Recorded the same year as the legendary Osaka Bridge was released, “Bill Wells Presents” is a document of a life changing tour of Scotland and its Highlands by Bill Wells and his friends Kazumi Nikaido, KAMA AINA, Maher Shalal Hash Baz and Tenniscoats. Brought together via Stephen Pastels’ Geographic Records, “Bill Wells Presents” is a reminder of the life affirming musical relationships that can form with the support of labels and funding bodies who act with open minds and hearts. “Bill Wells Presents” contains a condensed version of the Scottish tour, featuring previously unrecorded music from KAMA AINA, Kazumi Nikaido and new compositions written on the occasion of the Scottish tour by Tori Kudo.

“Kazumi Nikaido was introduced to me by way of Koki Yahata who was working for the Japanese label P-Vine who had released Also In White (Geographic, 2002). When I toured Japan with Maher Shalal Hash Baz in 2004 Nikaido joined for a couple of the dates and also appeared on GOK (Geographic, 2009). When I first heard her he thought that she was a remarkable artist and mesmerising performer. Similarly, I met Takuji (KAMA AINA) while on the same tour; we did some recording together and he also played and recorded as part of the band in Tokyo. I knew about him previously as we were both on Stephen Pastel’s Geographic Records.

That was also how I met and got to know the Kudo family and Tenniscoats. Regarding the music; this record is an attempt to make a condensed version of the full show that was played nightly on the Scottish tour. Everyone played different sets each night, though some were more different than others. However, as far as I know, the CD features the only recording (at Wick) of pieces which Tori wrote for Maher Shalal Hash Baz while on that tour.” - Bill Wells 

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Kazumi Nikaido - guitar, vocals
Takuji Aoyagi - vocals, banjo guitar, percussion, bass
Saya - vocals, keyboards, piano
Ueno Takashi - guitar
Reiko Kudo - vocals
Tori Kudo - keyboards, piano, guitar, vocals
Namio Kudo - drums, percussion (Tolbooth)
Mitch Mitchell - drums, percussion (Aberdeen & Wick)
Robert Henderson - trumpet (Tolbooth)
Bill Wells - keyboards, piano, bass

Tracks 1, 4,5, 10-14 & 23 recorded by Dave Lewis at the Tolbooth, Stirling on 13.4.2006
Tracks 3, 9 & 21 recorded by Bill Wells at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen on 16.4. 2006
Tracks 2, 6-8, 15-20 & 22 recorded by Bill Wells at Lyth Arts Centre, Wick on 21.4.2006
Tracks 1-3 written by Kazumi Nikaido
Tracks 4, 6 written by Takuji Aoyagi
Track 5 written by John Oxenham
Tracks 7, 9, 10, 11 written by Saya & Ueno Takashi
Track 9 Trad arr. Saya & Ueno Takashi
Tracks 13 ,14 written by Reiko Kudo
Tracks 12, 15- 21 written by Tori Kudo
Track 22 written by Bill Wells
Track 23 written by Reiko Kudo & Bill Wells

Cover image by Jad Fair, design by Hannah Marine.

Thanks to Jackie Shearer, Wendy Niblock, John the bus driver, Alasdair Campbell, William Wilson, Evan Henderson, Gordon Maclean, Koji Saito, Koji Shibuya and Thorsten Lütz.

Bill Wells acknowledges the support from the Scottish Art Council’s ‘Tune Up’ award scheme.