Tolerance were a Japanese coldwave duo that released two albums and a one-sided blue flexidisc on Vanity Records between 1979 and 1981. Members: Junko Tange (keyboards, vocals), Masami Yoshikawa (guitars) Discography: Anonym (1979) “Today’s Thrill” (7″, 1980) Divin (1981)
Teruo Nakamura — 中村照夫 (born March 3, 1942) — is a Japanese jazz bassist who released three albums between 1973 and 1977 on Three Blind Mice and Kitty, followed by a trio of titles on Agharta at the turn of the 1980s. Most of his post-1976 releases feature backing by the Rising Sun Band. Discography: […]
Terumasa Hino — 日野皓正 (Oct. 25, 1942) — is a Japanese jazz trumpeter who emerged as a bandleader during the late 1960s, releasing albums on East Wind, Flying Disk, Philips, and numerous other labels over the ensuing quarter century. Discography: Alone, Alone and Alone (1967) Feelin’ Good (1968 • Terumasa Hino & His Group) La […]
Tee & Company were a Japanese avant-jazz/funk supergroup assembled by saxophonist Kenji Mori in 1977 for a series of concerts that were released in three installments on Three Blind Mice. Members: 森剣治 [Kenji Mori] (saxophone, flute, bass clarinet), Takao Uametsu (saxophone, bass clarinet), 今田勝 [Masaru Imada] (piano), 高柳昌行 [Masayuki Takayanagi] (guitar), Hideto Kanai (bass, maracas), […]
Tokyo Union were a Japanese jazz-funk big band headed by saxophonist Tatsuya Takahashi (Dec. 27, 1931 — Feb. 29, 2008). Members: Katsunori Fukai, Keiji Hori, Koichi Suzuki, Tatsuya Takahashi Discography: The Rock Seasons (1972) Got the Spirit (1976) Scandinavian Suite (1977) September Steps (1978 • 久保田紹 [Sho Kubota] & Tatsuya Takahashi & Tokyo Union) Black […]
Tatsuro Yamashita — 山下達郎 (born Feb. 4, 1953) — is a Japanese art-pop musician and songwriter who, at nineteen, self-released the 1972 covers album Add Some Music to Your Day. After brief mid-Seventies stints with Sugar Babe and Niagara Triangle, he made the 1976–78 RCA albums Circus Town, Spacy, and Go Ahead!, followed by the […]
Takehiro Honda — 本田竹曠 (Aug. 21, 1945 — Jan. 12, 2006) — was a Japanese keyboardist who headed a string of jazz albums on Trio Records during the early 1970s. In 1974, his popular three-track live set Salaam Salaam was issued on East Wind. During the late 70s, he released a further round of titles […]
Takayuki Inoue — 井上堯之 (March 15, 1941 — May 2, 2018) — was a Japanese guitarist who recorded numerous jazz-funk soundtracks for Polydor with his namesake band during the 1970s. Discography: Sunrise (1976) Water Mind (1976) Don’t Drink the Water (1977) On The Boat (1979) It’s Never Too Late (1980) Water Band Wagon (1981)
Takami (多加美) were a Japanese avant-folk duo that issued the cassette-only release Y. de Noir on Marquee Moon in 1982, followed by two albums on LLE Label between 1983 and 1985. Members: Takami (vocals), Pneuma (guitar, ocarina, violin, shahi baaja, tabla, synthesizer, sequencer, percussion) Discography: Y. de Noir (cassette, 1982) ー天使行ー Y. de noir II […]
Sugar Babe (シュガー・ベイブ) was a Japanese art-pop combo behind the 1975 album Songs on Niagara/Elec. The band’s co-creators, Tatsuro Yamashita and Taeko Ohnuki, launched prolific solo careers. Members: Tatsuro Yamashita (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Taeko Ohnuki (vocals), Ginji Ito, Jiro Terao, Kunio Muramatsu, Yutaka Uehara Background Sugar Babe formed in Tokyo in 1973 when singer-guitarist Tatsuro […]
