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.

Minoru Muraoka - Bamboo

Year : 2014/1970
Label : Superfly Records/King Records
Serie : New Emotional Work Series
Genre : Jazz, Folk
Style : Folk, Jazz Rock, Min'yō

Minoru Muraoka was probably the best known shakuhachi player (traditional bamboo flute), with Hozan Yamamoto & Toshiaki Yokota (Sound Limited, The Beat Generation). He was among the first to mix Japanese folk with popular music, playing in particular with Herbie Mann ("Surprises" & "Gagaku And Beyond" in 1976). "Bamboo" is a crossbreeding between jazz, pop and Japanese folk music, recorded with a large ensemble of traditional instruments among shakuhachi, koto, biwa, shamisen and taiko, all performed by the New Dimension Group, featuring percussionists  Hiromitsu & Kisaku Katada (Original Soundtrack From Lupin The 3rd), Masako Hirayama on biwa, Kimiko Yamanouchi on koto. The album is divided in two parts with  first side that showcases the traditional Japanese instruments (in particular the percussions), while the other side opens on Pop/Rock orientation including an other rhythm section, The New Emotions, featuring Akira Ishikawa (ds), Yusuke Higuchi (org), Sadanori Nakamure (eg) & Jun Suzuki (eb). Titles include jazz standard "Take Five" (Paul Desmond), three original compositions with the folk song "Nogamigawa Funauta", his masterpiece "The Positive And Negative" (most sampled Minoru Muraoka's song), the iconic "Soul Bamboo", and various pop cover songs from The Beatles to The Animals by Simon & Gartfunkel.

Takeshi Inomata & Sound Limited - Drum Battle : Rock Now

Year : 1972
Label : RCA
Serie : DYNAGROOVE
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Funk/Soul

Rock cover album taken from the "DYNAGROOVE" serie, performed by Takeshi Inomata & his progresssive jazz rock band, The Sound Limited featuring guitarist Kimio Mizutani, bassist Makoto 'Jun' Suzuki, organist Yusuke Hoguchi, all conducted by Norio Maeda. Takeshi Inomata is involved in a drums battle including three others japanese drummers, Masao Suzuki (not to be confused with the saxophonist), Seiji Tanaka & Chito Kawachi. Titles include as well as classics of rock 'n' roll from Deep Purple (Black Night), Chase (Get It On), The Rolling Stones (Tumbling Dice), Soul music ("Theme From Shaft" by Isaac Hayes) and Latin Rock with the "Black Magic Woman" (Peter Green). All tracks arranged by Norio Maeda.

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Takeshi Inomata & Sound L.T.D. - Drum Method

Year : 1972
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Method Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock

Another amazing album of Takeshi Inomata in the Chicago band's style recorded for the "Method Series" including progressive rock, insane drum breaks ("Drum Concert I" & "II") and Funk/Soul expressions. Always supported by his supergroup "Sound Limited" featuring pianist/arranger Norio Maeda, Takeshi Inomata takes over some incredelible rock songs including terrific variations on the "Runaway Child" of Buddy Miles, "Smack Water Jack" (composed by Quincy Jones for Carole King) and "Child Of Storm"/"Fibonacci's Number" of British band "IF". Titles include also others jazz standards and covers from Michel Colombier (Pourquoi Pas ?), Herbie Hancock (Maiden Voyage) & Dave Brubeck (Blue Rondo A La Turk), two original compositions of Norio Maeda (Sleeper, Seven). All tracks arranged by Norio Maeda.

MUSICIANS : Takeshi Inomata - drums - Norio Maeda - piano, electric piano - Yusuke Hoguchi - organ - Jun Suzuki - electric bass - Kimio Mizutani - electric guitar - Toshiaki Yokota - flute - Shunzo Ohno - trumpet - Jake H. Concepcion - saxophone

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Takeshi Inomata & Sound L.T.D. - Sounds Of Sound L.T.D.

Year : 1970
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Groovy Sound Series/Takt Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock

"Sounds Of Sound L.T.D." is an iconic album out from the Japanese Jazz Rock scene including psychedelic grooves (Mustache), heavy funk breaks (Joint), melodic jazz (Monster) & progressive rock (Tak's Tune). Takeshi Inomata introduced here "The Sound Limited", his regular group during the seventies, featuring the legendary guitarist Ryo Kawasaki, flutist Toshiaki Yokota and trumpeter Shunzo Ohno, barely in his 19 year. In the early sixties, Takeshi Inomata was enrolled in the Hidehiko Matsumoto Quintet and was a regular sideman of jazz pianist Norio Maeda, also within groups Norio Maeda Trio, The Wind-Breakers & The Third. During the sixties, he participated on most japanese recordings of jazz songstress Helen Merrill (such as "In Tokyo", "Plaisir D'amour" or "Sings The Beatles"), formed his best known jazz formation "The West Liners" and evolved within the Mal Waldron Trio. 

MUSICIANS : Takeshi Inomata - drums - Jun Suzuki - bass - Ryo Kawasaki & Shigenori Kamiya - guitar - Yusuke Hoguchi - organ - Toshiaki Yokota - flute - Takao Uematsu - saxophone - Shunzo Ohno & Takashi Kumagai - trumpet - Shigemichi Domoto & Takashi Imai - trombone

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