A selection of some of my favourite fusion tracks from my YouTube channel.
WYSIWYG (album: What You Sing Is What You Get track: Tales of the Temple year: 1997)
Nice Japanese jazz fusion track from WYSIWYG, a band that only released one album. This track is from the 1997 release, What You Sing Is What You Get. The band featured Ken'ichiro Shinzawa on keyboards, Koichi Yabori on guitar, Jiro Okada on bass and Ittoku Shimamura on drums.
Yoichi Murata (album: Hook Up track: Carry On year: 1999)
Great track from the Hook Up album with Tower of Power, featuring Francis Rocco Prestia on bass, David Garibaldi on drums, Chester Thompson on organ, Bruce Conte on guitar and Greg Adams on trumpet.
RX (album: Elements track: Film Noir year: 2001)
Here's a nice track from the Elements album released by RX in 2001, featuring some nice guitar work, but I've been unable to identify who the guitarist is. RX were Raiden Yuzawa on drums, Shunsuke Ishikawa on bass and Matsuzaki Yuichi on keyboards. Anyone know who the mystery guitarist might be?
Akira Ishikawa (album: Okinawa track: Tanchame year: 1976)
Here's a catchy little tune from the 1976 album, Okinawa, by drummer Akira Ichikawa. He was a big band drummer in the 1960s and began recording under his own name in the late 1960s. From 1970 to the 1976, he recorded albums with his band Count Buffalo. Ichikawa passed away in 2002, aged 67.
Akira Ishikawa (drums)
Takeru Muraoka (tenor, alto saxophone)
Masao Suzuki (baritone saxophone)
Masaoki Terakawa (bass)
Takao Naoi (guitar)
Hideo Ichikawa (keyboards)
Larry Sunaga (percussion)
Eiji Arai (trombone)
Koji Hatori (trumpet)
Kayoko Ishu (vocals)
Time Five (vocals)
Yoshiaki Masuo (album: Sailing Wonder track: Kirk Out year: 1977)
Interesting track from guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo with some of the guys from Stuff.
Yoshiaki Masuo (guitar)
Eric Gale (guitar)
Steve Gadd (drums)
Gordon Edwards (bass)
Dave Grusin (keyboards)
Yuji Toriyama (album: Silver Shoes track: Area Code 213 year: 1982)
There are times when I forget about some of the great music in my collection and Yuji Toriyama's 1982 Silver Shoes is one such album. Together with some great musicians, including Neil Larsen on keyboards, Buzz Feiten on guitar and Jimmy Haslip on bass, this is one of those rare albums where every track is outstanding.
Yuji Toriyama (guitar)
Jimmy Haslip (bass)
Art Rodriguez (drums)
Buzz Feiten (guitar)
Neil Larsen (keyboards)
Lenny Castro (percussion)
Mitsuru Sutoh (album: Favor of My Friends track: Carnival Satsujin Jiken year: 1997)
Mitsuru Sutoh's 1997 album, "Favor of My Friends," has to be one of the best Japanese jazz fusion albums of all time. This track, which translates from Japanese to Carnival Murder Case, feature Akira Jimbo on drums.
Mitsuru Sutoh (bass)
Akira Jumbo (drums)
Isamu Ohashi (guitar)
Azuchi Takahashi (keyboards)
Sadao Watanabe (album: Morning Island track: Home Meeting year: 1979)
I've been a fan of Sadao Watanabe since 1979 and have worn out at least three copies of his "How's Everything" album from 1980. This track is from his 1979 album "Morning Island." Sadao is still active on the music scene at 89.
Sadao Watanabe (saxophone)
Michael Brecker (saxophone)
Steve Gadd (drums)
Francisco Centeno (bass)
Dave Grusin (keyboards)
Jeff Mironov (guitar)
Rubens Bassini (percussion)
Masahiko Satoh (album: All-In All-Out track: Grama Grass year: 1979)
Love this song from Masahiko Satoh's 1979 album All-In All-Out.