Strawberry Path was a Japanese hard-rock/psych duo that released the 1971 Philips album When the Raven Has Come to the Earth. Members: Shigeru Narumo (lead guitar, keyboards, vocals), Hiro Tsunoda (drums) Background Strawberry Path formed in 1970 when guitarist-keyboardist Shigeru Narumo and drummer-singer Hiro Tsunoda continued the core of Gypsy Eyes after bassist-singer George Yanagi […]
Speed Glue & Shinki were a Japanese hard-rock/psych trio that released two albums in 1971/72 on Atlantic. Members: 陳信輝 [Shinki Chen] (guitar), Joey Smith (vocals, drums), Masayoshi Kabe (bass) Background Speed, Glue & Shinki formed in late 1970 in Tokyo when producer Ikuzo Orita and guitarist Shinki Chen assembled a trio with bassist Masayoshi Kabe […]
Spectrum (スペクトラム) was a Japanese jazz-rock band on Victor behind the 1979/80 albums Spectrum, Optical Sunrise, and Time Break, followed by the 1981 titles Second Navigation and Spectrum Brass Band Club. Members: 岡本郭男 [Atsuo Okamoto], 新田一郎 [Ichiro Nitta], 兼崎順一 [Junichi Kanezaki], 奥慶一 [Kei’ichi Oku], 渡辺直樹 [Naoki Watanabe], Takuro Konno, Toshiyuki Yoshida Backgrounds Spectrum formed in […]
Space Circus was a Japanese jazz-rock band behind the 1978/79 RCA albums Funky Caravan and Fantastic Arrival. Members: Hajime Okano (bass), Yoshikazu Ogawa (drums), Yukinao Sano (guitar), Kizuku Yamagiwa (keyboards) Background Space Circus formed around 1975 when drummer Yoshikazu Ogawa teamed with guitarist Yukinao Sano in a student group. Ogawa recruited Hajime Okano around 1976 […]
Shunzo Ohno — 大野俊三 (born March 22, 1949) — is a Japanese jazz-rock trumpeter who released a pair of albums on East Wind in 1975 and 1976, followed by two further albums on Electric Bird at the turn of the 1980s. Discography: Falter Out (1973 • Shunzo Ohno Quartet) Something’s Comming (1975) Bubbles (1976) Quarter […]
Shuichi “Ponta” Murakami — 村上秀一 (Jan. 1, 1951) — is a Japanese drummer who has played on more than 250 albums since the early 1970s. In 1976, he released the album Introducing “Ponta” Murakami on Toshiba. Discography: Introducing (1976)
Shingetsu were a Japanese symphonic-rock band that released a self-titled album — alternately known as New Moon — on Zen in 1979. Members: Makoto Kitayama (vocals), Haruhiko Tsuda (guitar), Akira Hanamoto (keyboards), Shizuo Suzuki (bass), Naoya Takahashi (drums) Discography: Shingetsu (新月) (1979)
Shigeru Suzuki — 鈴木茂 (born Dec. 20, 1951) — is a Japanese musician and songwriter who played in the bands Happy End and Tin Pan Alley during the 1970s. Between 1975 and 1979, he released five albums on Panam. Discography: Band Wagon (1975) Lagoon (1976) Caution! (1978) Pacific (1978 • Haruomi Hosono / Shigeru Suzuki […]
Shigeharu Mukai — 向井滋春 (born Jan. 21, 1949) — is a Japanese jazz trombonist who emerged as a backing player for Hiroshi Fukumura and Terumasa Hino during the early 1970s. Mukai debuted as a solo artist with the album Favorite Time on Teichiku Records in 1976, followed by six albums on Better Days between 1978 […]
Seikatsu Kojyo Iinkai (生活向上委員会大管弦楽団) were a Japanese avant-jazz big band that self-released an eponymous album in 1975, followed by a live recording on Aketa’s Disk and two titles on Union Records between 1978 and 1980. Members: 梅津和時 [Kazutoki Umezu], 原田依幸 [Yoriyuki Harada], Koichi Matsukaze, Koichi Yamazaki, Masami Shinoda Discography: Seikatsu Kojyo Iinkai (1975) Live in […]
The Big Sound Authority was an English sophisti-pop band that scored a UK hit with “This House (Is Where Your Love Stands)” and released the 1985 MCA album An Inward Revolution. Members: Tony Burke (guitar, lead vocals), Mace Carnochan (piano, organ, synthesizer), Julie Hadwen (lead vocals), Steve Martinez (drums), Martin Wilson (bass) Background The Big […]
