Fukamachi

This CD features the versatile Fukamachi as a veritable one-man band in a lively album that captures the essence of the original Beatles' tunes throughout. The innovative arrangements of the artist, tailored to get the maximum benefit from a surrounding instrument array, produce one of the better technical efforts of this series. Synthesizer effects provide special "flavor," particularly at the close of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", and in the evocative opening of "She's Leaving Home". Fukamachi blends a concert grand, electric piano, Arp synthesizer, glockenspiel, bass drum, tambourine and other electronic instruments with results that indicate a group, not a solo, with ample display of each.

Recorded at Seibu Theatre, Tokyo (June 3rd and 4th 1977). This album packs a wallop! Lots of outstanding music and playing from everyone in the group - Jun Fukamachi, Randy & Michael Brecker contributing songs from the Brecker Bros albums. The 2CD set is a must - the song Triangle Session is actually a note for note cover of John Lee & Gerry Brown's song Rise On from the recently reissued album Still Can't Say Enough that the Brecker Bros played -recommended along with the companion album Mango Sunrise! Kenji Ohmura nails the guitar on this song and the whole performance. The drummer, Martin Willweber, and bassist Kenji Takamizu are also excellent.

Jun Fukamachi was Japanese jazz-fusion composer, pianist and pioneering synthesizer player. Born May 21, 1946, died November 22, 2010. During the late 70s he played with The Brecker Brothers, Steve Gadd, David Sanborn etc.

Recorded at Media Sound, New York, Polydor Studio, Tokyo, Larrabee Studio, Hollywood, CA in July - September, 1977.

Japan has produced some exceptionally talented jazz drummers and among them is Tatsuya Nakamura, who joins the BBE Music J Jazz Masterclass Series with his album ‘Locus’ from 1984, a session covering several bases, from heavy percussive samba to meditative avant-ambient. This is the album’s first ever reissue, although a track from ‘Locus’, ‘1⁄4 Samba’, was included on J Jazz vol. 3.

The album is a collection of gems that consist only of award-winning works of Professional Music Recording Award of Japan ‒ the most prestigious professional musical recording award in Japan ‒ and is a portfolio released by UNAMAS, the music label which has been releasing high quality works since 2007 the early days of Hi-Res surround sound.