Hip Hop News: Kay Sakaguchi – Maximum Potential ft. George Clinton, Macy Gray, and India.Arie (2024)

Check it out as world-renowned bass player Kay Sakaguchi delivers an eclectic mix of music for her 10-track odessey Maximum Potential. Additionally featuring the talents of George Clinton, Macy Gray, and India.Arie this funky effort pulls together talents from across the globe to deliver a sonically gifted pulse of energy that listeners will feel to their core. Pouring R&B melodies over funky bass lines with dashes of new jack swing, this project will surely soothe the ears of some of music’s most dignified palettes. 

Kay Sakaguchi was influenced early on as a high school student listening to funk records from the 1970’s, drawing inspiration specifically from Larry Graham’s style of thumping and slapping. 

When I was a high school student, I used to listen to Sly and the Family Stone.  The bassist of the group, Larry Graham’s style of playing was very unique and inspiring,” Kay Sakaguchi explained. “His technique of thumping and slapping the bass completely overturned the simple bass style I had been used to and I was hooked.　 Soon after, I formed a band and entered a contest, which we won. The exhilaration and satisfaction I felt after my first performance on stage, as well as the smiles, excitement, and joy of the audience, made me realize that I wanted to make this my life’s work.”

Combining an eclectic mix of musicians and performers, Kay Sakaguchi says being close to the sounds of JPBeatz helped in surrounding her with the talent to make this effort come together. 

“Being familiar from the beginning and close to the sound of JPbeatz, I wondered if I could somehow apply his career and production skills to my own solo album, and last year the recording process finally began,” Kay Sakaguchi said.  “I am surrounded by talented singers, engineers, and musicians, all of whom have been instrumental in the process. We were also very lucky to get India Arie, George Clinton and Macy Gray’s acapella and other talented singers and musicians on our album.” 

Going forward, Kay is looking forward to radio interviews and a performance in Tokyo to culminate the release of the effort. 

“We will be on several radio interviews that will be broadcast in Japan in the coming seasons. In summer we will have a release concert in Tokyo, featuring several guest singers. In the fall, the group las oceanas with singers from Orquesta de la Luz will be touring in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, where I will play bass.”