The evening for Ken ‘SUGARKANE’ Sato
Donation protected
An evening celebrating the life of Ken ‘SUGARKANE’ Sato
[Update]
Hi
Thank you all very much for your kind donations.
The event is finally only a few hours away.
Ken’s wife and daughter arrived in London for 9 night’s stay in the UK on 28th of August.
We started our donation in July, it started rather slow and, to be honest, we were not certain if we would receive any donations at all.
In the meantime, Ken’s wife had decided to fly to London, regardless of the result of the donation. She booked flights and accommodation for her and her daughter, of her own choice.
She scheduled the journey, and paid for everything herself.
We are now so happy that we have reached our target and went even further, however because of the situation in Hong Kong, she had to change her flights that was originally booked with Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airline, and the cost of the flights only came more than £2,600.
After we pay expenses for the event, regrettably, we raised just about half of her flights only.
The £Sterling is weak and money transfer fees didn’t help us either.
She said that most important thing was that make the event successful, and use the donation money for that.
So, we booked a professional filmographer for the night, who will take pictures and film the event.
We will send an update about the night, to all the people including those who has donated but could not be at present, especially all those Ken’s friends in abroad.
After the all expenses are paid, the balance will be donated a charity Ken respected.
We will report to everyone soon as we can.
We have done everything we can to make this happen, and all we can do now is, stand, maybe dance and smile and hope all goes well for Ken tonight.
Peace,
Yuki, Sam ‘MamaSam’ Davis & Steve Wren
アップデート：
とうとう、イベントが明日、に迫って来ました。
この度は、ご寄付にご協力いただき、本当に有難うございました。
企画を持ち上げた6月から、研さんの友人であるイギリス人のスタッフと一緒に、誠心誠意を込めて進め、やっとここまで漕ぎ付きました。
研さんの奥様と娘さんは、8月28日にロンドンへ到着されて、9泊の旅を過ごされています。
実は、出足も遅かった募金は、初めは本当にお金が集まるのかさえも分からず、奥様は、ご自分で渡英を決定され、飛行機もホテルもご自分が選ばれたところを自己負担されて、来英されています。
最初に予約されたキャセイパシフィックの航空券を、香港の情勢の為、後からフィンエアに変更されたこともあり、飛行機代だけでも、34万円以上もかかったそうです。
そんな事情もあり、結果的には私たちの募金では、飛行機代の半分くらいにしかなりませんでした。
結局、お二人の旅費の足しにもなりませんでしたが、イベントを成功させるために役立ててほしい、とおっしゃってくださいましたので、あとは明日のイベントに専念し、当日の模様をちゃんとご報告出来る様な手配に役立てたいと思います。
但し、事前に私達で出来る限りのことは全てして来たつもりですので、後は明日どれだけ、研さんのために集おう、という人が集まるか、正直言って、全く予想出来ず、不安でもあります。
ご寄付いただきましたお金は、イベントでの諸経費、会場での撮影代、その後の編集代等々を差し引いた後、残りは、研さんに相応しいチャリティーを選んで寄付したい、と思っております。
その辺、また後日、ご報告致します。
島原ゆき
On the 13th of May this year, we heard some very sad news, out of the blue, that our friend Ken Sato passed away.
I couldn't quite believe it. I needed to make sure that it was true, I needed verification. I messaged Kens’ wife who is also a friend of mine. She and I hadn’t spoken since the last time we met in Japan 6 years ago.
She confirmed Ken had passed away in March this year, but only now had the courage to announce his passing.
Ken was only 57 years old and died of Pancreatic cancer.
Ken was an A&R man for one of Japan’s biggest music companies AVEX for Black/Urban music, specialising in R&B, Soul, and UK Garage, in the ’90s. He was based in Japan, and I worked for the UK branch of the company.
In the mid-’90s, Ken discovered Elisha La’Verne, UK R&B singer-songwriter, Elisha released five albums under his label. Elisha became one of the most well-known R&B female artist s' in Japan.
Ken also signed Romina Johnson who performed with Artful Dodgers for the track ‘Moving Too Fast’, for her album release in Japan. Ken developed & released other brand-new UK R&B singers, and released UK Garage compilation albums mixed by British Club DJs, and more. Over the years Ken worked with many artists, producers and engineers in the UK and USA, and he especially loved London.
Ken Sato to many was funny, naughty, and witty but very serious about his music. My other half DJ Steve Wren and I, over the years became very good friends with Ken.
At the end of May this year, I had to go to Japan. Whilst there, I was able to meet up with Ken’s wife. We had a long lunch and had a good talk. According to her, the last few years of Ken’s life weren’t happy ones.
