Connections are big supporters of WagakkiBand and hope that our readers and fans will check out their amazing blend of rock and traditional Japanese music!
 Famed Japanese instrumental / post-rock outfit LITE have announced a new split EP with Mouse on the Keys, a keyboard-and-drum band formed by members of Nine Days Wonder. The split will be released via Topshelf Records on September 30th (digital) and October 21st (vinyl). The bands will also be touring the US together this fall (schedule below).
Kero Kero Bonito, on the cusp of their upcoming US tour, have announced a follow-up to 2014's debut album "Intro Bonito". "Bonito Generation" will be released October 21st, and you can listen to the new song "Graduation" below.
 On Thursday, August 18th, the Japanese-American National Museum (JANM) held an Asian-American concert for electronic and hip-hop music, as part of their ongoing Summer Night Concerts series. A-To-J was on-site to provide coverage of the event, which was all-ages and free to the public.
 Tomorrow night, August 18th, electronic and hip-hop artists will be performing at the Japanese-American National Museum in Little Tokyo. It's a free, all-ages event with some incredible talent on the bill, including our friend Meishi Smile. Show starts at 7:00 PM sharp, so don't be late! Performers listed after the cut.
FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE  This past weekend, A-To-J was given the opportunity to see the legendary Cornelius live in LA, playing his seminal record Fantasma. The composer and director known for everything from Yellow Magic Orchestra to Scott Pilgrim vs. The World put on a fantastic show, one that won't soon be forgotten by anybody lucky enough to attend.
 The wait between Shiggy Jr.'s releases can be too much to bear, with their sweetly adorable pop being some of the catchiest music out there right now. Only a couple months following their last single Koishitara Baby, Shiggy Jr. have returned with yet another infectious gem of pop perfection.
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