Lady with the Sunshine Smile

Lady with the Sunshine Smile is the title song of the 8th full-length CD from Mikio Mountain Castle Band. We also have 3 EP’s. All the songs on this CD are original compositions written and arranged by leader Mikio Sankey. Again. the compositions are presented in our Vintage America Music style of music without concern of being confined to writing songs for a particular genre, or for a certain listening audience. The emphasis is to write music that carries a more positive message and lighter vibration, while also leaving enough space for the soloists to be able to weave their own creative spirational expressions into the songs. In this manner, all the musicians will leave their personal imprints within each song. This is the first CD where we have included a couple of strictly instrumental songs. Paper to Strings Pt. 1 is written in a bluesy feeling; while Paper to Strings Pt. 2 is a jazz number. The length of each of the songs in this CD is predicated upon — when the message is finished, the song is done.
Mikio Mountain Castle Band consists of lead vocalists Chris Wonzer and Gretje Angell. The rest of band is made up of Mikio on lead and rhythm guitars, Peter Assing on both tenor and soprano saxophones, Mike Albert on lead guitar, Paul ILL on Fender electric and fretless basses and upright acoustic bass on Lady with the Sunshine Smile with Smile and Paper to Strings Pt. 2Paper 2, plus Ronnie Ciago on drums and percussions. We added guest keyboardist Winston Raval on organ on track 5, piano on track 7 and synthesizer on track 8.