Masabumi Kikuchi

Esteemed pianist Masabumi Kikuchi enjoyed a long and illustrious career in jazz that encompassed many forms. After playing in Lionel Hamptons Japanese touring band, he played on five Sadao Watanabe albums in mid-1960s and backed Sonny Rollins before studying at the Berklee College of Music.

Matrix was the first of five albums recorded with his Sextet and is rightly rated one of the greatest of his entire career, the album mixing well-executed covers of songs by Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Watanabe, and the Black Orpheus theme with the enthralling originals Little Aby and In Fourth Way. An excellent listen!

PERSONNEL:

• Tetsuo Fushimi - (trumpet)
• Hideyuki Kikuchi - (alto sax)
• Akio Nishimura - (tenor sax)
• Masabumi Kikuchi - (piano)
• Hironori Takiya - (bass)
• Takahiro Suzuki - (drums)

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. MATRIX
• A2. LITTLE ABY
• A3. ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET

• SIDE B
• B1. IF I SAID THE SKY WAS FALLING
• B2. IN FOURTH WAY
• B3. BLACK ORPHEUS