[4] It was written in The Japan Times that she "made her name in 1970" with The World of Maki Asakawa and is known for songs like "Yo ga Aketara" and "Kamome", as well as for the Darkness collections.

[6] Ben Ratliff wrote, "Some of the most intense recordings she made were English-language covers or Japanese rewrites of American jazz standards, blues songs, and spirituals, backed by only acoustic guitar and drums.

"[7] Born in Mikawa (now part of the city of Hakusan), Ishikawa Prefecture, after graduating high school she worked as a teller in the local national pensions office before moving to Tokyo.

Influenced by the styles of Mahalia Jackson and Billie Holiday, she began her career singing at US Army bases and cabarets.

After appearing in a series of concerts organized by underground playwright Shuji Terayama in 1968, she signed with Toshiba, now EMI Music Japan, and released the popular songs, 夜が明けたら (Yo ga aketara; At the Break of Dawn) and かもめ (Kamome; Gull) in 1969.