Toshiaki Yokota & The Beat Generation - Elévation

 

Year : 2019/1970

Label : Deep Jazz Reality/Express
Serie : Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz

Style : Jazz Rock, Soul Jazz, Psychedelic Rock

The first master stroke of The Beat Generation, lead by the iconic japanese flutist Toshiaki Yokota from the Takeshi Inomata's  Sound Limited and Love Live Life. Arranged by the japanese jazz master Masahiko Satoh, it features Takeshi Inomata (ds), Hideo Ichikawa (keys), Jun Suzuki (eb), Sadanori Nakamure (eg) & Larry Sunaga (perc), all supported by strings ensemble. Unlike their following album, the experimental "Flute Adventure" released the next year, "Elévation" is more a mainstream record to the baroque pop occured by the Ichikawa's harpsichord play and chamber music (Easy To Be Hard), soul jazz (What'd I Say) and psychedelic pop styles (And When I Die). Titles include also compositions by Toshiaki Yokota (Elevation pt1&2, On The Road), Takeshi Inomata (Curved Navel) & Hideo Ichikawa (How Long Have I Been Waiting For You).

Yuji Ohno - Space Kid

Year : 1978
Label : CBS
Serie : Master Sound 76
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Disco, Smooth Jazz

"Space Kid" is a concept album which prefigures the future sound of You & The Explosion Band, formed for the original soundtrack of "Lupin The 3rd". Indeed, some sounds seem to us familiar, various soundscapes have been used in the serie and in particular the moog synthesizer effects heard in the "Cagliostro No Shiro" movie (1979). The core of You & Explosion Band is based on the rhythm section featuring Akira Okazawa, Tsunehide Matsuki, Yasushi Ichihara, Pepe Anai & Larry Sunaga, supported by horn section feat. Jake H. Conception & the Suzuki Group (strings). Tiltes include the disco funk song "Space Kid", a variation on the "Mayflower" recording taken from "Electro Keyboard Orchestra", where accoustic piano replaces moog synthesizer, two featurings with brazilian songtress Sonia Rosa (Never More, Dancing Raccoon) and the latin funk "Solar Samba". All tracks composed, arranged & recorded by Yuji Ohno.

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno - keyboards - Kazushi Sugihara - synthesizer programmer - Akira Okazawa & Kenji Takamizu - bass - Tsunehide Matsuki - guitar -Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Pepe Anai, Larry Sunaga & Fujio Saitoh - percussion - Jake H. Conception - saxophone - Sonia Rosa - vocal

Hiromasa Suzuki - High-Flying

Year : 2016/1976

Label : Deep Jazz Reality/Nippon Columbia

Serie : HMV Project Re:Vinyl

Genre : Jazz

Style : Jazz Funk

The crossover jazz masterpiece "High Flying" ws reissued for the HMV Japan stores by  the Yusuke Ogawa's Deep Jazz Reality. Recorded by master Hiromasa "Colgen" Suzuki (one leader of the post-jazz rock era during the seventies in Japan), "High Flying" was produced by Jiro Inagaki, the man who was the footbridge between Jazz Rock and Jazz Funk periods, with his group the Soul Media. Suzuki was an actives guest member of the Jiro Inagaki's band, collaborating on several records, in charge of arrangements and compositions on the "Funky Stuff" album recorded in 1974. "High-Flying" brings together some best players of the japanese Fusion scene as keyboardist Jun Fukamachi, guitarist Kiyoshi Sugimoto or drummer Shuichi "Ponta" Murakami. Titles include the disco-funk tracks "Scramble", "Straight Flash", "Between O&M" (reminiscence of the Herbie Hancock style including amazing bass line) and "Out Of Focus" featuring scat songtress Kayoko Ishu from Singers Three, selected by Kyoto Jazz Massive for their "Shibuya Jazz Classics - Kyoto Jazz Massive Collection" compilation. All tracks composed and arranged by Hiromasa Suzuki.

MUSICIANS : Hiromasa Suzuki & Jun Fukamachi - keyboards, synthesizer, piano - Jiro Inagaki - saxophones, flute - Akira Okazawa & Kenji Takamizu - electric bass - Fujimaru Yoshino, Kiyoshi Sugimoto & Masayoshi Takanaka - electric guitar - Shuichi Murakami - drums - Larry Sunaga - percussion - Kayoko Ishu - vocal

Toshiaki Yokota, Primitive Community ~ Primitive Community

 

Year : 2013/1971

Label : Think! Records/Toshiba
Genre : Jazz, Folk
Style : Jazz Rock  

"Primitive Community" (Genshi Kyodotai) is a collective especially formed for a mystical project out from the Yoshiaki Yokota's mind. In the same way of his previous project "Flute Adventure" by The Beat Generation, ranging from Free Jazz to Rock by Folk, it consists of a sophisticated avant-garde fusion, a kind of theatrical play speaking in ethnic music with African inspirations including psychedelia, hypnotic tribal percussions, fuzz guitar & acid organ. Titles include only originals compositions arranged by Yokota plus one cover of The Beatles ("Flying"). It features Toshiaki Yokota (indian, alto & bass flute), Shunzo Ohno (trumpet), Yusuke Hoguchi (Hammond organ), Kimio Koizumi (eb), Kimio Mizutani (eg), Chito Kawachi (ds), Tadaomi Anai, Larry Sunaga & Yoshinori Nohmi on percussions.

Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalo - Uganda (Dawn Of African Rock)

Year : 1972
Label : Toshiba Records
Genre : Jazz, Rock
Style : Jazz Rock, Afrobeat

No need to introduce the best known and most iconic record of Akira Ishikawa & his progressive Jazz Rock Band, the Count Buffalos, in quartet formation featuring avant-garde guitarist Kimio Mizutani, bassist Hideaki Chihara &percussionist Larry Sunaga. The hypnotic "Uganda" was composed by saxophonist Takeru Muraoka (also in charge of arrangements), is a kind of stage play in four acts (Wanyamana Mapambazuko, Na Tu Penda Sana, Vita & Pigmy) that could have been produced in East Africa including Afrobeat, Progressive Rock and free forms of drum beats. All drums & percussions sounds arranged & composed by Akira Ishikawa.

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Count Buffalos - Emergency

Year : 1976
Label : Toshiba
Serie : Pro-Use Direct Cutting Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Fusion

"Emergency" is a jazz funk album recorded by drummer Akira Ishikawa featuring his Count Buffalos band and the japanese Funk/Soul songstress Tan-Tan. As on "Get Up!", his previous album, "Emergency" was arranged by pianist Hiromasa 'Colgen' Suzuki & guitarist Takao Naoi, incorporating some disco-beats and including the same line-up with saxophonist Takeru Muraoka and keyboardist Hideo Ichikawa, among others. Hiromasa Suzuki composed the opening disco-funk "Yama-To-Mizu", while others titles include the "Drum Solo" performed by Akira Ishikawa, cover songs featuring Tan-Tan ("Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" by James Taylor, "I've Never Found A Man" in the pure disco style by Esther Phillips) and the Galper Hal's "Phases".

MUSICIANS : Akira Ishikawa - drums - Hiromasa Suzuki & Hideo Ichikawa - keyboards - Masaoki Terakawa - bass - Takao Naoi - guitar - Larry Sunaga - percussion - Takeru Muraoka & Masao Suzuki - saxophones - Koji Hatori - trumpet - Eji Arai - trombone

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Jiro Inagaki & His Friends - Funky Best

Year : 1975
Label : Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

Cover album of heavy funk dedicated to the Boogie-Funk featuring saxophonist Jiro Inagaki, arranger Hiromasa Suzuki, keyboardist Kentaro Haneda, bassist Isao Eto, percussionist Larry Sunaga & japanese singer Akira Yasuda from Akira Yasuda & Beat Folk. "Funky Best" brings together various songs from the grooviest american Funk/Soul bands from the seventies among others, Billy Preston (Outa Space), Stevie Wonder (Living For The City), Kool & The Gang (Jungle Boogie, Funky Stuff), B.T. Express (Express), The Commodores (Machine Gun) or Sly & The Family Stone (Loose Booty). Arranged by Hiromasa Suzuki and Jiro Inagaki.

MUSICIANS : Akira Yasuda - vocal & keyboards - Jiro Inagaki - tenor & soprano saxophone, flute - Kentaro Haneda - keyboards & syntheziser - Hiroshi Yasukawa & Tada Isamu - guitar - Isao Eto & Minami Masayuki - bass - Koji Takeda & Jun Kiguchi - drums - Larry Sunaga - percussion

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Toshiaki Yokota & The Beat Generation - Flute Adventure

Year : 1971

Label : King Records
Serie : New Emotional Work Series
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz,
Style : Jazz Rock, Free Jazz, Bossa Nova, Psychedelic Rock

"Flute Adventure" is a concept album including latin jazz, progressive rock & free jazz, recorded by The Beat Generation lead by Toshiaki Yokota (indian, alto & bass flute) featuring Kimio Mizutani (eg), Larry Sunaga (perc), Sadanori Nakamure (g), Masaoki Terakawa (eb) & Hideo Ishikawa (keys). The Beat Generation is a japanese avant-garde jazz collective influenced by French symbolism, american counterculture and psychedelic rock. Toshiaki Yokota is part of these japanese pioneers who introduced some traditional flutes in modern music with Minoru Muraoka & Hozan Yamamoto, and was member others iconic jazz rock formations in Japan such as the Takeshi Inomata's The Sound Limited or the progressive rock band, Love Live Life. The first side is a tribute to the Arthur Rimbaud's poetry, called "Le Soleil Etait Encore chaud" including four tracks within a Jazz Rock suite including african rhythms, psychedelia and free improvisations. The side B takes us on board in a Brazilian journey from Bossa to Samba including original Yokota's composition "Ofélia", "Samba De Orfeu" (played in a Samba-Rock fusion), "Orfeu Negro (Manhã De Carnaval)", both composed by Luiz Bonfa, and a rock variation of "Reza" coupled with his "Ending Samba".

