Masaru Imada
Alone Together
*2022 stock* "A lyrical duo work that was created during the legendary Czech-American jazz bass player, composer, also occasional saxophonist George Mraz's tight schedule. Imada's original, light "Blue Road" and romantic "Blue Rain" will make you intoxicated." - Koki Hanawa
Masaru Imada Piano
Sublime solo piano from Masaru Imada – a Japanese player with talents in a range of different styles, but who sounds especially nice up-close here in an intimate setting! Imada's got a way of letting a tune really find its way organically – almost as if the songs here are little flowers opening up in his fingers on the keyboard of the piano – although never in a style that's "flowery" at all, because Imada's a master of finding just the right notes at the right moment – never embellishing things…
Poppy
Poppy was pianist Masaru Imada's second album for the Three Blind Mice label. Imada brought the idea of playing slow ballads by himself to the TBM producer Takeshi Fujii, who greenlit the project but requested Imada to perform his original compositions with his current trio. The result was this album. Side A consists of four solo piano performances of jazz standards, and the trio takes on Imada's three originals on Side B.Produced by Takeshi Fujii. Recorded at Aoi Studio in Tokyo on January 25 a…
Green Caterpillar
* 2022 Repress. Wow! * Pianist Imada Masaru was 42 years old when he recorded this album in 1975. His adventurous spirit led him to use the electric piano for the first time in a recording, and thanks to his musicianship, he made it sound like he'd been playing the instrument for years. The program opens with the title track, a sophisticated urban funk. Guitarist Kazumi Watanabe plays a big role here. It is followed by a more intricate, fusion-like "Straight Flash." The all-original-composition …
One For Duke
** In process of stocking ** Craftman records presents One For Duke by Masaru Imada Trio. Recorded May 27, 1975. Art Direction – Ben Nishizawa, Bass – Isoo Fukui, Drums – Tetsujiro Obara, Engineer – Yoshihiko Kannari, Piano – Masaru Imada, Producer – Takeshi Fujii.
Now!!
Now! by Masaru Imada was the second album released by the fledgling Three Blind Mice label and the pianist's first leader album for the label. All four tunes are Imada's original compositions. The two slow numbers – "Nostalgia" and "The Shadow of the Castle" show his lyrical, "quiet but emotional," qualities. "Alter" is an adventurous tune whose focus is on free improvisation while "Gehi Dorian" is a modal composition as the title suggests.