Masahiko Satoh (keyboards)
Dave Liebman (sax)
Ryo Kawasaki (guitar)
Francisco Centeno (bass)
Harvey Mason (drums)
Rubens Bassini (percussion)
Randy Brecker (trumpet)
Senri Kawaguchi (album: Cider (Hard and Sweet) track: Am Stram Gram year: 2016)
Japanese drummer Senri Kawaguchi can really play. This track is from her 2016 album Cider (Hard and Sweet). She recorded the album with keyboard player Philippe Saisse who I got to see play with Al Jarreau many years ago.
Senri Kwaguchi (drums)
Philippe Saisse (keyboards)
Armand Sebal-Lecco (bass)
Eijiro Nakagawa (album: Peace track: So What year: 1997)
More Japanese jazz fusion, this time from trombonist Eijiro Nakagawa. This is his version of So What from the 1997 album, "Peace," featuring the Brecker Brothers.
Eijiro Nakagawa (trombone)
Rodney Holmes (drums)
James Genus (bass)
Michael Brecker (saxophone)
Reandy Brecker (trumpet)
Andy Ezrin (keyboards)
Mitsuru Sutoh (album: Favor of My Friends track: Asian Mogler year: 1997)
In 1997, Japanese bass player Mitsuru Sutoh, released his incredible album "Favor Of My Friends." It's hard to pick the track I like the best, but this one always catches my attention.
Mitsuru Sutoh (bass)
Akira Jimbo (drums)
Isamu Ohashi (guitar)
Azuchi Takahashi (keyboards)
Sadao Watanabe (album: Go Straight Ahead 'N Make A Left track: Walk Around the Corner year: 1997)
Another Sadao Watanabe track for you. In 1997, Sadao recorded an album with keyboard player Bernard Wright (who I first heard on Tom Browne's 1979 album Browne Sugar). The album was called "Go Straight Ahead 'N Make A Left" and this was the opening track.
Sadao Watanabe (saxophone)
Bernard Wright (keyboards)
Stephen Teele (bass)
Akira Jimbo (album: 23 West Bound track: Go Cool year: 2018)
This track is from Japanese drummer Akira Jimbo's 2018 album, "23 West Bound." It features Russell Ferrante of the Yellowjackets on keyboards and former Yellowjackets' bass player Jimmy Haslip.
Akira Jimbo (drums)
Russell Ferrante (keyboards)
Jimmy Haslip (bass)
Power Job (album: Power Job track: Spice Love year: 2002)
This track is from the 2001 album by Power Job. This short-lived band was led by bass player Toshimi Nagai and was their only release.
Toshimi Nagai (bass)
Noriaki Kukagi (drums)
Kazi Michishita (guitar)
Takashi Masuzaki (guitar)
Tetsuo Sakurai (album: My Dear Musiclife track: Kuru year: 2009)
Kuru is a Jaco Pastorius composition from Japanese bass player Tetsuo Sakurai's 2009 album "My Dear Musiclife." Sakurai was one of the founding members of the fusion band Casiopea and remained with them until 1989.
Tetsuo Sakurai (bass)
Akira Onozuka (keyboards)
Gene Jackson (drums)
Carlos Kanno (percussion)
Sadao Watanabe (album: Front Seat track: Takin' Time year: 1989)
I've always been a huge fan of the late drummer Jeff Porcaro and it's great to hear him apply his signature sound to a Sadao Watanabe track.
Sadao Watanabe (alto saxophone)
Jeff Porcaro (drums)
Neil Stubenhaus (bass)
Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar)
Robbie Buchanan (keyboards)
Alex Acuna (percussion)
Masahiko Satoh (album: GAll-In All-Out track: Sapajou Walk year: 1979)
A great track from Masahiko Satoh's 1979 album All-In All-Out.
Masahiko Satoh (keyboards)
Dave Liebman (sax)
Ryo Kawasaki (guitar)
Francisco Centeno (bass)
Harvey Mason (drums)
Rubens Bassini (percussion)
Randy Brecker (trumpet)