Yuji Ohno - Original Soundtrack From Lupin III

Year : 1978
Label : Satril/Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Jazz Funk, Disco

First of five serie records of the Lupin The 3rd Original Soundtrack released between 1978 to 1981, performed by Yuji Ohno who formed, for the nonce, his new Jazz Funk group called "You & The Explosion Band" supported by a strings ensemble conducted by Minoru Suzuki (The Suzuki Group), and guests singers Sandi A. Hohn & Tommy Snyder from japanese pop band GODIEGO. Titles include the popular opening and ending themes from the first season, "I Miss You Babe, (Yes I Do)" feat. Sandi A. Hohn, "Dangerous Zone" (also extracted from original soundtrack of Lupin VS Mamo 1978 movie), "Lovin' You (Lucky)" feat. Tommy Snyder. Some tracks are introduced by dialogue inserts extracted from the episodes of Lupin III serie, starring the main characters. All tracks composed & arranged by Yuji Ohno. 

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno - keyboards - Minoru Kuribayashi - Hammond organ - Takeru Muraoka & Jake H. Conception - saxophone - Shigeharu Mukai - trombone - Akira Okazawa - bass - Tsunehide Matsuki - guitar - Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Larry Sunaga - percussions

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Akira Ishikawa & His Count Buffalos - Get Up!

Year : 1975
Label : RCA
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Fusion

The Jazz Funk masterpiece of Akira Ishikawa, a joint project with his fellow arranger Hiromasa 'Colgen' Suzuki, featuring his Count Buffalos backing band. With "Get Up!", Akira Ishikawa left Jazz Rock to dive in Jazz Funk enrolling new members among guitarist Takao Naoi, trombonist Eji Arai and trumpeter Koji Hatori. Composed and arranged by Hiromasa Suzuki, the album includes the two heavy funk "The Heated Point" & "Painted Paradise", originally recorded in 1974 for the "Electro Keyboard Orchestra" project & "Funky Stuff" album of saxophonist Jiro Inagaki, the cosmic Soul ballads "Discharge" & "Stone River", the up-tempo "Get Up!" and "Minor Jump".

MUSICIANS : Akira Ishikawa - drums - Hiromasa Suzuki - electric piano, syntheziser - Hideo Ichikawa - electric piano - Takeru Muraoka - tenor & soprano saxophone, flute - Masao Suzuki - alto & soprano saxophone, flute - Takao Naoi - electric guitar - Masaoki Terakawa - electric bass - Eji Arai - trombone - Koji Hatori - trumpet - Larry Sunaga - percussion

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Yoshiaki Masuo And His Group - Winds Of Barcelona

Year : 1969

Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

Debut album in the Montgomery's style from the japanese boss of guitar featuring Kiyoshi Sugimoto, Kazuo Yashiro, Larry Sunaga,  Yoshio Suzuki & Fumio Watanabe from the Takehiro Honda Trio. Influenced by Wes Montgomery and the Grant Green's works, Yoshiaki Masuo has been spotted by saxophonist Sadao Watanabe who launched his professional career in joining up his quartet from 1967. In the late sixties, he was enrolled in the Sharps & Flats by band leader Nobuo Hara and played for pianist Takehiro Honda on his debut album within Sadao Watanabe Quartet. In 1971, he moved to New York where he played for his fellow countryman bassist Teruo Nakamura, prestigious musicians like Lenny White, Michael Brecker, Chick Korea or Elvin Jones, and later in 1973 within the Sonny Rollins group. Titles include pop cover songs by Laura Nyro (Stoned Soul Picnic), Simon & Garfunkel (Scarborough Fair), Bacharach & David  (I Say A Little Prayer, What The World Needs Now Is Love), tribute to Wes Montgomery (One For Wes) and the Sadao's Bossa tune "Gary's Tune".

