DJ KAWASAKI's new release [Sunshine Madness] set for January 21, 2026 via KAWASAKI RECORDS!
Four years after his 2021 original album ‘ONE WORLD’, DJ KAWASAKI returns with new music on 7" Vinyl. This exquisite instrumental boogie fusion single cut on 7" vinyl features Taiwanese vibraphone player Chien Chien Lu, based in New York, and Japanese steel pan player Takeshi ’Tico’Toki of the renowned instrumental dub band LITTLE TEMPO as guests!
Side A features the original version, showcasing the beautiful vibraphone player Chien Chien Lu from Taiwan, who pays homage to Roy Ayers.
Chien Chien Lu gained significant attention for her cover of Roy Ayers' “We Live in Brooklyn Baby” on her 2020 debut album ‘The Path’. Her thrilling, modern, and luxuriously ambient performance elevates DJ KAWASAKI's melody into a more sophisticated, mature sound.
Side B features an exclusive version with Japanese No.1 instrumental dub band LITTLE TEMPO's steelpan player, Takeshi“TICO”Toki , who performs at festivals and live shows both domestically and internationally. Tico's deep, evocative steel pan sound transforms the original jazz & fusion-tinged track into a tropical, breezy summer boogie reminiscent of the Caribbean Sea, surrounded by Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.
Co-produced by Shuya Okino (KYOTO JAZZ MASSIVE / KYOTO JAZZ SEXTET), whom DJ KAWASAKI regards as his mentor.
The fresh, seasonal design was handled by DJ colleague Yusuke Yoshinaga (solla Inc.).
Musicians participating in the track production include: Rhodes: Shinji Nakamura, Percussion: Hidero Nishioka (CENTRAL/VenueVincent), Bass: Leo Nanjo (CENTRAL/tropico), Guitar: Tetsuta Otachi, Drums: Soki-Kimura Sosei (ex-Osaka Monaurail). These are DJ KAWASAKI's close friends who also support his band-style live performances.
DJ KAWASAKI himself handled the mixing and mastering. Both versions are now available on advance 7" vinyl ahead of their digital release! They've been crafted into dance tunes for the floor, showcasing DJ KAWASAKI's current, evolving sound!
About Chien Chien Lu
Chien Chien Lu is a jazz vibraphonist, contemporary percussionist, and composer whose Taiwanese heritage, classical training, and love of groove define her fresh approach to contemporary jazz. She began classical piano at six and percussion at ten, later performing with the world-renowned Ju Percussion Group for five years and touring Asia before shifting her focus to jazz in 2015.
Raised in Taiwan’s classical tradition, Lu mastered precision and discipline but longed for a freer voice. That search led her to the United States, where she discovered jazz and improvisation as a true form of self-expression.
Her artistry has since gained international recognition. Named one of DownBeat Magazine’s “25 for the Future” and the Recording Academy’s “10 Emerging Jazz Artists of 2023,” Lu has become a dynamic force in today’s jazz scene. Her collaborative album with bassist Richie Goods, CONNECTED, won Best Instrumental Album at the 34th Golden Melody Awards.
Lu’s debut album The Path (2020) spent 20 weeks in the JazzWeek Top 20, won Best Jazz Song at the Golden Indie Music Awards, and received multiple Golden Melody and Golden Indie nominations. She was also voted a vibraphone rising star in DownBeat Magazine’s 69th Annual Critics Poll. Her group has performed at major festivals including Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, DC Jazz Festival, and across Europe, Asia, and the U.S.
Her transition to jazz accelerated at the 2017 Banff Jazz Residency under Vijay Iyer, where she met trumpet icon Jeremy Pelt, later joining his quintet. Her second album Built In System (2023) was praised by The Times of London as one of the best jazz and world albums of the year.
Lu’s earlier classical career featured solo recitals at Taipei Novel Hall and acclaimed performances of Ching-Mei Lin’s six-mallet marimba concerto Pulsing Wave, earning recognition as an “Emerging Young Artist” in 2014. This classical sensibility continues to shape her unique sound.
Currently, Lu focuses on CONNECTED with Richie Goods, which has appeared at Monterey Jazz Festival, Stanford Jazz Festival, and Taipei International Percussion Convention. Upcoming highlights include SFJAZZ (2025), the National Concert Hall Jazz Festival in Taiwan (2025), and a new collaboration with the WDR Big Band (2026). CONNECTED Vol. 2 is set for release soon.
Takeshi “TICO” Toki
Steelpan player from Kunitachi City, Tokyo.
As a member of groups such as LITTLE TEMPO, MACROBIOTICTS, Chieko Beauty & Nyahmans, Mame Daifuku, and Timamoo, he continues to perform throughout Japan, sharing the unique sound of the steelpan and spreading its joy to audiences everywhere.
