Masabumi Kikuchi

Want to know who “Poo-Sun” really was? Start here. A landmark masterpiece featuring the era-defining classic “Dancing Mist”. Widely regarded as one of Japan’s greatest pianists, Masabumi Kikuchi was a towering figure whose unique musical vision and commanding presence helped shape the Japanese jazz scene from his professional debut in the late 1950s until his passing in 2015. Acclaimed both at home and abroad, his discography is filled with essential works, but Poo-Sun, named after his longtime nickname, unquestionably stands among his finest achievements.

Driven by the powerful interplay of twin keyboards and twin drums, the album generates a groove that is both weighty and intensely dynamic. The center piece, “Dancing Mist”, can be seen as the culmination of the musical territory Kikuchi had reached during this period, a stunning statement of artistic maturity and vision. The album also features the ethereal beauty of “Yellow Carcass in the Blue” and the thrilling, edge-of-your-seat intensity of “Puzzle Ring”, making every track a highlight in its own right. Kikuchi plays piano and electric piano with Hideo Ichikawa on electric piano and organ, Kohsuke Mine on soprano and alto saxophone, Yoshio Ikeda on bass, Hiroshi Murakami and Motohiko Hino on drums and Keiji Kishida on percussion. Recorded at Victor Studio in August and September 1970.

Japanese reissue by Universal Music. Originally released in 1970 on Philips (FX-8506).