*** Welcome to piglix ***

Toshinobu Kubota

Toshinobu Kubota
Native name 久保田 利伸
Also known as Toshi Kubota, Funky Kubota
Born (1962-07-24) 24 July 1962 (age 54)
Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Origin Kanbara, Shizuoka, Japan
Genres R&B, pop, go-go, soul, funk, blues, reggae, old skool, jazz, dance, neo soul, psychedelia
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, actor, radio personality
Instruments Vocals, piano, keyboard, guitar, drums, percussion
Years active 1981–present
Labels Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Mastersix Foundation
Associated acts Kreva, Lynn Davis, Misia, Joi Cardwell, Angie Stone, Caron Wheeler, Mos Def, SunMin
Website www.funkyjam.com/artist/kubota

Toshinobu "Toshi" Kubota (久保田 利伸 Kubota Toshinobu?, born 24 July 1962) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, musician, music producer, and radio personality. Toshinobu Kubota has produced six million-seller records and thirty-three Top 40 singles during his career. He is currently part of Sony Music Japan. In addition, Kubota has composed and written songs for many singers including Iwasaki Hiromi, Misia, Toshinori Yonekura, Koizumi Kyoko, and many other recording artists.

Kubota's musical genre has varied throughout his career including R&B, Go-go, soul, funk, blues, reggae, old skool, psychedelia, jazz, and pop. His artistic influences include Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and Sly Stone. Kubota has pioneered in the sound "Japanese hip hop" and "Japanese soul", an amalgam of funk, pop, R&B and go that has influenced many other musicians.

Kubota has a tenor and falsetto vocal range and is known for his signature songs "Dance If You Want It", "Missing", "Love Rain (Koi no Ame)", "You Were Mine", "Give You My Love", and "La La La Love Song", which was the theme song of the television drama Long Vacation. Kubota has a total of seventeen studio albums and ten compilation albums. He is among the all-time best-selling Japanese music artists, having sold over 16 million records worldwide to date.


...
Wikipedia

...