Masahiko Togashi | |
---|---|
Born | Tokyo, Japan | March 22, 1940
Died | August 22, 2007 Kanagawa, Japan | (aged 67)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
Instrument(s) | Percussion |
Years active | 1954–1969, 1973-2002 |
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]
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]
Togashi lost the use of his legs in an accident in 1969, 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]
Bibliography
Masahiko Togashi | |
---|---|
Born | Tokyo, Japan | March 22, 1940
Died | August 22, 2007 Kanagawa, Japan | (aged 67)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
Instrument(s) | Percussion |
Years active | 1954–1969, 1973-2002 |
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]
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]
Togashi lost the use of his legs in an accident in 1969, 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]
Bibliography