The Adicts were an English punk-rock band that debuted with a 1979 EP on small-press Dining Out, followed by four studio albums between 1981 and 1986 on Fallout and Razor Records. Members: Monkey (vocals), Mel Ellis (bass), Pete Dee (guitar), Kid Dee (drums), Tim Hocking (bass), James Harding (keyboards), Scruff (guitar), Dan Graziani (violin), Shahen […]
Bernard Lubat (born May 12, 1945) is a French jazz-funk/library musician who released numerous albums in solo and combo configurations for assorted labels during the 1970s, including the two-volume Vibrations series for Tele Music. Background Bernard Lubat was born May 12, 1945, in Uzeste, Gironde, France. His father, Alban Lubat, ran the village café L’Estaminet […]
Clivage was a French ethno/jazz-rock ensemble led by André Fertier across the 1977/78 albums Regina Astris and Mixtus Orbis on Gratte-Ciel, the latter co-billed to The Philharmonic Orchestra “Pro UNESCO.” In 1985, Fertier resurrected Clivage for the F.L.V.M. release Kassiopee. Members: André Fertier (guitar, keyboards), Armand Lemal (percussion), Patricio Villaruel (tabla), Jean-Pierre de Barba (saxophone), […]
Claude Engel (born 1948) is a French guitarist and composer who released an instrumental jazz-funk album on Tele Music in 1972, followed by two folk-pop albums on CBS between 1973 and 1976. Discography: 99% Pop (1972) Claude Engel (1973) Fantasmagory (1976) Guitarisme (1983)
Chemin Blanc was a French folk band that made two self-titled albums in 1976/77 on RCA and Hexagone. Members: Marie Hello (vocals, percussion), Gérard Hello (vocals, guitar, bass), Didier Blanc (piano, percussion), Xavier Jouvelet (drums, percussion) Background Chemin Blanc (White Path) formed in the Bordeaux area around singers Gérard and Marie Hello, who teamed with percussionist […]
Black White and Co were a French soul-funk band that released three albums on assorted labels between 1980 and 1982. Background Black White & Co formed in 1979 in France when singer-percussionist Eric Rawson teamed with guitarist Thierry “T-Tax” Heurtaux, bassist-saxophonist Patrick “Sidney” Duteil, keyboardist Fred Montabord, and drummer Pierre “Mam’s” Marie. Duteil grew up […]
Bernard Szajner is a French electronic musician who first recorded under the moniker Zed, issuing the 1979 album Visions of Dune on Sonopresse. Reverting to his own name, he released three albums and two EPs on assorted labels between 1980 and 1986. During the early 1980s, Szajner and producer Karel Beer formed the synth duo […]
The Mystery Kindaichi Band (ミステリー金田一バンド) were a Japanese jazz-funk band of anonymous studio players who recorded the soundtrack to the fictional detective series Kohsuke Kindaichi. The music was released on vinyl by King Records in 1977. Members: ? Discography: 横溝正史ＭＭ（ミュージック・ミステリー）の世界 金田一耕助の冒険 (The Adventure of Kohsuke Kindaichi) (1977)
Sabu Toyozumi (born July 11, 1943) is a Japanese free-jazz drummer who released albums on Nadja and Trio during the mid-1970s. Discography: Sabu: Message to Chicago (1974 • Yoshisaburoh Sabu Toyozumi) 藻 [Water Weed] (1975) The Masterpiece (1981 • Toyozumi Unit) What Are You Talking About? (1983 • Tristan Honsinger, Toshinori Kondo, Peter Kowald & […]
SAB was a Japanese electronic musician who released the 1978 album Crystallization on Vanity Records. Background SAB was the mononym of an unidentified musician. At nineteen, he knew Rock Magazine editor Yuzuru Agi, who launched the Osaka-based Vanity Records label with the 1978 release Jyo by the ambient duo Dada. SAB conceived the project at home […]
