Home ground

This is the first collaborative album between guitarist Yoshiharu Mihara and ukulele player Swingy Sakano, both of whom have long careers in their respective fields. Although they have known each other for many years and each has built numerous achievements in different musical arenas, they recently had the opportunity to perform together. The profound satisfaction they found in their sound led to the creation of this album.
The title Homeground carries meanings such as "home base" or "specialty field." In this first joint work, the two musicians weave sound together in a relaxed and supportive manner, creating a world full of warmth and comfort that makes it hard to believe this is their very first collaboration.
(Incidentally, the photograph used on the album cover is a self-shot by art director Osamu Sasaki, who was in charge of everything from recording to mixing for this project.)

Profiles
Yoshiharu Mihara
Guitarist and producer. Mihara began performing as a jazz guitarist while still a university student, collaborating with renowned artists both in Japan and abroad. He has released many leader albums, and his versatile musicality-ranging across jazz, rock, and ambient-has a distinctive originality.
Beyond performance, he founded a music vocational school to foster younger generations, launched a live house, and produced/appeared in music television programs, leaving a wide range of accomplishments in the entertainment industry. He continues to energetically lead multiple bands while also producing numerous artists, including himself, under his own label, OGD Records.
Swingy Sakano
Jazz ukulele player and leader of the acoustic jazz trio Ukulele Swing Trio. Centered around jazz, the trio has released seven nationwide albums. Their 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th albums were nominated for the International category of the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, often called the "Hawaiian Grammy Awards," with the 2nd album winning Best International Album. His performances in Hawaii have also been highly acclaimed.
He is also active in the jazz unit Ukulele JAZZ Duo, releasing albums in Japan and Taiwan and completing a Taiwan-wide tour. Sakano has appeared on television and radio, including Jazz Live KOBE on NHK Kobe. His music has been featured as background music on NHK's Sunday Art Museum and on commercial Hawaiian TV programs. In 2013, he was a finalist in The Ukulele Contest.