* 2020 Stock *Jinya Disc presents a live concert recorded to cassette tape on June 24, 1979 (afternoon set) at jazz club Taro, Tokyo. Mastered at Kojima Rokuon. The album includes 4 tracks performed by Masayuki Takayanagi - Guitar, Kenji Kosei - Electric Piano, Hiroshi Yamazaki - Drums and Yasuhito Mori - Bass.
Masayuki 'Jojo' Takayanagi was a Japanese jazz / free improvisational musician. He was active in the Japanese jazz scene from the late 1950s. Was one of the earliest noise guitar improvisers, and the first (with Keith Rowe) to use the table-top guitar. Was a leading member of every avant-garde movement in Japanese jazz from the fifties onwards. Towards the end of his life Takayanagi moved into complex 'Action Direct' works for tabletop guitar, tapes and electronics that verge on pure noise in their intent. Died June 23, 1991.
Hiroshi Yamazaki is a Tokyo-born drummer who has played under several different names over the course of his career. He started out as a jazz drummer from 1959, performing with Hampton Hawes and the like. From the late 60s until the 80's, he was heavily involved with the work of Masayuki Takayanagi, including as a member of Takayanagi's pioneering New Directions group. Other notable collaborations include the Duo album with influential Japanese saxophonist, Kaoru Abe, alongside numerous perfomances spanning orthodox jazz to free improvisation. In recent years he has regularly performed with Otomo Yoshihide.
Yasuhito Mori is a contrabassist, composer and record producer. Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1952, he started to play in major jazz clubs in Tokyo while attending Aoyama Gakuin High School and University. After graduating university, he played with Masayuki 'Jojo' Takayanagi and many other artists. In 1981 he moved to Sweden and has worked with Swedish jazz musicians in many different constellations. Artists he has played with include Putte Wickman, Bengt Hallberg as well as guests George Coleman, Lee Konitz, Bob Berg, Bob Mintzer, Maria Schneider, Ken Peplowski, Art Farmer, Karin Krog, Clark Terry, Georgie Fame, Billy Hart, Billy Harper, and many others.
