The internet can be a toxic place. But the ability for never before heard music (to westerners and the rest of the world in this case) like this to be published is truly a blessing I think I take for granted too often. Thanks for uploading this album and giving people a chance to listen to this :)
HIMIKO KIKUCHI is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer debuted in 1980 with her first album "Don't Be Stupid. ” HIMIKO KIKUCHI's Leader Albums *12 original albums. 1st "Don't Be Stupid" (1980) 2nd "Flashing" (1981) 3rd "All Right" (1982) 4th "Woman" (1983) 5th "Reverse It" (1984) 6th "SHINRA BANSYO (The Whole Universe)" (1985) 7th "Flying Beagle" (1987) 8th "Seville Breeze" (1988,) 9th "BEAM" (1993) 10th "HIMIKO KIKUCHI BIG BAND LIVE" (2000) No.11 "Furusato - My Soul Princess" (2005) 12th "DQ★The Live! (2007) Himiko was born in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Started playing classical piano at the age of 7, as well as playing the electone and pipe organ. At the age of 12, she participated in the "Yamaha Electone Competition" where she performed Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor" and won second prize. She studied composition from the age of 15 and won the Yamaha Electone Competition at the age of 16. In college, she majored in music and graduated from the Music Department of Miyagi Gakuin University. In 1979, she performed at the "Montreux Jazz Festival" in Switzerland as a member of the "Inner Galaxy Orchestra led by Bingo Miki. The following year, 1980, she made her major record debut in Japan with "Don't Be Stupid," recorded with Ernie Watts (Sax). Since then, she released a series of original albums in the 80s and 90s. In 1999, she and her husband, guitarist Masatsugu Matsumoto, moved to her husband's hometown of Tottori, Japan. She has participated in local music activities and received the "30th Tottori City Cultural Award" in 2005. Unfortunately, her works were ignored by the music industry in Europe and the U.S., as she did not have the opportunity to sign release contracts in Western countries and international markets at her peak, and her releases remained in Japan, buried in Japan and hidden from the rest of the world for a long time until the birth of the Internet.
"All Right" Himiko Kikuchi Original LP release date: 1982. Her third album All songs Composed and Arranged by Himiko Kikuchi (except B3) Produced by: Masatsugu Matsumoto (her husband) Recording Studio: Mad Hatter Studios, Los Angeles, USA (Owner, Chick Corea) Recording Date: September 12-27, 1981 A1,CALLING WAVES (Composed by Himiko Kikuchi) A2,ROLLING 40TH (Composed by Himiko Kikuchi) A3,THE POLESTAR (Composed by Himiko Kikuchi) A4,CRAZY MOON（Composition：Himiko Kikuchi) B1,PANCAKE ICE (Composed by Himiko Kikuchi) B2,HARD MEDITATION (Composed by Himiko Kikuchi) B3,BUNGER'S OASIS (Composed and Arranged by Masatsugu Matsumoto) /Recorded Musicians Himiko Kikuchi: Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, other keyboards Masatsugu Matsumoto: Electric Guitar Kazuya Sugimoto: Bass Guitar Ernie Watts: Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Synthesizer John Robinson: Drums Al Vizzutti: trumpet Charles Davis : trumpet Jim Cowger: tenor saxophone, alto saxophone Alan Kaplan : trombone Steve Forman : percussion Up to the second album of the previous series, Kikuchi had asked Genji Sawai to produce, but from this album onward, Kikuchi and her husband Matsumoto have been self-producing their albums. Genji Sawai, who produced the previous album, is a saxophonist who was the total sound supervisor for Takako Mamiya's "Love Trip" album.
