MASAHIKO TOGASHI — Session In Paris, Vol. 1 "Song Of Soil" (review)

MASAHIKO TOGASHI — Session In Paris, Vol. 1 Album · 1979 · Avant-Garde Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
Masahiko Togashi's "Song Of Soil", recorded in Paris in 1979 and reissued in France by Wewantsounds just a few months ago, is most probably his best known album in the Western world. Percussionist Togashi was one of the cornerstones of Japanese free jazz in the late 60s. In 1969 Togashi lost the use of his legs in an accident, but he developed a new drum kit and returned to playing.

Well known in Japan from his collaboration with leading domestic artists (Sadao Watanabe, Masabumi Kikuchi, Masahiko Satoh among many other), Togashi played with some leading Western jazz artists who were visiting Japan as well (Gary Peacock, Richard Beirach, Steve Lacy, etc). "Song Of Soil" is recorded on Masahiko's rare tour in Europe with two jazz greats, trumpeter Don Cherry and bassist Charlie Haden.

Originally released in Japan in 1979, this album contains six Togashi compositions, all loose and very percussive. Don Cherry improvises freely over dense Masahiko drumming, plays a lot of flute too. Haden's acoustic bass is very wooden and physical. Masahiko's compositions are rooted in Japanese folklore as well as his rhythms, but the music in whole is too bulky and not all that memorable. In fact, the album sounds more like it comes from the late 60s, not 70s. The sound quality of the reissue is excellent, so fans of Togashi and the freer side of Cherry and Haden can find some interesting moments here.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Aura Safari - Jimi Tenor : Sensory Blending Exotica
JIMI TENOR
Buy this album from MMA partners
Rewilder 21st Century Modern
BORDERLANDS TRIO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tributes Post Bop
ANTONIO FARAÒ
Buy this album from MMA partners
A Study (In The Key Of Now) Third Stream
ROBERT MITCHELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Roboquarians, Vol. 1 (feat. Kevin Shea and George Draguns) Eclectic Fusion
AYUMI ISHITO
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Stablemates
RON BLAKE
js· 1 day ago
Critique of Swing in Two Parts, Pt. 1
PIOTR ORZECHOWSKI (PIANOHOOLIGAN)
js· 1 day ago
FULL ALBUM - Oliver Lutz - Utopia w/ Leif Berger, Constantin Krahmer
OLIVER LUTZ
js· 2 days ago
Lift
DAVE WILSON (US/NZ)
js· 4 days ago
Nature is a Mother
CHARLIE PYNE
js· 4 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed