Jimsaku
Jimsaku (ジンサク) | |
|---|---|
 "Jimsaku" performing at Shiba Postal Savings Hall, July 20, 1979 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1990-1998, 2021 |
| Labels |
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| Past members | Akira Wada Jim Saku Kume |
| Website | google |
Overview
Jimsaku (ジンサク) was a Japanese Jazz Fusion band lead by drummer Jim and Bassist Saku. They are largely considered to have been the country's best fusion band, having formed in 1990. Their eponymous debut record was released in 1990 under Polydor records, titled Jimsaku. Since then, they have released a total of 11 records, including both studio and a live album.
Live Performances
History
Formation
In late 1979 drummer Akira Jimbo was in charge of the Light Music band of Keio University. For a live performance, they needed a bassist. Tetsuo Sakurai was invaded and worked well with Jimbo. Later the band Casiopea, which Sakurai was the bassist for, needed a new drummer. Sakurai recommended Jimbo to the band's leader Issei Noro, and by January 1980 Jimbo was the newest member of Casiopea. With this lineup Casiopea would grow to stardom as one of Japan's most popular fusion bands of all time.
In 1989, Casiopea had had the same lineup for 9 years, they were running out of fresh ideas, and their sound was starting to get stale. At the beginning of the year they decided to take a rest period. During this rest period where each member had independent musical activities, Jimbo and Sakurai started to form a city pop band called Shambara. One of Casiopea's unwritten rules at the time was that the members could not be in other bands. When Casiopea's rest period came to an end, Jimbo and Sakurai were asked to leave Shambara. Disagreements resulted in them leaving Casiopea and staying with Shambara. Shambara only resulted in one album and a few live concerts, before dissolving in 1990.
1990: Debut Year
Since they were already widely recognized figures in the Japanese music scene with their own solo albums, Jimbo and Sakurai had no problems getting a record deal with Polydor. They decided to record in LA, and arranger Erich Bulling... arranged. No other Japanese musicians were featured on the album. The album was purposefully made to be a bit flat and boring, but they were proud of it[1].
For their live performances, they needed Japanese musicians they could play with regularly. Guitarist Hirokuni Korekata and Keyboardist Chizuko Yoshihiro were core members of a guitar trio called Ottottrio, which also had Issei Noro in it. Ottottrio later played with Casiopea in several events during 1989, most notably Super Fusion '89, but was not how they came to be in mind for Jimsaku. Korekata, earlier in 1990, regularly hosted sessions at Roppongi Pit Inn and Kobe Chicken George called Korekata Super Project, with Sakurai as an occasional bassist[1]. He also recorded an album, Mr. Heart, featuring Sakurai[1]. Chizuko Yoshihiro was a backing keyboardist for Salena Jones back in ???, and Jimbo and Sakurai noticed how skilled she was at playing horn sections on synthesizers[1]. Keyboardist Ken Morimura had played on Sakurai's first solo album, Dewdrops, and was known in the Japanese music scene to be very knowledgeable about latin music, the original aim of Jimsaku[1]. These five members would preform live for the first time on 1990/07/03 at Nissin Power Station, before their first album had even released[1]. Yoshihiro also played the recorder and was planned to play the accordion[1].
Later on in 1990, for their autumn tour, they added violinist Ichiro Nakai, who played electric violin with the band. Nakai would be a core member of the band from late 1990 to 1995. With the addition of him, the core lineup of Jimsaku would be drummer Akira Jimbo, bassist Tetsuo Sakurai, keyboardists Ken Morimura and Chizuko Yoshihiro, guitarist Hirokuni Korekata, and violinist Ichiro Nakai.
For their summer and autumn tours, they also featured Toshiyuki Honda, playing some of his songs and adding a sax to a few Jimsaku songs[1].
1980-1982: Warner Pioneer Years
In 1991 they recorded 45*C and it was released on 1991/09/25 in a Digipak case[2]. The songs for 45*C were written with the new 6 member lineup in mind. Likely due to Korekata's busy schedule, guitarist Yuji Toriyama was prominently featured on 45*C. Yuji Toriyama was a great friend of Jimbo from his high school or college days. Recording in LA was considered, but ultimately Tokyo was decided upon.
Members
The band's main line-up was composed of Tetsuo Sakurai (bass), Akira Jimbo (drums), Hirokuni Korekata (guitar), Ken Morimura (keyboards), Chizuko Yoshihiro (keyboards), and Ichiro Nakai (electric violin), frome late 1990 to 1993. In 1993 Akira Wada served as the main guitarist, Yoshiaki Muto in 1994, and Yuji Toriyama in ????.
Discography
Prism have released a total of 25 studio albums and 10 live albums since 1977. The band was signed to Universal Music Group in 2003, which re-released the band's first four albums, and remained their record publisher.
- Prism (1977)
- Second Thoughts/Second Move (1978)
- Prism III (1979)
- Prism Live (1979)
- Surprise (1980)
- Community Illusion (1981)
- Live Alive (Absolutely) (1981)
- Visions (1982)
- ∞（永久機関） (1983)
- Nothin' Unusual (1985)
- Dreamin (1986)
- Live Alive Vol. 2 (1987)
- The Silence of the Motion (1987)
- Mother Earth (1990)
- Rejuvenation (1991)
- A Personal Change (1992)
- Prism Jam (1995)
- Uncovered (1995)
- Prismania (1997)
- Whiter (1997)
- In the Last Resort (2001)
- Present I (2003)
- Present II (2003)
- 【Mju:】 (2003)
- 1977 Live at Sugino Kodo (2004)
- Homecoming 2004 (2004)
- 三位一体 (2005)
- Blue... (2007)
- Prism 30th Anniversary Live! [Homecoming] (2007)
- Prism Homecoming Vol. 3 (2008)
- Invite (2009)
- Palace in the Sky (2011)
- Mode:Odd (2013)
- Celebrate (2017)
- What You See (2017)
