was a Japanese

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

percussionist and composer. Togashi grew up in a musical household; his father was a double-bassist in a

swing jazz Swing music is a style of jazz that developed in the United States during the late 1920s and early 1930s. It became nationally popular from the mid-1930s. The name derived from its emphasis on the off-beat, or nominally weaker beat. Swing bands ...

ensemble, and Togashi learned violin and drums, playing the latter in his father's band. He worked with Sadao Watanabe,

Toshiko Akiyoshi is a Japanese–American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. Akiyoshi received fourteen Grammy Award nominations and was the first woman to win Best Arranger and Composer awards in ''Down Beat'' magazine's annual Readers' Poll. ...

, and

Tony Scott Anthony David Leighton Scott (21 June 1944 – 19 August 2012) was an English film director and producer. He was known for directing highly successful action and thriller films such as ''Top Gun'' (1986), ''Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987), ''Day ...

in the 1950s, then founded the ensemble Jazz Academy in 1961 with

Hideto Kanai was a Japanese jazz double-bassist. He was born in Tokyo. Kanai began playing bass in 1950, joining Fumio Nanri's ensemble the following year. He was one of the founders of the avant-garde collective Shinseiki Ongaku Kenkyusyo, co-founded the Jaz ...

Masabumi Kikuchi was a Japanese jazz pianist and composer known for his unique playing style. He worked with many diverse musicians, including Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Gary Peacock and Paul Motian, and collaborated with Gil Evans a ...

, and

Masayuki Takayanagi was a Japanese jazz / free improvisation / noise musician. He was active in the Japanese jazz scene from the late 1950s. In the 1960s he formed New Directions (later New Direction Unit), which recorded several albums throughout the 1970s. He also ...

. He was an early

free jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians during ...

leader in Japan, playing in this idiom with Yosuke Yamashita and performing with American musicians such as

Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, and composer known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Jazz: A Colle ...

Blue Mitchell Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979) was an American trumpeter and composer who worked in jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock and funk. He recorded albums as leader and sideman for Riverside, Mainstream Records, and Blu ...

Lee Morgan Edward Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. One of the key hard bop musicians of the 1960s, Morgan came to prominence in his late teens, recording on John Coltrane's '' Blue Train'' (1 ...

, and

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as a ...

on Japanese tours. Togashi lost the use of his legs in an accident in 1969, and designed a new kit that would allow him to continue playing. Later associations included performing or recording with

Paul Bley Paul Bley, CM (November 10, 1932 – January 3, 2016) was a jazz pianist known for his contributions to the free jazz movement of the 1960s as well as his innovations and influence on trio playing and his early live performance on the Moog and ...

Don Cherry Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...

Jack DeJohnette Jack DeJohnette (born August 9, 1942) is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. Known for his extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians including Charles Lloyd, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, John Abercrombie, ...

Charlie Haden Charles Edward Haden (August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014) was an American jazz double bass player, bandleader, composer and educator whose career spanned more than 50 years. In the late 1950s, he was an original member of the ground-breaking ...

, Steve Lacy, Gary Peacock,

Albert Mangelsdorff Albert Mangelsdorff (September 5, 1928 – July 25, 2005) was a German jazz trombonist. Working mainly in free jazz, he was an innovator in multiphonics. Early life Mangelsdorff was born in Frankfurt on September 5, 1928, as the son of the book ...

Masahiko Sato is a Japanese jazz pianist, composer and arranger. Early life Satoh was born in Tokyo on 6 October 1941. His mother was Setsu and his father, who owned small businesses, was Yoshiaki Satoh. The house that his family moved into in 1944 contained ...

, and

Yuji Takahashi Yuji or Yu Ji may refer to: * Yuji Naka, is a Japanese video game programmer, designer and producer * Yu Ji (painter), a Qing dynasty painter and calligrapher * Yūji, a common masculine Japanese given name * Consort Yu (Xiang Yu's wife) (虞姬; ...

Discography

As leader/co-leader

* ''We now create'' (Victor, 1969) * ''Canto of Aries'' with New Herd (Columbia, 1971) * ''Isolation'' with

Mototeru Takagi (28 December 1941 – December 2002) was a Japanese tenor saxophone player, known for playing in a distinctive and powerful free jazz style. He played with many of the most important Japanese free groups and musicians during the seventies, su ...

(Columbia, 1971) - recorded 1969 * ''Poesy : The Man Who Keeps Washing His Hands'' with

, Gary Peacock (Philips, 1971) * ' with

( TBM, 1972) - recorded 1963 * ' with

Masahiko Satoh is a Japanese jazz pianist, composer and arranger. Early life Satoh was born in Tokyo on 6 October 1941. His mother was Setsu and his father, who owned small businesses, was Yoshiaki Satoh. The house that his family moved into in 1944 contained ...

