A trio of albums from Hiroshima – collected together in one 2CD set! First up is Third Generation – a real breakout album for Hiroshima – and a set that seems to show up in just about every collection of vintage fusion albums we look at! The set's the group's third, as you might guess from the title – and it's got the Hiroshima quintet sliding together in a perfect groove – soulful fusion that's maybe got a strong Cali vibe, but which occasionally has a few exotic touches on the instrumentation – all handled in a style that's kind of an 80s update of the Japanese soul fusion mode of the late 70s. Rhythms are electric at a few points, but their offset by some koto, shamisen, and nice use of flutes and saxes by leader Dan Kuramoto – on titles that include "
Heavenly Angel", "We Are", "Ren", "From The Heart", "Sukoshi Bit", "Long Walks", and "Distant Thoughts". Another Place is a record that definitely has Hiroshima taking their origins seriously – as although the album's still got the same fusion vibe as before, it almost seems to step up even more Japanese elements too! The rhythms are maybe a bit more programmed than in the past, but the album also makes use of wood flutes, koto, taiko, shamisen, and other Japanese instrumentation – and features some occasional vocals from June Kuramoto too – all in a slinky fusion style with a slight eastern current. Titles include "One Wish", "Save Yourself For Me", "I Do Remember", "The Game", "Undercover", and "What's It To Ya". On Go, Hiroshima are maybe moving a bit far from the fusion of their roots – but the overall sound here is still sweetly electric, and served up in a nice mix of eastern and western styles! If anything, the group seem even more focused on melody – not in a commercial way, but using more stripped-down instrumentation at times to focus on the special
sweetness created in the compositions of leader/
reedman Dan Kuramoto – who also plays keyboards and even a bit of shakuhachi on the album. There's vocals on the set – sung lead and soulfully by Barbara Long – but the main focus is instrumental, and titles include "Go", "I've Been Here Before", "311", "Obon", "No 9", "Why Can't I Love You", and "Hawaiian Electric".