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

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.

Yuji Ohno - Original Soundtrack From Lupin The 3rd

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

Original Soundtrack Vol. 2 of the Lupin The 3rd animated serie performed by You & The Explosion Band featuring Takeru Muraoka & guests musicians such as percussionist Hiromitsu Katada or accordionist Fumihiko Kazama. Titles include new opening ("Lupin III '79") & ending themes (the Fujiko's song "Love Squall" feat. Sandi H. Hohn) recorded for the third season of Lupin III Part II (from episode 52 to 103), "Tornado" (the Jigen Daisuke's theme), "Sphynx" (also extracted from "Lupin VS Mamo" 1978 movie), "Super Hero" feat. Tommy Snyder & "Zantetsuken" (the Goemon Ichikawa's theme). All tracks composed & arranged by Yuji Ohno.

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno - keyboards - Minoru Kuribayashi - Hammond organ - Michio Nagaoka - bass - Tsunehide Matsuki - guitar - Yuichi Togashiki - drums - Pepe Anai - percussions - Takeru Muraoka - saxophone, clarinet - Eiji Arai - trombone

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Kimiko Kasai - Tokyo Special

Year : 1977
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

"Tokyo Special" is the eighth album and second recorded by Kimiko Kasai in japanese tongue since "Umbrella" in 1972. Kimiko back to the japanese studios after a three albums serie recorded in US, supported by "The Colgen Band" lead by pianist/arranger Hiromasa Suzuki featuring guest soloists :tumpeter Terumasa Hino, bassist Isao Suzuki & saxophonist Takeru Muraoka. Terumasa Hino takes part on "Very Special Moment" & "Tokyo Special (Manhattan Special)", Isao Suzuki plays cello and composes "Yarikake No Jinsei", while Hiromasa Suzuki takes over the arrangements. The Colgen Band is supported by strings ensemble, The Tadaaki Ono group.

THE COLGEN BAND : Kimiko Kasai - vocal - Hiromasa Suzuki - keyboards - Akira Okazawa - bass - Tsunehide Matsuki - guitar - Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Masafumi Yamaguchi - saxophones - Pepe Anai - percussion - Shin Kazuhara - trumpet - Koji Hatori - trumpet & flugel horn - Eiji Arai - trombone

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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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Yuji Ohno & Galaxy - Captain Future (Original Soundtrack)

Year : 1979
Label : Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Jazz Funk, Disco

The legendary japanese soundtrack composed by Yuji Ohno and recorded with the Galaxy band featuring Takao Naoi, Eiji Arai, Takeru Muraoka, Jake H Concepcion and Pepe Anai, all from You & The Explosion Band. Produced in the late seventies, the Space Opera "Captain Future" is a TOEI animated serie in 53 episodes, originally broadcast from november 1978 to december 1979. "Captain Future" is among the first animated serie to be exported outside Japan which knew a worldwide success from France ("Capitaine Flam") to Italy by US. The serie is based on stories written by Edmond Hamilton which were published in the Pulp Magazine from 1940 to 1951. The soundtrack includes deep ambient grooves served by the Korg Synthesizer, Jazz Funk pearls ("Andromeda No Kanata Ni"), Disco beats ("Ijigen No Eden") or Pop songs ("Oira Wa Sabishii Spaceman" feat. Hideyuki Hirano). Titles include also the opening ("Yume No Funanori" feat. Yukihide Takekawa) & ending themes ("Popura-Dōri No Ie" feat. Peeka-Boo), the song "Ok! Captain" feat. Kamishiro Youth Chorus from Sendai.

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno - electric piano, Korg synthesizer - Minoru Kuribayashi - organ - Takao Naoi - electric guitar - Kiyoshi Hagiya - electric guitar - Michio Nagaoka - electric bass - Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Pepe Anai - percussion - Takeru Muraoka - tenor saxophone - Jake H Concepcion - alto saxophone - Tetsuo Fushimi - trumpet - Susumu Kazuhara - trumpet - Eiji Arai - trombone - Isao Kaneyama - vibes

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Takeshi Inomata And His Friends - Get Happy

Year : 1975

Label : Audio Lab. Record

Genre : Jazz, Ltin Jazz

Style : Hard Bop, Post Bop

Amazing record, among the best in the Takeshi Inomata's discography including swing, hard bop &  latin jazz with dynamic beats and insane drum breaks. Arranged by Norio Maeda,  mixed by Mr. "Jazz" sound engineer Okihiko Sugano, "Get Happy" brings together some of the best japanese jazz musicians featuring legends Tadayuki Harada & Kohnosuke Saijoh. Titles include Jazz standards "Here's That Rainy Day" by Jimmy Van Heusen, "Witch Doctor" by Lee Morgan, "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Cole Porter, and killer up-tempo variations on the Duke Ellington's "Caravan" and Stevie Wonder's "Uptight (Everything's Alright)". 

MUSICIANS : Takeshi Inomata - drums - Norio Maeda - piano - Yasuo Arakawa - bass - Fujio Saitoh & Pepe Anai - percussion - Jake H. Concepcion - alto saxophone - Kohnosuke Saijoh - tenor saxophone - Tadayuki Harada - baritone saxophone - Tadataka Nakazawa - trombone

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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 - Inugamike No Ichizoku (Original Soundtrack)

Year : 1976
Label : Victor
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style :  Jazz Rock, Fusion

Original Soundtrack of the japanese horror/mystery story "Inugamike No Ichizoku" (Inugami Family), outcome from a long tradition of supernatural suspense films directed by Kon Ichikawa, iconic director of movie series based on the detective "Kindaichi" in the seventies. The soundtrack includes various genres from Jazz to Pychedelic Rock, mixed with eastern sounds produced by the biwa (japanese folk guitar), songs inspired by Pink Floyd ("Grudge", "Hatred's Theme"), some tracks with free expressions and Jazz Funk (The Blood Of The Passion, Mask). All tracks are supported by strings ensemble "Minoru Suzuki Group", conducted by Hiroshi Yoshizawa, composed, arranged & performed by Yuji Ohno featuring biwa player Masako Hirayama, Minoru Kuribayashi, Shigeto Ohara from Electro Keyboard Orchestra, Kiyoshi Sugimoto & Takao Naoi from The Count Buffalos.

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno, Shigeto Ohara - piano - Minoru Kuribayashi - organ - Tyuei Yoshikawa - accoustic guitar - Akira Okazawa, Kenji Takamizu - bass - Masako Hirayama - biwa - Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Keiji Azami - dulcimer - Masami Nakagawa, Takeshi Shinohara & Yukio Nishizawa - flute - Kiyoshi Sugimoto, Takao Naoi & Ryogo Kanari - guitar - Tadaomi 'Pepe' Anai - percussion - Tetsuo Fushimi - trumpet

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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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