Ryo Kawasaki — 川崎燎 (Feb. 25, 1947) — is a Japanese jazz-rock guitarist who released the album Juice on RCA in 1976, followed by a pair of titles on East Wind and a further round of discs on assorted labels over the ensuing seven-year period. His emergence as a solo artist coincided with a two-album […]
Ryo Fukui — 福居良 (June 1, 1948 — March 15, 2016) — was a Japanese hard-bop pianist who cut the 1976 Nadja album Scenery, followed by the 1977 Trio Records release Mellow Dream. Background Ryo Fukui was born on June 1, 1948, in Biratori, Hokkaido, Japan. Fukui grew up in an itinerant entertainment family headed […]
Real Fish were a Japanese art-pop band that released three albums on Invitation between 1984 and 1987. Members: Hirono Mio, Hiroyasu Yaguchi, Hitoshi Watanabe, Mari Fukuhara, Seiji Toda, Shingo Tomoda Discography: A Very Big Band in Heaven (1984) Tenon (1985) 4: When the World Was Young (1987)
PYG were a Japanese hard-rock/psych band that released two albums with accompanying shortplayers on Polydor in 1971 and 1972. Members: Kenji “Julie” Sawada (vocals), Takayuki Inoue (guitar), Osami “Sally” Kishibe (bass), Katsuo Ohno (keyboards, steel guitar), Hiroshi Oguchi (drums) Discography: PYG! (Original First Album) (1971) Free With PYG (1972)
Rajie is a Japanese pop vocalist who released five albums between 1977 and 1981 on CBS/Sony, followed by the 1984/85 Eastworld titles Relief and Espresso. Background Rajie was born Junko Sōma (相馬淳子) on July 9, 1956, and first performed in ROW, a high-school folk quartet. ROW won the Grand Prix at the 1973 Zenkoku Folk […]
Prism (プリズム) are a Japanese jazz-rock band that released four albums on Polydor between 1977 and 1979, followed by a trio of titles on Warner Bros. during the early 1980s. Members: Akira Wada (guitar), Ken Watanabe (bass, 1975-97), Rika Suzuki (drums, 1975-79), Koki Ito (keyboards, 1975-79), 森園勝敏 [Katsutoshi Morizono] (guitar, 1975-78), 久米大作 [Daisaku Kume] (keyboards, […]
Parachute were a Japanese sophisti-pop band that released four albums between 1980 and 1982 on Agharta. Members: 今剛 [Tsuyoshi Kon] (guitar), 松原正樹 [Masaki Matsubara] (guitar), Mike Dunn (bass), 安藤芳彦 [Yoshihiko Ando] (keyboards), 斎藤ノブ [Nobu Saito] (percussion), 林立夫 [Tatsuo Hayashi] (drums), Izumi Kobayashi (1979-80), 井上鑑 [Akira Inoue] (keyboards, 1980-present) Discography: From Asian Port (1980) 6 Kinds […]
Paradigm Shift were a Japanese art-pop band that released two albums on Better Days in 1985 and 1986, followed by a self-issued third album at decade’s end. Members: Makoto Matsushita (vocals, guitar, synthesizer), 富倉安生 [Yasuo Tomikura] (bass, synthesizer), 松田真人 [Masato Matsuda] (keyboards), 宮崎まさひろ [Masahiro Miyazaki] (drums, percussion, synthesizer), Chris Mosdell Discography: Paradigm Shift (1985) The […]
Pale Acute Moon were a Japanese symphonic-rock band that released the album Newtopia on Monolith Communications in 1985. Members: Motoi Semba (keyboards), Masahiro Imamura (guitar), Ryoichi Terashita (drums), Katsunori Hamada (bass), Shinji Akahori (vocals) Discography: Newtopia (1985)
Pageant were a Japanese symphonic-rock band that released three albums during the late 1980s on Made In Japan Records. Members: Hiroko Nagai (vocals, keyboards), Hideaki Indou (drums), Ikkou Nakajima (vocals, guitar, 1981-87), Nobuyuki Nagashima (bass, 1981-87), Kazuhiro Miyatake (flute, acoustic guitar, 1985-89), Kazuhiko Yamada (bass, 1987-89), Hiroyuki Maeno (guitar, 1989), Yuzo Kashima (keyboards, 1989) Discography: […]
