Toshiyuki Honda - Burnin' Waves

Year : 1978
Label : King Records
Serie : Electric Bird
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

Toshiyuki Honda is a jazz saxophonist, best known as composer & arranger of various japanese animated movies soundtracks such as "Metropolis" directed by Rin Taro in 2001 or "Nasu : Summer in Andalusia" in 2003. He started as a leader, in the middle of the seventies, recording under the "Toshiyuki Honda & The Burning Waves" name, a five albums serie released on japanese fusion jazz label "Electric Bird" whose "Burnin' Waves" was the first. The Burning Waves band is based on the core of the american fusion group, "Seawind", featuring Pauline Wilson, Larry Williams, Jerry Hey & Bud Nuanez. Titles include various styles from Jazz Funk (Burnin' Waves & Thunder Kiss) to Samba fusion (You Blow My Heart Away, São Paulo, 747 Wind Flight), passing by Afro-Cuban Jazz ("Havana Candy" feat. Pauline Wilson). All tracks arranged & conducted by Chikara Ueda.

MUSICIANS : Toshiyuki Honda - alto & soprano saxophone, flute - Eiji Arai - trombone - Tadaomi 'Pepe' Anai - percussion - Bob Wilson - drums, percussion - Larry Williams - keyboards, percussion - Jerry Hey - trumpet, fluegelhorn, percussion - Gary Herbig - alto, tenor saxophone, alto flute - Ken Wild - bass - Bud Nuanez - guitar

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Mikio "Mickey" Masuda - Corazón

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Year : 1978
Label : King Records
Serie : Electric Bird
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Smooth Jazz, Jazz Funk

"Corazon" is a Jazz Funk album including Latin music by keyboardist Mikio Masuda featuring top amercican jazz musicians among the bassist Anthony Jackson, drummer Bernard 'Pretty' Purdie, percussionist Sammy Figueroa & arranger David Matthews. Released on the japanese fusion jazz label Electric Bird, it was the first Masuda's album recorded outside Japan at the famous Electric Lady studios in New York. Titles include the latin funk "Corazón", Sadao Watanabe's tune "Samba Em Praia", the caribbean vibe "Ride On The Donkey", "Another Rainy Day In New York City"/"Love Talkin" played in the pure Bob James style, and a variation of the Masuda's classic "Let's Get Together" on a disco beat. All tracks arranged & conducted by David Matthews.

Shunzo Ohno - Antares

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Year : 1980
Label : King Records

Serie : Electric Bird
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Afro-Cuban Jazz

Second album by japanese trumpeter Shunzo Ohno released for the japanese fusion jazz label "Electric Bird", recorded at the famous Electric Lady studio, New York, featuring iconic Miles Davis' bassist, Marcus Miller. Antares is a typical jazz-funk album to the Afro-Cuban accents with amazing heavy funk grooves including explosive slapping bass (Low East Side, Rum Raisin) and dynamic Latin bongo-drums breaks (Bright Side, Antares). All tracks composed by Shunzo Ohno except "Rainbow Lovers" composed by Kazuko Ohno.

Shunzo Ohno - Quater Moon

Year : 1979
Label : King Records
Serie : Electric Bird
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Fusion, Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz

"Quater Moon" was recorded at the famous Electric Lady studios in New York featuring american musicians including Marcus Miller, Carter Jefferson and Kenny Kirkland. Shunzo Ohno is a japanese trumpeter who played, recorded and toured with various renowned jazz figures such as Gil Evans, Herbie Hancock or Wayne Shorter. In the late sixties, Shunzo was enrolled by drummer Takeshi Inomata in his Jazz Rock band, The Sound Limited, he has only 19 years old. In the early seventies, Shunzo evolved in various groups like the Soul Media of saxophonist Jiro Inagaki, was sideman for drummer George Otsuka, and formed in 1972, his first jazz quartet featuring pianist Mikio Masuda. Settled in New York since 1974, after a tour throughout the US with Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, he regularly played alongside others american musicians among drummer Roy Haynes, bassist Reggie Lucas, and within the Machito & His Afro Cuban Orchestra on stage. Shunzo recorded his first US leader album "Something's Coming" in 1975, and gains visibility from the Jazz Funk album "Bubbles" in 1976. Titles include only compositions arranged by Shunzo Ohno.

MUSICIANS : Shunzo Ohno - trumpet, flugelhorn & mini moog - Carter Jefferson - trumpet & saxophone - Kenny Kirkland & Onaje Allan Gumbs - keyboards - Marcus Miller - electric bass - Jeff Laton - guitar - Sue Evans - congas, percussion -  Victor Louis - drums

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