He was very caring, but outspoken at the same time. We loved him dearly.
However, his outspokenness and proud of what he’s achieved probably made some of his colleagues in Japan jealous. And, as you know if you are in the industry, there are so many back-stabbers and betrayers.
Ken left the music production section of Avex in 2006 and moved to Avex’s sister music publishing company. Ken was a very creative person with lots of ideas with direction. He may have been very frustrated in his new position in the publishing company that was so different from being A&R and working directly with artists.
He eventually left the company in 2014 and set up his own business, online music streaming app.
Ken had a daughter who was born in the year 2000. She is in the first year of university this year.
When his daughter was little, her dad was so busy travelling around the globe making music and was often away from the home, unfortunately, the dad she knew was, not a happy and vigorous guy we knew in the ’90s and early the 00’s.
Our Ken in our heart was, very caring but outspoken, funny, naughty, witty but very serious about his music, a happy and energetic guy.
So, we are having a party in London to celebrate his life, work, music and the legacy he left behind!
We have Elisha La’Verne plus other guest singers and DJ’s who will perform on the night in the memory of Ken. A lot of people from the music industry who knew and worked with Ken will be invited, plus those who love music that Ken loved are welcome to join us!
The party will be held at The Underdog London (6 minutes’ walk from London Bridge station) on Thursday 5th September, from 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm.
This is where we need a little help!
Our big ambition is that we would like to invite Ken’s wife and daughter to come over and join the party from Japan! Especially his daughter, we want her to know what her dad was doing while he was away from home, how much love he had outside of Japan, and what he’s achieved. She can feel, proud and move forward in life knowing her father did something special.
Although all the artists and DJ’s are performing for free for the love for Ken on the night, we have to pay for hiring the venue and a sound engineer.
So, please help us to raise money. Our target is: £2,305.43
(Venue hire £500 + Sound engineer £60 + Flights for 2 people £1625.43 + 3 nights in Premier Inn £120)
If we hit our target, we will donate it to Ken’s wife to pay for her daughter’s university fee or charity of her choice.
WE THANK YOU in advance and hope to see you in September at the party!
Love,
Yuki Shimahara, with Sam ‘MamaSam’ Davis & DJ Steve Wren xx
[Update]
Hi
Thank you all very much for your kind donations.
The event is finally only a few hours away.
Ken’s wife and daughter arrived in London for 9 night’s stay in the UK on 28th of August.
We started our donation in July, it started rather slow and, to be honest, we were not certain if we would receive any donations at all.
In the meantime, Ken’s wife had decided to fly to London, regardless of the result of the donation. She booked flights and accommodation for her and her daughter, of her own choice.
She scheduled the journey, and paid for everything herself.
We are now so happy that we have reached our target and went even further, however because of the situation in Hong Kong, she had to change her flights that was originally booked with Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airline, and the cost of the flights only came more than £2,600.
After we pay expenses for the event, regrettably, we raised just about half of her flights only.
The £Sterling is weak and money transfer fees didn’t help us either.
She said that most important thing was that make the event successful, and use the donation money for that.
So, we booked a professional filmographer for the night, who will take pictures and film the event.
We will send an update about the night, to all the people including those who has donated but could not be at present, especially all those Ken’s friends in abroad.
After the all expenses are paid, the balance will be donated a charity Ken respected.
We will report to everyone soon as we can.
We have done everything we can to make this happen, and all we can do now is, stand, maybe dance and smile and hope all goes well for Ken tonight.
Peace,
Yuki, Sam ‘MamaSam’ Davis & Steve Wren
アップデート：
とうとう、イベントが明日、に迫って来ました。
この度は、ご寄付にご協力いただき、本当に有難うございました。
企画を持ち上げた6月から、研さんの友人であるイギリス人のスタッフと一緒に、誠心誠意を込めて進め、やっとここまで漕ぎ付きました。
研さんの奥様と娘さんは、8月28日にロンドンへ到着されて、9泊の旅を過ごされています。
実は、出足も遅かった募金は、初めは本当にお金が集まるのかさえも分からず、奥様は、ご自分で渡英を決定され、飛行機もホテルもご自分が選ばれたところを自己負担されて、来英されています。
最初に予約されたキャセイパシフィックの航空券を、香港の情勢の為、後からフィンエアに変更されたこともあり、飛行機代だけでも、34万円以上もかかったそうです。
そんな事情もあり、結果的には私たちの募金では、飛行機代の半分くらいにしかなりませんでした。
結局、お二人の旅費の足しにもなりませんでしたが、イベントを成功させるために役立ててほしい、とおっしゃってくださいましたので、あとは明日のイベントに専念し、当日の模様をちゃんとご報告出来る様な手配に役立てたいと思います。
但し、事前に私達で出来る限りのことは全てして来たつもりですので、後は明日どれだけ、研さんのために集おう、という人が集まるか、正直言って、全く予想出来ず、不安でもあります。
ご寄付いただきましたお金は、イベントでの諸経費、会場での撮影代、その後の編集代等々を差し引いた後、残りは、研さんに相応しいチャリティーを選んで寄付したい、と思っております。
その辺、また後日、ご報告致します。
島原ゆき
On the 13th of May this year, we heard some very sad news, out of the blue, that our friend Ken Sato passed away.