P-Model (P-モデル) was a Japanese new wave art-pop band that made the 1979–81 Warner albums In a Model Room, Landsale, and Potpourri, followed by the 1982–84 titles Perspective, Perspective II, and Another Game on Japan Record. Members: 平沢進 [Susumu Hirasawa] (vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming), 秋山勝彦 [Akiyama Katsuhiko] (bass, keyboards, 1979-80, 1991-93), 田中靖美 [Yasumi Tanaka] (keyboards, […]
Outer Limits was a Japanese symphonic-rock band behind the 1985–87 albums Misty Moon, A Boy Playing the Magical Bugle Horn, and The Scene of Pale Blue, plus the 1989 live disc The Silver Apples on the Moon, all on Made In Japan Records. Members: Shusei Tsukamoto (keyboards), Nobuyuki Sakurai (drums), Takashi Kawaguchi (violin), Tomoki Ueno (vocals, […]
Osamu Shoji — 東海林修 (Sept. 6, 1932 — April 30, 2018) — was a Japanese composer and electronic musician who released a slew of albums on Columbia, Philips, Warner Bros., and other labels between 1978 and 1987. Discography: Welcome to the SF World (1978) 闍多迦 Jataka (1978) Night Flight (1979)
Osamu Kitajima — 喜多嶋修 (Feb. 3, 1949) — is a Japanese folk-psych multi-instrumentalist and composer who released two albums on Island in 1976 and 1977, followed by a string of albums on Alfa, Arista, CBS, and Epic/Sony over the following decade. Discography: 新中国 – Shin Chugoku (Far Out) (1972 • フミオ* & オサム) Benzaiten (1976) […]
Orissa were a Japanese jazz-funk band that released a self-titled album on Better Days in 1982. Members: 高橋ゲタ夫 〈Getao Takahashi〉 (bass), Hiromichi Tsugaki (keyboards), Tony Koba (percussion, marimba, voice), Shigeharu Mukai (trombone, flute), Masahito Hashida (drums) Discography: Orissa (1982)
Novela (ノヴェラ) was a Japanese symphonic-rock band that released six albums on Nexus between 1980 and 1986, plus two installments of soundtrack music for the Harmagedon Story anime series, issued on Starchild in 1983. Members: Terutsugu Hirayama (guitar, vocals), Toshio Egawa (keyboards), Hisakatsu Igarashi (lead vocals), Ryuichi Nishida (drums), Ryuji Sasai (bass, vocals) Background Novela […]
Noriko Miyamoto (宮本典子) is a Japanese jazz-funk vocalist who debuted in 1978 with the album Push on Yupiteru Records, recorded with bassist Isao Suzuki. Between 1979 and 1982, she made two albums on Trio Records and three on Polystar/Casablanca. In the mid-Eighties, she appeared on titles by Toshiki Kadomatsu and cut her sixth and final […]
Native Son was a Japanese jazz-funk band that released five albums between 1979 and 1983 on JVC, followed by six further titles through 1987 on Polydor. Members: Tamio Kawabata (electric bass), Motonobu Ohde (electric guitar), 本田竹曠 [Takehiro Honda] (electric piano, Rhodes, Clavinet, Solina, celesta, percussion), Hiroshi Murakami (drums), Kohsuke Mine (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone), Thomas […]
Naoya Matsuoka — 松岡直也 (May 9, 1937 — April 29, 2014) — was a Japanese pianist, arranger, and bandleader who recorded two albums with His All Stars on Fania and Union Records during the late 1970s. Between 1979 and 1989, he released 20 albums on Warner Bros., including seven titles with jazz-funk big-band Wesing. Three […]
Armand Frydman is a French library musician who released two albums on Sonimage between 1978 and 1981, followed by a string of albums on Koka Media during the late 1980s. Between these two periods, he released several albums under the alias Fred Manda. Discography: Aurore (1978 • A. Frydman / M. Cannone) Fusion (1981) Solaris […]
