Ryo Kawasaki: Collection (1976)

Ryo Kawasaki (川崎 燎, Kawasaki Ryō, February 25, 1947 – April 13, 2020) was a Japanese jazz fusion guitarist, composer and band leader, best known as one of the first musicians to develop and popularise the fusion genre and for helping to develop the guitar synthesizer in collaboration with Roland Corporation and Korg. His album Ryo Kawasaki and the Golden Dragon Live was one of the first all-digital recordings and he created the Kawasaki Synthesizer for the Commodore 64. During the 1960s, he played with various Japanese jazz groups and also formed his own bands. In the early 1970s, he moved to New York City, where he settled and worked with Gil Evans, Elvin Jones, Chico Hamilton, Ted Curson, Joanne Brackeen amongst others. In the mid-1980s, Kawasaki drifted out of performing music in favour of writing music software for computers. He also produced several techno dance singles, formed his own record company called Satellites Records, and later returned to jazz-fusion in 1991…

~ wiki

Tracklist LP01. Eight Mile Road (1976, East Wind-Japan EW-8035):

01. Eight Mile Road (Kawasaki) - 8:37
02. Montevideo (Kawasaki) - 7:08
03. Good Night John (Kawasaki) - 5:27
04. On the Dot (Kawasaki) - 10:21
05. El Diablo (Kawasaki) - 8:55

Ryo Kawasaki - electric guitar
Sam Morrison (#1,2,4,5) - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Andy Laverne - acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Hohner clavinet, Arp String Ensemble
Phil Clendeninn - Arp Odyssey (#1,4,5)
Herb Bushler - electric bass
Buddy Williams - drums
Abdullah (#1,2,4,5) - congas, percussion

Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York on March 8-9, 1976.





Tracklist LP02. Juice (1976, RCA-Japan RVP-6102):

01. Raisins (Kawasaki) - 6:19
02. Sometime (Kawasaki) - 4:46
03. The Breeze and I (Stillman-Lecuona) - 7:16
04. East Side Boogie (Kawasaki) - 6:04
05. El Toro (Kawasaki) - 4:35
06. Bamboo Child (Kawasaki) - 4:52
07. Andes (Kawasaki) - 4:25

Ryo Kawasaki - lead guitar, string synthesizer
Hugh McCracken - rhythm guitar
Tom Coster - keyboards, synthesizers
Mike Lipskin - synthesizer, percussion
Andy LaVerne - piano (#4,7)
Stu Woods - bass
Jimmie Young - drums
Muhammad Abdullah - percussion
Sam Morrison - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute

Recorded at RCA Studios, New York.





Tracklist LP03. Prism (1976, East Wind-Japan EW-8027):

01. Agana (Kawasaki) - 5:48
02. Joni (Kawasaki) - 5:59
03. Nogie (Kawasaki) - 8:47
04. Bridge:Sun (Kawasaki) - 1:01
05. Phil (Clendeninn) - 7:37
06. Bridge:Moon (Kawasaki) - 1:17
07. Sweet Tears (Kawasaki) - 7:54
08. Bridge:Star (Kawasaki) - 0:16

Ryo Kawasaki - guitar
Phil Clendeninn - Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hohner D-6 clavinet, Arp Odyssey, Arp String Ensemble
Herb Bushler - electric bass
Buddy Williams - drums
Abdullah - conags, percussion
Steve Turre - shell, percussion

Recorded at Vanguard Studio, New York on July 12, 1975.