| June Yamagishi | |
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June Yamagishi at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, 2004 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Junshi Yamagishi |
| Born | June 6, 1953 |
| Origin | Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan |
| Genres | R&B, blues, jazz |
| Occupations | musician |
| Instruments | guitar |
| Years active | 1970-present |
| Associated acts | The West Road Blues Band So Bad Revue Chickenshack Band of Pleasure The Wild Magnolias Papa Grows Funk Johnny Vidacovich Trio |
June Yamagishi (山岸 潤史, born Junshi Yamagishi, June 6, 1953, Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan)[1][2] is a Japanese guitarist based in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the guitarist for bands Papa Grows Funk and the Wild Magnolias.
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He has been active in the Japanese blues and jazz scene since the early 1970s. In 1972, he formed the West Road Blues Band in Kyoto along with vocalist Takashi "Hotoke" Nagai, guitarist Shinji Shiotsugu, bassist Tadashi Kobori, and drummer Teruo Matsumoto. The band soon became one of the main acts in then thriving blues scene in the Kansai region.
In 1975, Yamagishi went on to join a soul band named So Bad Revue, and in 1979, he released the first album under his name titled Really?!.[1]
During the 1980s, he played with bands Myx and Chickenshack (a Japanese band different from the British one) and in the 1990s, he formed the Band of Pleasure with guitarist David T. Walker and drummer James Gadson and released three albums before they disbanded.
In 1995, Yamagishi left his well-established career behind in Japan to live in New Orleans where he still lives today. Since he found his home in the Crescent City, he has played with musicians including Earl King, Henry Butler, Davell Crawford, Marva Wright, George Porter, Jr. among many others aside from the two groups he has been a member of.
In 2007, he reunited with West Road Blues Band guitarist Shinji Shiotsugu to record Together Again - Blues in New Orleans. It was an all blues album recorded in New Orleans, with support from the local musicians including John Gros and Marva Wright.
In 2011, he appeared on the HBO series Treme, in the episode "Santa Clause, Do You Ever Get The Blues". He auditioned for the band The Soul Apostles, and after playing "Fire on The Bayou" and "Love and Happiness" was successfully employed.