Ben and the Platano Group were a French Latin-funk ensemble that released the 1970 Barclay album Paris Soul. Members: Ben [Ben sa tumba et son orchestre], Evaristo Nata [Roger Lecussant] Background Ben and the Platano Group formed in Paris by 1970 when percussionist–bandleader Ben Bakrim teamed with pianist-arranger Roger Lecussant, who used the name Evaristo […]
Bahamas was a French symphonic-rock quartet formed by the backing musicians of popular Parisian singer Christophe. As an autonomous unit, the band released the album Le Voyageur Immobile on Polydor in 1976. Members: Patrice Tison (guitar), Didier Batard (bass), Dominique Perrier (keyboards), Roger Rizzitelli (drums) Background Bahamas formed in Paris in 1974 when guitarist Patrice […]
Armande Altaï (May 20, 1944) is a French vocalist and theatre actress who recorded her 1979 RCA debut, Atavisme, with members of Zao and Clearlight. She followed with the 1981–83 Mercury titles Informulé and Nocturne Flamboyant. Background Armande Altaï was born Armande Kumpal Kabartay Altaï on May 20, 1944, in Aleppo, Syria. Her French father […]
Aphélandra was a French symphonic-rock band that recorded an album in 1976, released a quarter-century later on Mellow Records. Keyboardist Philippe Grancher preceded Aphélandra with the 1975 solo album 3000 Miles Away. Members: Philippe Grancher (keyboards), Pierre Videcoq (vocals, flute, tenor saxophone), Gérard Perret (electric guitar), Philippe Herbin (bass), Dominique Iroz (drums, percussion), Clément Duventru […]
ADX are a French speed-metal band that debuted with the 1985 Devil’s Records release Execution, followed by the 1986–88 Sydney discs Chapitre II – La Terreur, Suprématie, and Exécution Publique. After their 1990 Noise International release Weird Visions, the band broke for eight years but reconvened at the turn of the millennium. Members: Phil Grelaud […]
André Demay is a French guitarist, composer, and producer who was musically active for 10 years, starting with a 1977 collaboration album with violinist Michel Ripoche. In 1980, he released the album Generic on WEA, featuring Magma bassist Jannick Top. The following year, he re-emerged as one-half of synthpop duo Comix. Discography: Generic (1980)
Alexis were an American hard-rock/pop band from Los Angeles that released a self-titled album on MCA in 1977. Members: Eddie Ulibarri (vocals, piano, celeste, synthesizer), Robbie Fallberg (guitar), Dave Peters (saxophone, synthesizer), Dick Walker (piano, synthesizer, vocals), Larry Braden (bass), Randy Reeder (drums) Discography: Alexis (1977)
The Herd was an English beat group from London that cut three singles in 1965/66 for Parlophone. After the arrival of teenage guitarist/singer Peter Frampton, they issued multiple 1967/68 pop-psych singles on Fontana, culminating with the album Paradise Lost and the rockier standalone single “Sunshine Cottage.” Frampton soon departed for blues-rockers Humble Pie, formed with […]
The Graeme Edge Band was an English hard-rock trio responsible for the 1975 Threshold release Kick Off Your Muddy Boots, followed by the 1977 Decca album Paradise Ballroom. Drummer Graeme Edge assembled the group while his main act, The Moody Blues, was on hiatus. The trio featured guitarist Adrian Gurvitz and his bassist brother Paul […]
