"An awesome beat creating sound guru who is forever innovative in his approach to music" creating hand reared organic electronica-lounge on a bed of lighty grilled beats, This isn't just music, this is Yamasaki's music.

Yamasaki blends the sounds of; funk, soul, big-beat, and jazz, to create his lounge trip-hop style. Any of the Yamasaki tracks could be the soundtrack to a summer vacation. Imagine a consistently lounge sounding version of Fat Boy Slim, but signed to Ninja Tunes, then you might be somewhere close to knowing what Yamasaki sounds like. (as featured in just like music )

"From the toybox intro's to the funky breaks...Lemon Jelly eat your ambient heart out". (Tom Mayhem)

I am writer, producer and solo artist Tom Edwards best known as Yamasaki. 2006 & 2007 saw the Yamasaki released on an unsuspecting world releasing albums and EP's with both Just Joe Records and Criminal Recordz. As Yamasaki I have continued to build momentum, working with many great artists along the way (such as Emeson, Echo Armande, Mr Spin, the mighty Hiperik and Children of  a New Jazz Era) defining my sound and moving onwards and upwards. 2006 saw the release of my debut EP Deep Six and 2007 has seen the release of my first CD Boston Neck to rave reviews. Yamasaki has enjoyed album releases with the independent labels Criminal Recordz and Just Joe as well as achieving underground acclaim and radio play in 3 continents (including having his tracks feature on Scott Mills show as well as Colin Murray's "Black Hole" on BBC Radio 1). The Yamasaki sound is not to be pigeon-holed, its a funked up, ambient explosion of  lounge classics, "steeped in the greats, but also intrinsically linked to the lure of  Jazz and Funk. Yamasaki takes the sterling early nineties work of the Acid Jazz label and builds upon it yet again" (Robert McNamara, Redtrackmusic).
"Yamasaki blends the sounds of funk, soul, big-beat, and jazz, into tracks that seriously make you want to get up and groove along with the beat. Any of the Yamasaki tracks could be the soundtrack to a summer vacation. His music seamlessly blends jazz, soul, and big beat breaks into tracks that seriously make you want to get up and groove along with the beats. Save on that vacation to the Bahamas by simply buying a Yamasaki track, loading it into your iPod, throwing on your headphones, standing in a sandbox, and youll swear you were in the tropics". (as featured in spacecadetz.com).


 

 

 
Album Review
Yamasaki- Boston Neck
Taking his queue from jazz, soul and Funk, Portsmouth's Tom Edwards, better known as instrumental artist Yamasaki, has made a debut album of diverse, modern and curious sounds. Album opener and title track 'Boston Neck' tips it's hat to John Coltrane's 'Ole' with it's deep upright bass and forward moving momentum. It's an agreeable induction to a record full of nuggets such as this.
It's not hard to hear Yamasaki's influences on this record yet he doesn't fall into the trap of imitation. The Herbie Hancock like 'Crown St.' with it's jaunty piano is embellished with some funky fuzz bass and serves to update rather than compliment. It's a theme that runs through Boston Neck and keeps it vibrant and fresh. While the sounds are steeped in the greats like Hancock, Coltrane and Gil Scott- Heron they are also intrinsically linked to the lure of modern Jazz and Funk. It takes the sterling early nineties work of the Acid Jazz label ( Where luminaries such as Jamiroquai, The James Taylor Quartet and Mother Earth laid the foundations for a resurgence in a widespread appreciation of early seventies Funk ) and builds upon it yet again.
The echoed guitar on 'Jojo' turns the album 180 degrees and throws in some soulful flute and joyous ivory tinkling for good measure. It's engaging stuff and as the album progresses it becomes more apparent how original this work is. It's an admirable trait. Around every piano riff and chord change is something new, something to keep you hooked. Take 'Mexico' for example, it turns many musical corners and it's honestly one of the most dynamic piece's of music I've heard in a while. 'My Friend the Cat' is subtle and simplistic yet creates an excellent moment on the album with just duelling acoustic and electric guitars.
It would be lazy to call Yamasaki lounge as the grooves emanating from 'Boston Neck' are far too efflorescent. Never for a second is any of these instrumentals daunted by the absence of lyrics, in-fact it would be a misapplication to include any as this music is taking you somewhere where words are not needed. 'Me, my Dad and the Van the Man' is a sparkling slice of Funk laden with wonderful furnishments and samples. It's almost futuristic.
We still haven't reached the album zenith however and we only arrive there with the closing tracks 'Bought and Sold' and 'Copper Blue' , two musical suites brimming with sophistication and the variations in tone that make this recording so enduring. There's much to admire here, 'Boston Neck' is an extremely mature and full record.
Robert McNamara redtrackmusic.com

review deep six ep
His music seamlessly blends jazz, soul, and big beat breaks into tracks that seriously make you want to get up and groove along with the beats. Save on that vacation to the Bahamas by simply buying a Yamasaki track, loading it into your iPod, throwing on your headphones, standing in a sandbox, and youll swear you were in the tropics.

as featured in spacecadetz.com

review deep six ep
Yamasaki blends the sounds of; funk, soul, big-beat, and jazz, to create his lounge trip-hop style. Any of the Yamasaki tracks could be the soundtrack to a summer vacation. Imagine a consistently lounge sounding version of Fat Boy Slim, but signed to Ninja Tune, then you might be somewhere close to knowing what Yamasaki sounds like.

as featured in just like music