TOSHIYUKI MIYAMA — Canto Of Libra (with Masahiko Sato) (review)

TOSHIYUKI MIYAMA — Canto Of Libra (with Masahiko Sato) album cover Album · 1970 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
Japanese reeds player and orchestra leader Toshiyuki Miyama led fashionable at the time big band starting from mid 60s.Hits-oriented orchestra played everything from big band arrangements of pop-songs to Beatles covers,etc, released some albums incl. some commercial releases without artists name on the cover.Being flexible leader Toshiyuki tried to keep his music on the top of the day's fashion.

Quite surprisingly, Japanese musical scene have been taken by storm by few Japanese free jazz expatriates,returned back from States in 1968-69. Free jazz became most fashionable music for two or three years ahead. Toshiyuki reacted immediately, turning his jazz-rock orchestra (in late 60s he switched from orchestrated pop-tunes to rock covers,adding electric guitarist)towards experimental free sound.

His New Herd was improved by one of the leader of new fashion pianist Masahiko Satoh and new collective recorded in 1970 first ever free-jazz orchestra album in Japan. To be honest, music on the album is quite strange - it often sounds like orchestra tries hard to play "new thing" without actual knowledge what it really is.

Guest pianist Masahiko Satoh (he will become a star just some months later)wrote five-piece suite,which combines elements of modern creative avantgarde,jazz fusion and free improvisation,all spiced with brassy big band arrangements and fashionable rock-jazz electric guitars soloing.Some parts are obviously over-arranged with massive brass section's sound (four trumpets,four trombones,five saxophones), another sound close to minimalist avantgarde. Masahiko Satoh plays piano together with regular orchestra pianist (Miyama will use this double-piano scheme in his orchestra for some upcoming years). Surprisingly, level of adventurousness is so high that as rule music doesn't sound as raw or chaotic as one could expect.

Masahiko will start short but very successful solo career just in few months after release of "Canto Of Lybra", Miyama's New Herd will work with some leading Japanese free jazz soloists till mid 70s (some their albums will take highest positions in Japanese experimental jazz legacy)and later will turn once again towards heavy orchestrated mainstream jazz and easy listening.
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