Native Son (Self-Titled)

Year : 1979
Label : Infinity records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Latin Jazz

"Native Son" is a Japanese fusion band formed in 1978 when the crossover jazz "boom" was at climax in Japan. From the late seventies to the mid-eighties, they had met an international audience, when they were regularly on stage in Europe (Montreux Jazz Festival '83) and in the USA. Led by pianist Takehiro Honda featuring saxophonist Kohsuke Mine, drummer Hiroshi Murakami and later joined by trombonist Hiroshi Fukumura, the group released from 1978 to 1987, seven albums whose the record hit "Savannah Hot-Line" in 1979. Their first album includes some Latin sounds ("Whispering Eyes" feat. Damião Gomes De Souza), caribbean styles (Wind Surfin), Funk elements (Super Safari) and soul jazz with "Heat Zone", a variation on "Spirits Flow" taken from "Another Departure" (1977). All tracks composed by Takehiro Honda.

MUSICIANS : Takehiro Honda - electric piano, clavinet & Synthesizer - Kohsuke Mine - tenor & soprano saxophones - Tamio Kawabata - bass - Motonobu Ohde - guitar - Hiroshi Murakami - drums - Damião Gomes De Souza - cuica

Takehiro Honda Trio - The Trio

Year : 1970
Label : Trio Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Hard Bop, Modal

Recorded with sound engineer Okihiko Sugano, the second solo album of Takehiro Honda with his new jazz trio featuring drummer Fumio Watanabe & bassist Yoshio Suzuki. "Chin" Suzuki was his regular bassist from 1969 to 1972, recording no less of five albums whose his debut album and 1972 best japanese jazz recording award "This Is Honda". Titles include "This Guy's In Love With You" composed by Bacharach, the Jazz standard "Fall In Love Too Easily" and three original compositions by Honda : the modal "Hakai To Jojyo", "CMT & T" and "Emergency", probably inspired by the Tony Williams' song who later will play with Honda.

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Takehiro Honda & His Orchestra - What's Going On

Year : 1971
Label : Trio Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Jazz Funk

"What's Going On" is the sixth studio album and the first recorded in the U.S.A. by jazz pianist Takehiro Honda with arranger Teddy Adams, his first incursion in the R&B genre. The Takehiro Honda's orchestra is based on japanese-american line-up featuring Ken Lawson, James Cheek, Kohsuke Mine & Tetsuo Fushimi. "What's Going On" includes iconic funk/soul gems from the Impressions (Check-Out Your Mind), James Brown (Ain't Funky Now), Marvin Gaye (What's Going On), Otis Redding (Dock Of The Bay), jazz covers from Eddie Harris (Sham Time) by the Crusaders (Greasy Spoon) and variation on "Ain't Tell You A Good Way But" composed by Takehiro Honda. All tracks arranged by Terry Adams.

MUSICIANS : Takehiro Honda - organ, piano & electric piano - Teddy Adams - trombone - Ken Lawson - guitar - James Cheek - drums - Tamio Kawabata - bass - Yuji Imamura - congas - Takuji Kusumoto - drums - Kohsuke Mine - alto saxophone - Kazunori Takeda - tenor saxophone - Tetsuo Fushimi, Shuzo Morikawa - trumpet

Takehiro Honda Trio - This Is Honda

Year : 1972
Label : Trio Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Post Bop, Hard Bop

Best Jazz recording award of the Swing Journal for the year 1972, the masterpiece recommended by the japanese jazz magazine from the prolific pianist, Takehiro Honda, who will sign seven others albums on Trio Records between 1969 & 1972. It's the second album by the Takehiro Honda Trio with the same formation featuring bassist Yoshio "Chin" Suzuki and Sadao's brother  Fumio Watanabe on drums, all supported by famous japanese sound engineer, Okihiko Sugano who also worked on several Sadao Watanabe's recordings during the seventies. Titles include popular song "You Don't Know What Love Is"  from "Keep 'Em Flying" 1941 movie, jazz standards as "Bye Bye Blackbird" and Thelonius Monk's classic "Round About Midnight". All tracks arranged by Takehiro Honda & recorded at Iino Hall, Tokyo, mixed by Okihiko Sugano.

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Nobuo Hara & His Sharps & Flats + 1 - Electronics

Year : 1970

Label : Nippon Columbia

Genre : Jazz

Style : Soul Jazz, Funk/Soul, Jazz Rock

Crossover Jazz album by the Sharps & Flats big band lead by saxophonist Nobuo Hara featuring Hiroshi Suzuki (tb), Koji Suzuki (as) Toshihiko Ogawa (p), Hiroshi Takeuchi (eb), Kazuhiro Ebisawa (ds), Takao Naoi (eg) among others, and special guest, Takehiro Honda on Fender Rhodes and Hammond B3 organ. As the title suggest, Nobuo Hara introduces for the first time electronic elements in "Sharps & Flats" in particular electric bass & piano. It's also the first incursion in the R&B genre, that's why Masahiko Satoh & Yasuo Arakawa were recruited in charge of arrangements. Titles include Rock & Soul covers from Jethro Tull (Bourree), The Beatles (Come Together) and original compositions by Nobuo Hara (Tumblin! Tambourine!, Horse Laugh Blues) and Masahiko Sato (Nervous Breakdown). 

