Masahiko Togashi Spiritual Nature

Masahiko Togashi - Song For Myself (1974) {2015 DSD Japan East Wind Masters Collection 1000 Series UCCJ-9136}
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© 1974, 2015 East Wind Music / Universal Japan | UCCJ-9136
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Chamber Music / Drums

Reissue with the latest DSD remastering. The intimate nature of the title is very apt on this one – as the album features spare duets between drummer Masahiko Togashi and other Japanese musicians – including the great Sadao Watanabe on flute, and either Masahiko Satoh and Masabumi Kikuchi on piano! The sound is open, and sometimes a bit free – but in a way that's very inventive, and never too overpowering – as Togashi finds a way to really keep things grounded, and work in the best collaborative spirit with each musician. A real standout on the East West catalog of the 70s – and titles include "Haze", "Fairy Tale", "Song For Myself", and "Song For My Friends".

Masabumi Kikuchi, Masahiko Togashi, Gary Peacock - Poesy (1971) {2015 Japan We Remember Poo Complete Series} [CD5of8]
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© 1971, 2015 Philips / Universal Japan | UCCJ-9207
Jazz / Post Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Modern Free / Piano / Percussions

A set that definitely lives up to the poetry promised in its title – with none of the too-clean sounds you might guess from its hand-washing reference either! The album's one of the freest, most organic sessions we've heard from pianist Masabumi Kikuchi – almost improvised at points, but with a poetic cohesion in the piano lines that's really great – kind of an offbeat sense of lyricism that points in the same directions that Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett were heading in the late 60s. Drummer Masahiko Togashi plays lots of cool percussion and even a bit of gong – and Gary Peacock's bass here is as great as on any of his other excellent Japanese recordings. Titles include "Dreams", "The Trap", "The Milky Way", "Apple", "Get Magic Again", and "End".

Masahiko Togashi - We Now Create (1969) {Victor Japan, VICJ-23007 rel 1990}
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© 1969, 1990 Victor Japan | VICJ-23007
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Drums / Percussion

An excellent debut from drummer/percussionist Masahiko Togashi's Quartet released in 1969, a remarkable free jazz album of strong technical and creative skills, with Motoharu Yoshizawa on bass and cello, Mototeru Takagi on sax and reeds, and Masayuki Takayanagi on guitar, an important advance for the players who would go on to form influential bands like New Directions.

Masahiko Togashi - Isolation (1971) {Nippon Columbia, Paper Sleeve, COCP-30979, rel 2000}
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© 1971, 2000 Nippon Columbia | COCP-30979
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Experimental Jazz / Drums / Percussion

Top rare Japanese holy grail free jazz album by jazz drummer Masahiko Togashi and jazz saxophonist Mototeru Takagi. This is part of a series of CD reissues from Columbia as "Masahiko Togashi 45th Anniversary". Comes in mini LP replica with 4-page insert in Japanese & obi. A child prodigy on violin and percussion, Togashi became a professional drummer when barely into his teens. He gained a solid reputation in his homeland, playing with Sadao Watanabe among others and also led his own small groups. At the end of the 60s injuries turned him away from playing drums to other percussion instruments and he extended his interest in writing music.

Disc 1 recorded on April 1 and 2, 1994 at Onkio Haus, Tokyo. Disc 2 to 4 recorded on March 29, 1994 at Pit-Inn, Tokyo.

Masahiko Togashi + Masabumi Kikuchi - Concerto (1991) {Japan Studio Songs Remaster YZSO Series rel 2016}
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© 1991, 2016 Studio Songs Japan / Nippon Crown | YZSO-10064
Jazz / Post Bop / Chamber Music / Avant-Garde Jazz / Piano / Percussions

Two Japanese jazz greats pianist Masabumi Kikuchi and percussionist Masahiko Togashi recorded “Concerto” in 1991 – quite prolific period for both (especially for Kikuchi who founded one of his most successful project Tethered Moon with Gary Peacock and Paul Motian right at that time). Released soon after, this duo album hasn't been noticed and became an obscurity. Many Kikuchi fans even don't know such release exists. In 2016 it has been re-issued in Japan so it is much more accessible now. Being mostly known as an object of discussions between collectors (as rule no-one of them ever heard its content) – is this album really all that good?

Masahiko Togashi & Masayuki Takayanagi - Pulsation (1983) {DIW Japan DIW-3046 rel 2015}
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© 1983, 2015 Paddle Wheel / DIW / King Record Japan | DIW-3046
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Percussion / Guitar

Two side-long improvised tracks – recorded in a spacious concert hall in Tokyo, and featuring the drums and percussion of Masahiko Togashi alongside some very inventive work on guitar from Masayuki Takayanagi.