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Masahiko Togashi

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Masahiko Togashi
Born(1940-03-22)March 22, 1940
Tokyo, Japan
DiedAugust 22, 2007(2007-08-22) (aged 67)
Kanagawa, Japan
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentPercussion
Years active1954–1969, 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] 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

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As leader/co-leader

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  • 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

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Soejima 2018, p. 18.
  3. ^ Soejima 2018, pp. 28–29.
  4. ^ a b Soejima 2018, pp. 38–39.
  5. ^ Soejima 2018, p. 41.
  6. ^ Soejima 2018, p. 81.
  7. ^ Soejima 2018, pp. 83–84.
  8. ^ 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.
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