Gota Yashiki
Encyclopedia
Gota Yashiki is both an independent acid jazz
artist
and drum player, as a member of the band Simply Red
. He was born in Kyoto
, Japan
, on 26 February 1962, where at a young age he learned how to play traditional Japanese drums. This interest in drumming propelled him into the music scene, and he moved to Tokyo
in 1982 to join a reggae/dub band that became known as Mute Beat. Together with Mute Beat band member Kazufumi Kodama he worked on various projects and formed the duo Kodama & Gota.
From 1986 on, Gota entered the European music scene. After spending some time back in Tokyo, he returned to London in 1988 and began collaborating with numerous well-known artists, including Soul II Soul
, Sinéad O'Connor
and Seal
, while also working on film soundtracks and re-mixes.
Gota joined Simply Red in 1991 for the recording of the album Stars and the following world tour. In late 1993, he released an album entitled Something to Talk About under the name Gota & The Heart of Gold, and helped fellow Simply Red band member Heitor T.P. release a solo album in 1994. While still working regularly with various European artists, including an album by singer songwriter Chris Braide
, he recorded another album as Gota & The Low Dog in 1995 with singer Warren Dowd. This album, named Live Wired Electro, was released in several countries and took Gota on his first solo Japanese tour. Alanis Morissette
credits Gota as "Groove Activator" on her album Jagged Little Pill
, for which samples of his works were used. Also, UK dance act Chicane
used his drum samples, most prominent on the Chicane Mix of the Bryan Adams
song Cloud Number Nine
.
In 1997, he released his first album in the United States
entitled It's so Different Here. The albums hit single was a top ten Smooth Jazz track of the year. The album went to No. 15 on the Billboard, and No. 1 on the R&R chart. Gota helped produce Simply Red's album entitled Blue the following year in 1998 and subsequently assisted the following year's release Love and The Russian Winter. He released two albums in 1999, the first entitled Let's Get Started, and the second entitled Day & Night. His most recent album The Best of Gota was released in 2002, and he is currently working on a joint project with Jimmy Gomez whose release date is still unknown. In 2004 to celebrate the first centenary of FIFA
he made some arregements to the anthem composed by Franz Lambert
in 1994 and is the one heard in all the FIFA officially sanctioned matches since then.
In March 2008, Gota formed the rock band Vitamin-Q along with Masami Tsuchiya
, Kazuhiko Kato
, Rei Ohara and Anza. However, after Kato's suicide on October 17, 2009, the fate of the group is uncertain.
Acid jazz
Acid jazz is a musical genre that combines elements of jazz, funk and hip-hop, particularly looped beats. It developed in the UK over the 1980s and 1990s and could be seen as tacking the sound of jazz-funk onto electronic dance: jazz-funk musicians such as Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd and Grant Green are...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and drum player, as a member of the band Simply Red
Simply Red
Simply Red were a British soul band that sold more than 50 million albums over a 25-year career. Their style drew influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, reggae and jazz...
. He was born in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, on 26 February 1962, where at a young age he learned how to play traditional Japanese drums. This interest in drumming propelled him into the music scene, and he moved to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in 1982 to join a reggae/dub band that became known as Mute Beat. Together with Mute Beat band member Kazufumi Kodama he worked on various projects and formed the duo Kodama & Gota.
From 1986 on, Gota entered the European music scene. After spending some time back in Tokyo, he returned to London in 1988 and began collaborating with numerous well-known artists, including Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul are a British group that was created in London in 1988. They are best known for their 1989 UK chart-topper and U.S. Top 5 hit, "Back to Life ".-Career:...
, Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
and Seal
Seal (musician)
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
, while also working on film soundtracks and re-mixes.
Gota joined Simply Red in 1991 for the recording of the album Stars and the following world tour. In late 1993, he released an album entitled Something to Talk About under the name Gota & The Heart of Gold, and helped fellow Simply Red band member Heitor T.P. release a solo album in 1994. While still working regularly with various European artists, including an album by singer songwriter Chris Braide
Chris Braide
Christopher Braide is an English singer, songwriter, record producer published by Sony/ATV worldwide based in Los Angeles.Producer, Songwriter and Ivor Novello ASCAP and Billboard award winner Christopher Braide has achieved considerable success as a songwriter in the UK and the US. His songs have...
, he recorded another album as Gota & The Low Dog in 1995 with singer Warren Dowd. This album, named Live Wired Electro, was released in several countries and took Gota on his first solo Japanese tour. Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
credits Gota as "Groove Activator" on her album Jagged Little Pill
Jagged Little Pill
Jagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette. It was Morissette's first internationally released album, and her first studio album after the three year hiatus following her break with MCA Records. The album marked a shift from her style...
, for which samples of his works were used. Also, UK dance act Chicane
Chicane (recording artist)
Chicane is a British electronic dance music act, and the guise of British musician, composer, songwriter and record producer, Nicholas Bracegirdle....
used his drum samples, most prominent on the Chicane Mix of the Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
song Cloud Number Nine
Cloud Number Nine
"Cloud Number Nine" or "Cloud #9" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams from his 1998 album On a Day Like Today.-Original:...
.
In 1997, he released his first album in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entitled It's so Different Here. The albums hit single was a top ten Smooth Jazz track of the year. The album went to No. 15 on the Billboard, and No. 1 on the R&R chart. Gota helped produce Simply Red's album entitled Blue the following year in 1998 and subsequently assisted the following year's release Love and The Russian Winter. He released two albums in 1999, the first entitled Let's Get Started, and the second entitled Day & Night. His most recent album The Best of Gota was released in 2002, and he is currently working on a joint project with Jimmy Gomez whose release date is still unknown. In 2004 to celebrate the first centenary of FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
he made some arregements to the anthem composed by Franz Lambert
Franz Lambert
Franz Lambert is a German composer and organist. He is an avid Hammond organ player, however he is more noted in later years for playing the Wersi range of electronic organs...
in 1994 and is the one heard in all the FIFA officially sanctioned matches since then.
In March 2008, Gota formed the rock band Vitamin-Q along with Masami Tsuchiya
Masami Tsuchiya
Masami Tsuchiya is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and guitarist in the group Ippu-Do. His subsequent output includes solo work and collaborations...
, Kazuhiko Kato
Kazuhiko Kato (musician)
, nicknamed , was a Japanese record producer, songwriter, and singer. He sometimes used the spelling of "Kazuhiko Katoh".As a member of the Folk Crusaders, Kato launched his recording career in the mid 1960s...
, Rei Ohara and Anza. However, after Kato's suicide on October 17, 2009, the fate of the group is uncertain.