ISSHOKU-SOKUHATSU

(From PA blog "Japanese Progressive Rock presented by DamoX")

Exactly brilliant sunrise over the Japanese progressive rock scene!

With the first track ［hΛmaebeθ］ Yoninbayashi can shoot a psychedelic arrow into our heart and brain. Our heart should get palpitated and our brain confused by this sound explosion. Sora To Kumo (The sky and clouds), with terrific voices by Katsutoshi, is a psychedelically beautiful song. Steady rhythms and melodic sounds sometimes make us relaxed and sometimes anxious or unstable. Why? ...Maybe, we can find a shadow behind safe and peace of this song. Omatsuri (A festival) is impressing with this lyric "I can't help cryin' by visiting at the fest town". Yes it can remind us our old days with weeping. Be immersed in a pathos and palpitated with percussive sounds in the latter. Isshoku-Sokuhatsu (Touch and go), by Katsutoshi, with a bit heavy guitars and mellotrons, should be influenced with Pink Floyd ABSOLUTELY. Ah...some parts are like King Crimson style in LARKS period...I feel. One of phrases is just like The Dark Side Of The Moon, and another One Of These Days or Echoes...feel and chuckle! In Ping Pong Dama No Nageki (Deep sorrow of a ping-pong ball), with the sounds of a ping-pong ball dropping to the ground, lots of graceful and sorrowful melodies go around us. I consider it be so suitable for the last of this wondrous story.

No suspicion that we can get damaged with fantasy. Suprahighly recommended by DamoX.

It is true in the flow in the 70's that the fashion of other countries flowed in the market of the music of Japan. The power in the 60's might change into various shape, the position of the genre be digested by each musician, and it be continuous of groping and the creation. Point to take element of Rock in music of Japan till then. Or, the point to take English to lyrics. Or, the point to sing Japanese lyrics like an English pronunciation. These concepts hardly existed.

It is guessed that they were caught as some fashions though the flow of Jazz and POP existed certainly also in Japan. However, the listener of music always set up an antenna, listened to various music, and was researching. The same thing will be able to be said to it for young musicians who had absorbed various music at this time.

There was what where the wave of Prog Rock visited the music of Japan that existed originally as music of the tradition by contraries at early time. The fact that flows to music in Japan with Pink Floyd at the top bands such as ELP and Genesis and is absorbed incessantly flows to the band in Japan of this time. It was united by the music of the tradition of Japan and the culture. The listener in Japan might have felt the unknown world in the performance and lyrics that the band did. However, those uniting exactly falls on at the dawn of the music of Japan. And, it was time when the musician was able to send those music freely. The system that was able to be helped by accepting those elements to the company on the record to which the band belonged to some degree was time gradually in order.

The fact into which the music of those Japan gradually changed happened rapidly in the latter the 60's. The fact that the element of the lock often appears in the music of Japan till then existed. It put out as the element of Prog Rock was really front like the band and the band that expressed it was a near-total absence. And, the performance that this "Yoninbayashi" had done remarkably exactly expressed the flow of Prog Rock.

The history of his music started in 1969. The band formed adding drum player's Daiji Okai and Bass player's Shinichi Nakamura with guitar player's Katsutoshi Morizono at the top was called "The Sannin". They at that time were high school student's time. And, they might already have been influenced from the music of bands such as Pink Floyd and ELP. And, keyboard player's Hidemi Saka[&*!#]a changes into the band and the joining band is changed into "Yoninbayashi". Men who went with the tour of "Flower Travellin' Band" of the band in same Japan in 1972 will gradually inform the listener of the name of the band.

The band receives the request of the music for the movie in 1973. They received the right of the announcement from the company of the movie to the record as a condition of undertaking the music for the movie. It was an indeed convenient condition for them. They might not have been able to contribute in the market of the music of the expression and Japan of free limited music if this condition was not satisfactory. They will leave the name by freely expressing music in this album at the dawn of the music of Japan and Prog Rock. And, it is certain that this album also had the fact recognized the form of the pre-debut because it debuted in parallel with the work of Music of the movie though they announce this album in 1974.