The Ghoulies was an avant-jazz/rock project assembled by Welsh musician Charlie Summers with an assortment of U.K. musicians, including Hatfield and the North/National Health alumni Dave Stewart and Pip Pyle. The project yielded the album Dogged by Dogma, released on Summers’ Lounging Records label in 1982. Members: Charlie Summers (guitar, vocals, flageolet, organ), Dave Stewart […]
Matthew Fisher is an English keyboardist and composer who played on the first three albums by Procol Harum. As a solo artist, he issued the 1973/74 albums Journey’s End and I’ll Be There on RCA Victor, followed in 1979–81 with a second pair of albums on Mercury. Fisher was born on March 7, 1946, in Croydon, […]
Lily (りりィ) — 鎌田小恵子 (Feb. 1952 — Nov. 11, 2016) — was a Japanese singer/songwriter who released ten albums through 1980 on Express, including the 1973 disc Dulcimer, plus two 1980s titles on Invitation. Background Lily was born Saeko Kamata on February 17, 1952, in Fukuoka City, Japan. Her mother, a onetime acting hopeful, steered […]
Murasaki was a Japanese hard-rock band from the island of Okinawa. They made the 1975/76 Bourbon albums Murasaki and Impact, followed by the 1977 concert document Doin’ Our Thing at the Live House. Members: George Murasaki (keyboards), Eiichi Miyanaga (drums), Masao Jouma (vocals), Ikuo Shimoji (guitar), Kiyomasa Hika (guitar), Toshio Jouma (bass) Background Murasaki formed […]
Motohiko Hino — 日野元彦 (Jan. 3, 1946 — May 13, 1999) — was a Japanese drummer who played on more than 150 albums over a 30-year career, starting in the late 1960s. During the 1970s, he released a string of free-jazz albums in solo, combo, and collaborative settings on Philips, Trio, and Columbia’s Takt Jazz […]
Moondancer were a Japanese symphonic-rock band that released a self-titled album on Alfa in 1979. The album features string arrangements by Jun Fukamachi and Mini-Moog programming by Cosmos Factory‘s Tsutomu Izumi. Members: Rey Azmi (Organ [Hammond C3], Piano [Acoustic], Vocals, Synthesizer [Solina, Micro Moog, Korg Synthesizer 800DV, Korg Polyphonic Ensemble, Mini-Moog]), Tac Sawamura (Electric Guitar, […]
Mkwaju Ensemble were a Japanese post-minimalist project that yielded two albums on Better Days in 1981. Members: 高田みどり [Midori Takada] (percussion, vibraphone, gong, marimba, tom tom), Yoji Sadanari (percussion, vibraphone, gong, marimba, tom tom), 久石譲 [Joe Hisaishi] (producer, keyboards), 松武秀樹 [Hideki Matsutake] (programming), Junko Arase (marimba), Pecker (percussion), 千野秀一 [Shuichi Chino] (synthesizer), Shuichi “Ponta” Murakami […]
Mioko Yamaguchi — 山口美央子 (March 22, 1959) — is a Japanese art-pop composer and singer who released three albums on F-Label between 1980 and 1983. Discography: 夢飛行 (1980) Nirvana (1981) 月姫 (Tsukihime) (1983)
Minoru Muraoka — 村岡実 (May 21, 1923 — Jan. 2, 2014) — was a Japanese shakuhachi player who released forty-plus albums between 1965 and 1982 on Columbia, Teichiku, Toshiba, and Victor. In 1970, he made the ethno/folk-psych albums Bamboo and Osorezan. Background Minoru Muraoka was born Fukuo Muraoka on May 21, 1923, in Yamada, Miyazaki […]
Miki Matsubara — 松原みき (Nov. 28, 1959 — Oct. 7, 2004) — was a Japanese pop singer who released nine albums on See･Saw/Canyon between 1980 and 1985, followed by two further titles on Victor during the late 1980s. Discography: Pocket Park (1980) Who Are You? (1980) Cupid (1981) Myself (1982) Revue (1983) Cool Cut (1984) […]