 

Takehiro Honda - T. Honda Meets Rhythm Section Featuring S. Watanabe

Year : 1970
Label : Trio Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Modal

Debut album of jazz pianist Takehiro Honda, recorded in Yamaha Hall in 1969, the first of eight albums serie recorded for Trio Electronics. The Takehiro Honda's rhythm section is based on the Sadao Watanabe Quartet featuring saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo, bassist Yoshio Suzuki and Sadao's brother, the drummer Fumio Watanabe. This first experience with the Sadao Watanabe Quartet, will bring Honda to enroll Yoshio Suzuki & Fumio Watanabe for his new jazz trio and later join the Sadao formation from 1973 to 1978. Titles include popular Jazz standards (By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Stella By Starlight), a variation on "Hey Jude" from The Beatles and his own compositions (Minton Blues, Ain't Tell You A Good Way But, Quiet Sea). All tracks arranged by Takehiro Honda.

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Takehiro Honda - Reaching For Heaven

Year : 1978
Label : Flying Disk
Genre : Jazz
Style : Contemporary Jazz, Fusion

"Reaching For Heaven" is the second of three albums serie released on the japanese label Flying Disk, including "Another Departure" in 1977 and "It's Great Outside" in 1978. Takehiro Honda Trio is formed with the same legendary duo featuring bassist Ron Carter & drummer Tony Williams from the Second Great Quintet of Miles Davis. Recorded during the "Another Departure" sessions at Vanguard Studio in 1977, New-York, the album includes various Jazz sandards & covers from Oliver Nelson (Ostinato), Horace Silver (Peace), Bobby Hutcherson (Little B's Poem), Victor Young (Beautiful Love) and the original composition by Honda (Lazy Dream). Produced by Kiyoshi Itoh and Yukio Morisaki.

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Takehiro Honda - Another Departure

Year : 1977

Label : Flying Disk

Genre : Jazz

Style : Contemporary Jazz, Fusion

   
"Another Departure" is first part of recording sessions at Vanguard Studio from 2, 3 May 1977, New York by pianist Takehiro Honda featuring jazz legends, Ron Carter & Tony Williams, former members of the Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet from 1965 to 1968. Honda was one of the most renowned japanese jazz pianist, influenced by McCoy Tyner, he started in 1966 as member of japanese rock band "The Mojo" during the 'Group Sounds' era. Thereafter, he formed his first own jazz trio in 1968 with drummer Hiroshi Murakami, bassist Eijiro Hagiwara and played in various prestigious japanese jazz formations such as the Nobuo Hara's Sharps & Flats Big Band. In 1969, he recorded his debut album "Takehiro Honda Meets Rhythm Section" featuring the Sadao Watanabe Quartet opening a fruitful period of masterpieces production. From 1973 to 1978, he was sideman for Sadao Watanabe taking part to his studio recordings ("Kenya Africa", "Recital"...) and live tours (Montreux Jazz Festival in 1975), before to form his famous successful Jazz Funk band "Native Son" with saxophonist Kohsuke Mine & Hiroshi Murakami. Titles include contemporary Jazz (Longing, Puddle), Soul Jazz (Wonder), Carribean fusion (Calypso Street) and Jazz Funk (Spirits Flow). All tracks composed by Takehiro Honda, produced by Kiyoshi Itoh & Yukio Morisaki.

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Yoshio Suzuki - Friends

Year : 1973

Label : CBS

Genre : Jazz

Style : Hard Bop, Modal

The debut album as a leader by Yoshio Suzuki featuring saxophonist Kohsuke Mine, pianist Takehiro Honda, drummer Hiroshi Murakami & special guest flutist Hideo Miyata. "Friends" is an essential japanese jazz masterpiece ranging from Hard Bop (The Past, K'S Waltz) to Modal jazz (Burning Point) passing by Bossa Nova (Samba De Chico), it includes only Suzuki's own compositions. Before to settle in New York in 1973, Yoshio was sideman for Sadao Watanabe, Takehiro Honda from 1969 to 1973, played for Masabumi Kikuchi, Yoshiaki Masuo (24 & Winds Of Barcelona) and Kimiko Kasai (What's New & Satin Doll). In US, he played alongside Stan Getz as his regular bassist, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker and joined the famous Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers. During 1999 to 2001, he was member of the Yuji Ohno Trio on the first three albums from the LUPIN THE THIRD [JAZZ] serie. 

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