MUSICIANS : Yoshiaki Masuo & Kiyoshi Sugimoto - guitar - Hideo Miyata - flute - Yoshio Suzuki - bass - Fumio Watanabe - drums - Larry Sunaga - percussions - Kazuo Yashiro - organ - Nobuhiro Suzuki - vibraphone, marimba

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Akira Ishikawa - Back To Rhythm

Year : 1975
Label : Columbia
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Afrobeat

"Back To Rhythm" is a covers album of Pop & Soul music including heavy funk and afrobeat, which closes the african period of Akira Ishikawa, supported by his fabulous Count Buffalos group featuring Kiyoshi Sugimoto, Takeru Muraoka, Larry Sunaga and pianist/arranger Hiromasa Suzuki. Akira Ishikawa leaves the Afro-Rock to get into Boogie Funk, taking over some Funk/Soul classics of the genre from BT' Express (Do It Til You're Satisfied), Stevie Wonder (Boogie On Reggae Woman) or Average White Band (Pick Up The Pieces), and cover pop songs from The Beatles (Hey Jude) and Simon & Garfunkel (El Condor Pasa), "I Shot The Sheriff" from Eric Clapton's version, "Bongo Rock" (Incredible Bongo Band) and "Let's Start" (Fela Kuti). All tracks arranged by Hiromasa Suzuki.

MUSICIANS : Akira Ishikawa - drums, vocals, african percussions - Masaoki Terakawa - bass - Kiyoshi Sugimoto, Takao Naoi & Tsunehide Matsuki - guitar - Hiromasa Suzuki - synthetizer - Takeru Muraoka & Masao Suzuki - saxophones - Eiji Arai - trombone - Koji Hatori - trumpet - Larry Sunaga - percussions

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Sonia Rosa With Yuji Ohno - Spiced With Brazil

Year : 1974

Label : CBS

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz

Style : Pop, Bossa Nova

"Spiced With Brazil" is a joint project between a Brazilian native living in Japan and japanese jazz legend, pianist Yuji Ohno featuring Akira Okazawa (eb), Takao Naoi (g), Tsunehide Matsuki (eg), Kazuyoshi Okayama (ds), Tsuyoshi Yamamoto (ep), Larry Sunaga & Pepe Anai (per). In order to get to closer to the sound of the iconic Bossa Nova Verve's productions to the sophisticated sweetness, Yuji enrolled strings ensemble the "Ohno Group". Sonia Rosa started in 1967, recording her debut album with Chiquinho De Moraes, before to leave Brazil for Japan at the age of 20. In 1970, she released covers album of Bossa Nova "Sensitive Sound Of Sonia Rosa" with the Sadao Watanabe Quintet, her first record in Japan. Shortly after, she recorded "Spice With Brazil", her best-known album marking the beginning of a fruitful professional relationship with japanese jazz pianist Yuji Ohno, including "Space Kid" in 1978, "Samba Amour" in 1979 or "Lupin The Third [JAZZ] : Bossa & Fusion" in 2002. Titles include the classics of Bossa Nova from Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfa to Chico Buarque by Edu Lobo ("Casa Forte" feat. Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on piano), jazz standards of Jimmy Van Heusen ("Here's That Rainy Day"), Paul Francis Webster ("Secret Love"), pop covers of James Taylor ("Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight") and Linda Creed ("You Make Me Feel Brand New" feat. backing vocal band Time Five). All tracks arranged and conducted by Yuji Ohno except "Chove Là Fora" by Sonia Rosa.

Yuji Ohno & His Project - Proof Of The Man (Original Soundtrack)

Year : 1977
Label : Atlantic
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Disco

"Proof Of The Man" ("Nigen No Shomei") is a crime drama film directed by Junya Sato and starring Yusaku Matsuda & Joe Yamanaka from the japanese psychedelic rock group "Flower Travellin' Band". Yusaku Matsuda (1949-1989) was a famous japanese actor who played the Sato role in the Ridley Scott's Black Rain Movie (1989) and inspired Spike Spiegel, character from Cowboy Bebop serie (1998). Behind the "Yuji Ohno & His Project" featuring saxophonist Takeru Muraoka, guitarist Kiyoshi Sugimoto, keyboardist Kentaro Haneda & trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki, hides future Ohno's group "You & The Explosion Band" in charge of the "Lupin The 3rd Original Soundtrack". Titles include the heavy funk ("Scorch To Kirizumi"), disco song ("Get Up All The People"), opening and ending themes sung by Joe Yamanaka ("Nigen No Shomei Theme"). Composed & arranged by Yuji Ohno.

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno - keyboards - Kentaro Haneda & Minoru Kuribayashi - organ - Akira Okazawa - bass - Kiyoshi Sugimoto & Tsunehide Matsuki - guitar - Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Takeru Muraoka & Jake H. Concepcion - saxophone - Eiji Arai & Hiroshi Suzuki - trombone - Koji Hatori & Tetsuo Fushimi - trumpet - Larry Sunaga & Pepe Anai - percussion - Minoru Suzuki Group - strings

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