''Sunshine Moonlight'' is the eighth studio album of Japanese singer

Toshinobu Kubota is a Japanese singer, songwriter, musician, music producer, and radio personality. He has produced six million-seller records and thirty-three Top 40 singles during his career. Kubota is currently part of Sony Music Japan. In addition, he has co ...

, released on September 5, 1995. The album credited under the name, Toshi Kubota. This was also Kubota's first English-language album. The album's musical style ranges from 1980s–90s R&B and pop to funk elements such go-go. Synth instrumentation was not employed in recording most of the song as the album contains live instrumentation. In 1996, Kubota released a follow-up album, '' La La La Love Thang'', and proceed with his tour, which was titled Oyeees! Tour.

Recording and production

Kubota began working on the project in 1995. After the release of his previous album "Bumpin' Voyage" in January 1995, Kubota returned the studio to begin recording a new album. Songs from " Bumpin' Voyage" were re-recorded and mastered for the "Sunshine, Moonlight" album. The songs that were re-recorded were "DJ Fonk / Funk It Up", "6 to 8 / My Love (6 to 8)", "Too Lite 2 Do / Too Light to Do", "Sunshine, Moonlight", "Kimi Wa Nani O Miteru / Oh Honey", "Not Yet! / Ain't Nobody", and "Tawawa Hit Parade". Kubota also wrote and recorded new songs for the project which include "Holding You", "Jam With Me", "Angel", "Get It Together", and "Nice & Ez". In addition to producing, Kubota also enlisted in the production team of Kim Burse, William Burke, Camus Mare Celli, Israel Embry, Kaz Hayashida, Ralph MacDonald, Rex Rideout, William Salter, D'Wayne Wiggins, and

Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He is known for having several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Grandma's Hands" (1971), "Use Me ( ...

. All the song were written or co-written by Kubota except the song " Just the Two of Us".

Release and promotion

On September 5, 1995, Kubota released his eighth album "Sunshine, Moonlight", which is his first English album. The album was also Kubota's first international release outside Japan. The album peaked number one on the Oricon Albums chart and sold over a half of million units.Toshi Kubota Interview
Hip Online. Retrieved on May 19, 2012

Singles

The album's lead single " Funk It Up" was released in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in August 1995. A music video was shot for the single. On October 21, 1995, Kubota released a maxi-single EP "Funk It Up / Nice & EZ". The singles charted at number ninety-one on the Oricon Singles chart. In June 1996, the second single " Just the Two of Us", a duet with

Caron Wheeler Caron Melina Wheeler (born 19 January 1963) is a British singer, songwriter, record producer and musician. Born and raised in London, she performed in various singing competitions as a teenager and began her recording career as one of the found ...

, was also released in the United States. Kubota and Wheeler shot a music video for their rendition of the song. The single charted at number thirty on the Oricon Singles chart.

Tours

In 1996, Kubota began the Oyeees! Tour. The tour was to promote the albums "Bumpin' Voyage", "Sunshine, Moonlight", and "La La La Love Thang". This was Kubota's first nationwide tour, which lasted for the remainder of 1996. During his performance at Yoyogi Daiichi Taiikukan in 1996, the show was filmed and released on VHS and DVD on March 1, 1997.

Track listing

# " Funk It Up" # " Just the Two of Us" (featuring

) # "Too Light to Do" # "Holding You" # "Jam With Me" # "Angel" # "Get It Together" # "Nice & EZ" # "My Love (6 to 8)" # "Oh Honey" # "Sunshine, Moonlight" # "PaLaLeYa" # "Ain't Nobody" # "Tawawa Hit Parade"

Personnel

Tawatha Agee Tawatha Agee (born November 14, 1954) is an American vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in ''The New York Times'' as an "acrobatic, gospel-charged soprano." She was the lead singer of funk and soul band Mtume; her soulful lead ...

: Vocals (Background) * Alex Alexander: Drums, Performer * Larry Alexander: Engineer * Louis Alfred III: Engineer * Ben Arrindell: Assistant Engineer * Herb Besson: Performer, Primary Artist, Trombone *

Chris Botti Christopher Stephen Botti ( ; born October 12, 1962) is an American trumpeter and composer. In 2013, Botti won the Grammy Award in the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album, Best Pop Instrumental Album category, for the album Impressions ...