Masayoshi Takanaka — 高中正義 (March 27, 1953) — is a Japanese guitarist and composer who emerged in the band Flied Egg during the early 1970s, after which he joined the Sadistic Mika Band for the balance of the decade. Between 1976 and 1984, he released 15 albums on Kitty Records, followed by another round of […]
Miharu Koshi (越美晴) is a Japanese singer and songwriter who made three city pop albums through 1981 on RCA. In 1983, she reemerged with the Yen release Tutu, her first of multiple art-pop albums, including the 1984–87 titles Parallelisme, Boy Soprano, and Echo de Miharu. Background Miharu Koshi was born on January 3, 1960, in […]
Masami Tsuchiya — 土屋昌巳 (born Aug. 22, 1952) — is a Japanese art-pop multi-instrumentalist and composer who fronted the New Wave band Ippu-Do during the early 1980s. Between 1982 and 1989, he released five albums on Epic and an EP on CBS/Sony. In 1983, he served as a fifth wheel for English band Japan on […]
Masahiko Togashi — 富樫雅彦 (March 22, 1940 — Aug. 22, 2007) — was a Japanese jazz-drummer who played backup for saxophonist Sadao Watanabe during the late 1960s, graduating to the post-bop quartet Four Units with pianist Masahiko Sato for a 1969 album on Union Records. During the 1970s and ’80s, Togashi released numerous free/improve albums […]
Masahiko Sato — 佐藤允彦 (born Oct. 6, 1941) — is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer who has appeared on more than 200 albums since the late 1960s. In 1969, he partook in the post-bop quartet Four Units, which released one album on Union Records. Between 1970 and 1990, he released numerous albums in solo […]
Masabumi Kikuchi — 菊地 雅章 (Oct. 19, 1939 — July 6, 2015) — was a Japanese jazz pianist and composer who served as a backing musician for saxophonist Sadao Watanabe during the late 1960s. In 1969, Kikuchi formed a surnamesake quintet with trumpeter Terumasa Hino for one album on Columbia’s Takt Jazz series. Between 1970 […]
Mariner were a Japanese/American symphonic/hard-rock band that released two albums on Bourbon Records in 1979 and 1980. Members: John Joseph Patterson [Hiroto Arasaki] (vocals), Glenn Ford (guitar), George Murasaki (keyboards), Julian Morgan Hoffler (bass), John Pringle (drums) Discography: One (1979) Two: The Ancient Mariner (1980)
Makoto Matsushita — 松下誠 (born Nov. 16, 1955) — is a Japanese art-pop guitarist and composer who released the album First Light on Air Records in 1981, followed by two albums on Moon Records in 1982 and 1983. Also in 1983, he arranged music for the Columbia/Animex release Fly Me To The Moon! and played […]
Mai Yamane — 山根麻以 (Oct. 9, 1958) — is a Japanese singer, pianist, and songwriter who released eight albums on Continental between 1980 and 1986, followed by a final release on Baidis in 1988. Discography: TAた SOそ GAが REれ (1980) Sorry (1981) “Mai” Passionate Live! (1981) Will (1982) The Day Before Yesterday (1984) 月光浴 (Getsukoyoku) […]
Mabumi Yamaguchi — 山口真文 (born Sept. 1, 1946) — is a Japanese saxophonist who played on numerous jazz recordings during the 1970s. Between 1976 and 1978, he led a namesake quartet for two albums on Union Records. His one solo album, Mabumi, appeared in 1981 on Trio Records. Members: Fumio Karashima, Kazumi Watanabe, Mabumi Yamaguchi, […]
Love Live Life + One were a Japanese hard-rock/psych band that released the 1971 album Love Will Make a Better You on King Records. Members: Chito Kawachi (drums), Hiro Yanagida (keyboards), Kimio Mizutani (guitar), 市原宏祐 [Kosuke Ichihara] (saxophone, flute), 寺川正興 [Masaoki Terakawa] (bass), Naomi Kawahara (percussion), 直居隆雄 [Takao Naoi] (guitar), Toshiaki Yokota (saxophone, flute), Akira […]
