Masahiko Togashi (富樫 雅彦, Togashi Masahiko, 22 March 1940 in Tokyo – 22 August 2007 in Kanagawa) was a Japanese jazz percussionist and composer.[1]
Masahiko Togashi | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 22, 1940 Tokyo, Japan |
| Died | August 22, 2007 (aged 67) Kanagawa, Japan |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument | Percussion |
| Years active | 1954–1969, 1973-2002 |
Togashi grew up in a musical household; his father was a double-bassist in a swing jazz ensemble, and Togashi learned violin and drums, playing the latter in his father's band.[1] He worked with Sadao Watanabe, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Tony Scott in the 1950s, then founded the ensemble Jazz Academy in 1961 with Hideto Kanai, Masabumi Kikuchi, and Masayuki Takayanagi.[1] Togashi was an early free jazz leader in Japan: his 1965 quartet with Kazunori Takeda, Yosuke Yamashita and Kuniro Takimoto used words as triggers for each player to perform his thoughts about that word.[2] Togashi and Yamashita were part of Watanabe's band in 1966, but Yamashita and Togashi disagreed about rhythms, leading to the pianist leaving.[3] Togashi also performed with American musicians such as Ornette Coleman, Blue Mitchell, Lee Morgan, and Sonny Rollins on Japanese tours.[1] Early in 1969, Togashi and Hiroshi Suzuki co-led a quintet that recorded the album Variation.[4] Another Togashi album from the same year – the quartet We Now Create – was described by critic Teruto Soejima as "a masterpiece of four individuals intensely exploring the true natures of their instruments".[5] Late that year, he recorded duets with Mototeru Takagi for the soundtrack to the experimental film A.K.A. Serial Killer.[6] An edited version of the soundtrack was released as Isolation by Colombia Records.[7]
Togashi permanently lost the use of his legs in an accident in 1970[8] and played only percussion until the mid-1970s when he resumed on drums.[1] Later associations included performing or recording with Paul Bley, Don Cherry, Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Haden, Steve Lacy, Gary Peacock, Masahiko Sato, and Yuji Takahashi.[1]
Discography
editAs leader/co-leader
edit- Variation (Takt, 1969)[4]
- We Now Create (Victor, 1969)
- Canto of Aries with New Herd (Columbia, 1971)
- Isolation with Mototeru Takagi (Columbia, 1971) - recorded 1969
- Poesy : The Man Who Keeps Washing His Hands with Masabumi Kikuchi, Gary Peacock (Philips, 1971)
- Ginparis Session (銀巴里セッション) with Masayuki Takayanagi (TBM, 1972) - recorded 1963
- Sohsyoh (双晶) with Masahiko Satoh (Trio, 1973)
- Song for Myself with Sadao Watanabe, Masahiko Satoh, Masabumi Kikuchi (East Wind, 1974)
- Spiritual Nature (East Wind, 1975)
- Guild For Human Music (Denon Jazz, 1976)
- Rings (East Wind, 1976) - solo
- Session In Paris, Vol. 1 "Song Of Soil" (Paddle Wheel, 1979)
- Kizashi (兆) with Yosuke Yamashita (Next Wave, 1980)
- Valencia with Takashi Kako (Trio, 1980)
- Tidal Wave (津波) with Richard Beirach (Trio, 1980)
- The face of percussion (Paddle Wheel, 1981) - recorded 1980
- The Ballad My Favorite (Paddle Wheel, 1981)
- Spiritual Moments (Paddle Wheel, 1982)
- Contrastwith Lauren Newton and Peter Kowald (Paddle Wheel, 1983)
- Eternal duo with Steve Lacy (Paddle Wheel, 1983) - recorded 1981, CD version (DIW, 2015)
- Pulsation with Masayuki Takayanagi (Paddle Wheel, 1983)
- Breath with Hozan Yamamoto, Yōsuke Yamashita (Denon, 1984)
- Ayers Rock with Richie Beirach, Terumasa Hino (Polydor, 1985)
- Bura Bura (Pan Music, 1986) - live
- Scene (Cornelius, 1987)
- Place - Space Who (Egg Farm, 1987)
- Wave with Gary Peacock and Masahiko Satoh (East Wind, 1987)
- Wave II with Gary Peacock and Masahiko Satoh (East Wind, 1988)
- Wave III with Gary Peacock and Masahiko Satoh (NEC Avenue, 1988)
- Essence of Jazz (Art Union, 1990)
- Senza Tempo with Haruna Miyake, Yuji Takahashi, Jean-François and Jenny-Clark (Egg Farm, 1990)
- Concerto with Masabumi Kikuchi (Ninety-One, 1991)
- Twilight with Steve Lacy (Ninety-One, 1992) - recorded 1991
- Passing in the silence (AMJ, 1993) - solo
- Triple Helix with Terumasa Hino, Masabumi Kikuchi (Enja, 1993)
- Richard Beirach - Terumasa Hino - Masahiko Togashi (Konnex, 1993)
- Eternal Duo ’95 with Steve Lacy (Take One, 1996) - recorded 1995
- Inter-Action: Live At Hall Egg Farm On December 9, 1995 (Take One, 1996) - recorded 1995
- Update: Live At Pit Inn Shinjuku On December 16, 1995 (Take One, 1996) - recorded 1995
- Asian Spirits with Kang Tae Hwan and Masahiko Satoh (AD.forte, 1996)
- Moment Aug,15 (BAJ Records, 1997)
- Freedom Joy with Richie Beirach (Trial, 1998) - recorded 1997
- Live at Dolphy (Trial, 1998)
- Passing In The Silence (Transheart, 2000)
- Contrast with Masahiko Satoh (EWE, 2002)
- Live at Köln (JamRice, 2004) - recorded 2002
- Inductions with Masahiko Satoh (BAJ, 2009)
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Iwanami, Yozo; Sugiyama, Kazunori (2002). "Togashi, Masahiko". Grove Music Online (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ Soejima 2018, p. 18.
- ^ Soejima 2018, pp. 28–29.
- ^ a b Soejima 2018, pp. 38–39.
- ^ Soejima 2018, p. 41.
- ^ Soejima 2018, p. 81.
- ^ Soejima 2018, pp. 83–84.
- ^ Soejima 2018, pp. 80–81.
Bibliography
- Soejima, Teruto (2018) [2002]. Free Jazz in Japan: A Personal History. Translated by Kato, David Hopkins. Public Bath Press. ISBN 978-4-9908636-5-4.