INDEX
Key Elements That Contributed to Haruomi Hosono’s Recognition in America
Among the tracks on HOSONO HOUSE, “Bara To Yaju” (Roses and the Beast) seems to be particularly significant when considering the album’s reception abroad.
In a column for Music Magazine (December 2024 issue), writer Ryohei Matsunaga, who also participated in this short series, recalls visiting Amoeba Music in Hollywood about ten years ago. He witnessed a female DJ playing “Bara To Yaju” in the store.
As Matsunaga suggests, the DJ likely played it as a kind of “cool funk.” Indeed, when viewed from this perspective, the groovy “Bara To Yaju” stands out as an incredibly captivating track, even within the album.
Another important example that supports this interpretation of “Bara To Yaju” comes from UK DJ and “Japan Blues” digger Howard Williams, who curated the compilation Lovin’ Mighty Fire – Nippon Funk * Soul * Disco 1973-1983 for the UK label ACE. In this compilation, “Bara To Yaju” is included, positioning the track as part of “Nippon Funk.”
When discussing the “discovery” of Hosono’s music, one must not forget the presence of Devendra Banhart, the singer-songwriter who grew up in Venezuela and is now based in LA.
In the 2017 book Folk Roots, New Routes (Shinko Music Entertainment), Banhart speaks with his idol, Hosono, and has often expressed his admiration for him, including covering “Sports Men” on stage.
Devendra Banhart’s cover of “Sports Men.” The original track is from Haruomi Hosono’s Philharmony (1982).
According to the aforementioned conversation and an interview I conducted (published in Record Collectors’ Magazine, December 2019), Devendra Banhart’s discovery of Haruomi Hosono’s music dates back to the early 2000s. A key figure in this journey was Andy Cabic, a longtime friend since Banhart’s move to San Francisco and a member of the band Vetiver.
Banhart recalls that Cabic had been fascinated by Japanese music from an early stage, even traveling to Japan well before the vinyl resurgence to dig for records. A true connoisseur, Cabic introduced Banhart to various Japanese artists, including Maki Asakawa—another musician who would later garner a devoted following overseas.
The two friends often mused about the idea of an artist who combined the essence of Brian Eno, John Lennon, David Bowie, and Hoagy Carmichael. Then, one day, Cabic excitedly declared, “I’ve found exactly that person!”—and that person was none other than Haruomi Hosono.
Banhart later paid homage to Hosono with the song Kantori Ongaku, featured on his 2019 album MA. The title is a playful romanization of “Country Music” in Japanese, inspired by a line from Hosono’s Boku wa Chotto. True to its name, the track carries a strong country influence, evoking the sound and spirit of HOSONO HOUSE.
Looking back at these various developments, it becomes clear that the rising attention toward Haruomi Hosono and HOSONO HOUSE among younger generations of artists and listeners was deeply rooted in connections across California and the broader U.S. West Coast.