(Trio, 1973) * ''Song for Myself'' with Sadao Watanabe, Masahiko Satoh, Masabumi Kikuchi (East Wind, 1974) * ''Spiritual Nature'' (East Wind, 1975) * ''Guild For Human Music'' (Denon Jazz, 1976) * ''Rings'' (East Wind, 1976) - solo * ''Session In Paris, Vol. 1 "Song Of Soil"'' (Paddle Wheel, 1979) * ' with Yosuke Yamashita (Next Wave, 1980) * ''Valencia'' with

Takashi Kako (born 31 January 1947) is a Japanese pianist and composer, who works in both jazz and art-music idioms. Early life Kako was born in Osaka. He began playing piano at eight years old and learned to play jazz while in his teens. Later life and care ...

(Trio, 1980) * ' with

Richard Beirach Richard Alan Beirach (born 23 May 1947) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Beirach was born in New York City. He initially studied both classical music and jazz. While still attending high school, he took lessons from pianist L ...

(Trio, 1980) * ''The face of percussion'' (Paddle Wheel, 1981) - recorded 1980 * ''The Ballad My Favorite'' (Paddle Wheel, 1981) * ''Spiritual Moments '' (Paddle Wheel, 1982) * ''Contrast''with Lauren Newton and

Peter Kowald Peter Kowald (21 April 1944 – 21 September 2002) was a German free jazz and free improvising double bassist and tubist. Career A member of the Globe Unity Orchestra, and a touring double-bass player, Kowald collaborated with many European ...

(Paddle Wheel, 1983) * ''Eternal duo'' with Steve Lacy (Paddle Wheel, 1983) - recorded 1981, CD version (DIW, 2015) * ''Pulsation'' with Masayuki Takayanagi (Paddle Wheel, 1983) * ''Breath'' with Hozan Yamamoto, Yōsuke Yamashita (Denon, 1984) * ''Ayers Rock'' with

Richie Beirach Richard Alan Beirach (born 23 May 1947) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Beirach was born in New York City. He initially studied both classical music and jazz. While still attending high school, he took lessons from pianist L ...

Terumasa Hino is a Japanese jazz trumpeter. He is considered one of Japan's finest jazz musicians. His instruments include the trumpet, cornet, and flügelhorn. Early life He was born in Tokyo, Japan, and his father was a trumpeter and tap dancer. Hino start ...

(Polydor, 1985) * ''Bura Bura'' (Pan Music, 1986) - live * ''Scene'' (Cornelius, 1987) * ''Place - Space Who'' (Egg Farm, 1987) * ''Wave'' with Gary Peacock and Masahiko Satoh (East Wind, 1987) * ''Wave II'' with Gary Peacock and Masahiko Satoh (East Wind, 1988) * ''Wave III'' with Gary Peacock and Masahiko Satoh (NEC Avenue, 1988) * ''Essence of Jazz'' (Art Union, 1990) * ''Senza Tempo'' with Haruna Miyake, Yuji Takahashi, Jean-François and Jenny-Clark (Egg Farm, 1990) * ''Concerto'' with Masabumi Kikuchi (Ninety-One, 1991) * ''Twilight'' with Steve Lacy (Ninety-One, 1992) - recorded 1991 * ''Passing in the silence'' (AMJ, 1993) - solo * ''Triple Helix'' with Terumasa Hino, Masabumi Kikuchi (

Enja Enja Records is a German jazz record company and label based in Munich which was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971. The label's first release was by Mal Waldron, and early releases included European and Ja ...

, 1993) * ''Richard Beirach - Terumasa Hino - Masahiko Togashi'' (Konnex, 1993) * ''Eternal Duo ’95'' with Steve Lacy (Take One, 1996) - recorded 1995 * ''Inter-Action: Live At Hall Egg Farm On December 9, 1995'' (Take One, 1996) - recorded 1995 * ''Update: Live At Pit Inn Shinjuku On December 16, 1995'' (Take One, 1996) - recorded 1995 * ''Asian Spirits'' with Kang Tae Hwan and Masahiko Satoh (AD.forte, 1996) * ''Moment Aug,15'' (BAJ Records, 1997) * ''Freedom Joy'' with Richie Beirach (Trial, 1998) - recorded 1997 * ''Live at Dolphy'' (Trial, 1998) * ''Passing In The Silence'' (Transheart, 2000) * ''Contrast'' with Masahiko Satoh (EWE, 2002) * ''Live at Köln'' (JamRice, 2004) - recorded 2002 * ''Inductions'' with Masahiko Satoh (BAJ, 2009)

References

*Yozo Iwanami and Kazunori Sugiyama, "Masahiko Togashi". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd edn., ed.

Barry Kernfeld Barry Dean Kernfeld (born August 11, 1950) is an American musicologist and jazz saxophonist who has researched and published extensively about the history of jazz and the biographies of its musicians. Education In 1968, Kernfeld enrolled at U ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Togashi, Masahiko 1940 births 2007 deaths Japanese jazz composers Japanese jazz drummers Male jazz composers Musicians from Tokyo 20th-century jazz composers 20th-century Japanese male musicians