: Guest Artist, Performer, Primary Artist, Trumpet * Randy Bowland: Guitar, Performer, Primary Artist *

Michael Brauer Michael H. Brauer is an American mix engineer. Career He received a Grammy for "Best Pop Vocal Album" for his work on John Mayer's '' Continuum'', "Best Alternative Album" for Coldplay's '' Parachutes'', and also "Best Rock Album" for Coldplay' ...

: Mixing * David Bright: Performer, Primary Artist, Vocoder *

Gerry Brown Gerald E. "The Gov" Brown (also known as Gerry Brown; born 1958) is a recording engineer, mixer and music producer based in Los Angeles, best known for his work with artists including Whitney Houston, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, ...

: Mixing * Mark Burdett: Art Direction, Design * William Burke: Keyboards, Primary Artist, Producer, Programming * Kim Burse: Composer, MC, Primary Artist, Vocals (Background) * Mike Campbell: Guest Artist, Guitar, Performer, Primary Artist * Jean Carbain: Design Assistant *

Joi Cardwell Joi Cardwell (born October 8, 1967) is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she performed in various singing competitions as a child and rose to fame in the early 1990s as a guest vocalist for Lil Louis on the num ...

: Guest Artist, Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals (Background) * Camus Mare Celli: Composer, Keyboards, Performer, Primary Artist, Producer, Programming *

Gordon Chambers Gordon Anthony Chambers (c. 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer who has written songs for more than 75 recording artists including Angie Stone, Yolanda Adams, The Isley Brothers, Brandy, Trey Songz, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBell ...

: Composer, Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals (Background) * Christian: Performer, Primary Artist * Robin Clark: Vocals (Background) * Eric Cody: Primary Artist * Martin Czembor: Assistant Engineer * Tim Donovan: Assistant Engineer * Israel Embry: Keyboards, Performer, Primary Artist, Producer, Programming * Mike Fisher: Assistant Engineer * Lolly Grodner: Engineer * Mick Guzauski: Mixing *

Omar Hakim Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American drummer, producer, arranger and composer. His session work covers jazz, jazz fusion, and pop music. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Chic, Sting, Madonna, Dire S ...

: Drums, Guest Artist, Performer, Primary Artist * Andricka Hall: Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals (Background) * Kaz Hayashida: Associate Producer * Hiroshi Inagaki: Producer * John James: Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals (Background) * Bashiri Johnson: Percussion, Performer, Primary Artist * Steve Kroon: Percussion, Performer, Primary Artist * Toshi Kubota: Composer, Performer, Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals (Background) * Mark Ledford: Performer, Primary Artist, Trumpet * Ralph MacDonald: Composer * Andy Marvel: Keyboards, Performer, Primary Artist, Producer, Programming *

Tony Maserati Tony Maserati is an American record producer and audio engineer specializing in mixing. He was involved in the development of the New York R&B and hip-hop scene in the 1990s, working with Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, and Queen ...

: Mixing * Steve McLoughlin: Engineer * Vladimir Meller: Assistant Engineer * Jeff Mironov: Performer, Primary Artist, Sitar (Electric) * Dave O'Donnell: Engineer * Leonard Pickett: Performer, Primary Artist, Saxophone * Rex Rideout: Keyboards, Performer, Primary Artist, Producer, Programming *

Nile Rodgers Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, songwriter, guitarist and record producer. The co-founder of Chic, he has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 750 million albums and 1 ...

: Guest Artist, Guitar, Performer, Primary Artist * William Salter: Composer * John Seymour: Assistant Engineer * Terry T.: Performer, Primary Artist, Synthesizer Bass * Chris Theis: Assistant Engineer * Thorn: Performer, Primary Artist *

Fonzi Thornton Alfonso "Fonzi" Thornton is an American vocalist, songwriter, producer and vocal contractor. In a career spanning 40 years, Thornton has sung backing vocals for top artists across many genres of music. His vocal credits can be found on the re ...

: Vocals (Background) * Audrey Wheeler: Guest Artist, Performer, Primary Artist, Vocals (Background) *

: Guest Artist, Performer, Primary Artist * D'Wayne Wiggins: Bass, Composer, Guest Artist, Guitar, Keyboards, Performer, Primary Artist, Producer, Programming, Vocals (Background) *

: Composer

References

{{Authority control 1995 albums Toshinobu Kubota albums Columbia Records albums