I couldn't quite believe it. I needed to make sure that it was true, I needed verification. I messaged Kens’ wife who is also a friend of mine. She and I hadn’t spoken since the last time we met in Japan 6 years ago.
She confirmed Ken had passed away in March this year, but only now had the courage to announce his passing.
Ken was only 57 years old and died of Pancreatic cancer.
Ken was an A&R man for one of Japan’s biggest music companies AVEX for Black/Urban music, specialising in R&B, Soul, and UK Garage, in the ’90s. He was based in Japan, and I worked for the UK branch of the company.
In the mid-’90s, Ken discovered Elisha La’Verne, UK R&B singer-songwriter, Elisha released five albums under his label. Elisha became one of the most well-known R&B female artist s' in Japan.
Ken also signed Romina Johnson who performed with Artful Dodgers for the track ‘Moving Too Fast’, for her album release in Japan. Ken developed & released other brand-new UK R&B singers, and released UK Garage compilation albums mixed by British Club DJs, and more. Over the years Ken worked with many artists, producers and engineers in the UK and USA, and he especially loved London.
Ken Sato to many was funny, naughty, and witty but very serious about his music. My other half DJ Steve Wren and I, over the years became very good friends with Ken.
At the end of May this year, I had to go to Japan. Whilst there, I was able to meet up with Ken’s wife. We had a long lunch and had a good talk. According to her, the last few years of Ken’s life weren’t happy ones.
He was very caring, but outspoken at the same time. We loved him dearly.
However, his outspokenness and proud of what he’s achieved probably made some of his colleagues in Japan jealous. And, as you know if you are in the industry, there are so many back-stabbers and betrayers.
Ken left the music production section of Avex in 2006 and moved to Avex’s sister music publishing company. Ken was a very creative person with lots of ideas with direction. He may have been very frustrated in his new position in the publishing company that was so different from being A&R and working directly with artists.
He eventually left the company in 2014 and set up his own business, online music streaming app.
Ken had a daughter who was born in the year 2000. She is in the first year of university this year.
When his daughter was little, her dad was so busy travelling around the globe making music and was often away from the home, unfortunately, the dad she knew was, not a happy and vigorous guy we knew in the ’90s and early the 00’s.
Our Ken in our heart was, very caring but outspoken, funny, naughty, witty but very serious about his music, a happy and energetic guy.
So, we are having a party in London to celebrate his life, work, music and the legacy he left behind!
We have Elisha La’Verne plus other guest singers and DJ’s who will perform on the night in the memory of Ken. A lot of people from the music industry who knew and worked with Ken will be invited, plus those who love music that Ken loved are welcome to join us!
The party will be held at The Underdog London (6 minutes’ walk from London Bridge station) on Thursday 5th September, from 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm.
This is where we need a little help!
Our big ambition is that we would like to invite Ken’s wife and daughter to come over and join the party from Japan! Especially his daughter, we want her to know what her dad was doing while he was away from home, how much love he had outside of Japan, and what he’s achieved. She can feel, proud and move forward in life knowing her father did something special.
Although all the artists and DJ’s are performing for free for the love for Ken on the night, we have to pay for hiring the venue and a sound engineer.
So, please help us to raise money. Our target is: £2,305.43
(Venue hire £500 + Sound engineer £60 + Flights for 2 people £1625.43 + 3 nights in Premier Inn £120)
If we hit our target, we will donate it to Ken’s wife to pay for her daughter’s university fee or charity of her choice.
WE THANK YOU in advance and hope to see you in September at the party!
Love,
Yuki Shimahara, with Sam ‘MamaSam’ Davis & DJ Steve Wren xx
Fundraising team (3)
Yuki Shimahara
Organizer
Steve Wren
Team member
Sam MamaSam Davis
Team member
