Rosie Huntington: masayuki takayanagi

I wasn't really sure if I should post any more Masayuki Takayanagi stuff. On the one hand, thanks to brilliant Japanese indie labels such as Jinya, DIW and PSF (the latter home of Keiji Haino, one of Takayanagi's protégés of sorts), most of these titles are currently available, for example through one of my favourite web stores, Japan Improv. People should just go straight there and buy these records.

On the other hand, Takayanagi, easily one of my all-time musical heroes, still remains a stupefyingly underrated and underappreciated artist, deserving much more praise and exposure than he has received thus far (which sadly is close to nil). Is this due to him not being part of the European 70's free jazz/improv scene? I cannot really say. In my opinion he is no less important than Brötzmann, Bailey or Parker, and arguably the more versatile of the four (put his 60s soft/modal jazz, his 70s scorching free jazz and his 80s/90s table top noise/EAI side-by-side and you've got a pretty good picture of a career spanning an impressive range). Either way, just make sure you buy this shit if you can get into it. If you're unfamiliar with the man's work and need a place to start, try the Eclipse LP below. Or even better (if you're courageous enough) go for the 1970 Call In Question LP, which is my favourite of his, and probably documents him and his New Direction band at their wildest (arguably with the exception of the duo record Mass Projection, which he recorded the same year together with jazz wild child Kaoru Abe). Other releases that deserve attention are Kaitai Teki Kohkan (again together with Abe), Complete "La Grima", Mass Hysterism, Dislocation (below) and Action Direct.

If you're already a fan, note that Jinya just released a 5CD box set that looks pretty fantastic. Kinda pricey, but I'm definitely gonna try to scrape together enough money for that one. And judging from the title, it looks like the people over at Jinya have more good shit in store for us in the future.

Masayuki Takayanagi & New Direction
Live Independence
1970
PSF
[free jazz, free improv, noise rock]

MF / RS (112 MB, rip: UAX)

Masayuki Takayanagi
A Jazzy Profile Of Jojo
1970
Jinya Disc
[contemporary jazz]

MF (72 MB, rip: UAX)

Masayuki Takayanagi/ Kaoru Abe
Gradually Projection
1970
DIW
[free jazz, free improv]

MF (109 MB, rip: UAX)

Masayuki Takayanagi & New Direction For The Arts
Free Form Suite
1972
Three Blind Mice
[jazz, free jazz]

MF (108 MB, rip: UAX)

Masayuki Takayanagi & New Direction Unit
Eclipse
1975
PSF
[free jazz, free improv]

MF (100 MB, rip: UAX)

Masayuki Takayanagi & New Direction Unit
Axis: Another Revolvable Thing, Vol. 1
1975
Offbeat/Doubtmusic
[free jazz, free improv]

MF (117 MB, rip: UAX)

Masayuki Takayanagi & New Direction Unit
Axis: Another Revolvable Thing, Vol. 2
1975
Offbeat/Doubtmusic
[free jazz, free improv]

MF (102 MB, rip: UAX)