"hamaebeΘ" is exactly beginning of event of this album. The explosion of the keyboard that processes the effect gives the listener the expectation for the album from the melody made anxious.

"Sora To Kumo" has a certain abstract lyrics well for the music of Japan of this time. The progress of the code of a melody with which the anacatesthesia overflows and a melancholic guitar has the atmosphere tossed about the sky. It is likely to be able to listen to the element of Pink Floyd and a few psychedelic if it dares to say. Atmosphere also gives the impression that looks like "Wind Cloud" of Kestrel.

"Omatsuri" can be interpreted as a title, "Festival". The composition of the tune with which the anacatesthesia overflows starts quietly. The content of lyrics is sung, "Anything might not have to go to the place where the festival is held and to be done". Other people dance. However, it is guessed that lyrics said that it will cry because it sees those scenes have expressed melancholic feelings and the change in zeal. The tune changes into an intense rhythm on the way and shifts to the rhythm like Latin. Feelings expressed in lyrics while expressing the festival in music are splendidly expressed with the melody.

"Isshoku-Sokuhathu" might exactly look like the method of expressing feelings of Pink Floyd. Words such as the sky, seas, and the winds are taken to lyrics and the expression of feelings of the tune is made an embodiment splendidly. There were not really too much a lot of bands that expressed it like this in the music of Japan of this time. The method of the performance and the expression that they had done might have been considerably reformative in the history of the music of Japan. The modulation during the tune and the arrangement of the keyboard increase the perfection of the tune further. The power of this band exactly hid potential.

"Ping-Pong Dama No Nageki" might be a suitable tune because it puts the position of the content of this album. The composition of the tune to start uneasily and to show light at the end is splendid. Only it is not aural and the flow with the appealed feeling visually consistently means the direction and the freedom of the band.

The guitar player of this band secedes the band after announcing 2nd album. The atmosphere of the tune has changed in the work of this band at initial and latter term. It is thought that the power of this band and the method of the free expression have gathered in an initial work though the listener is commenting on the band according to the content of the work. The composition of the polished tune will be able ..suitable one.. to be counted exactly in the history of Music in Japan the masterpiece though a good element of Prog Rock is followed.

Under the shadows of Far Out,Flied Egg and Far East Family Band,Yonin Bayashi were another good Japanese psych/prog band,found in 1970 in Tokyo by Kasutoshi Morizono(guitar and vocal), KazuoNakamura(bass and vocal) and Daiji Okai(drums),initially named as ''The San-Nin'',which means three persons.In 1971 Hidemi Saka[&*!#]a joins as a fourth member on keys and the band was renamed to Yonon Bayashi (quartet in old Japanese).After recording the 1973 soundtrack ''Hatachi no Genten'',they enter the discography with ''Ishoku Sokuhatsu'' a year later.

After a short intro,'' Sora To Kumo'' is a soft Psych Rock track with a great end-section,including jazzy soloing and ethereal electric piano.''Omatsuri'' clocks at 11 minutes and reminds me a lot of circa ''Caress of steel'' RUSH,while this track blends Jazz,Psychedelic and Hard Rock in one nice package.''Isshoku-Sokuhatsu'' is the definite opus of the album,either you talk about its length or quality.Long Heavy Rock number with complex passages,changing tempos,very strong organ work,excellent vocals and some extreme energy.The closing ''Ping Pong Dama No Nageki'' is an instrumental mix of Symphonic,Space and Jazz rock heavily based on Saka[&*!#]a's keys,with fantastic mellotron,bells,electric piano and some organ throughout,presenting another unknown side of the band.

This overlooked Japanese progsters deserve some attention from both Progressive and Classic Rock fans.''Ishoku Sokuhatsu'' is a fine example of Progressive Rock music,including influences from Jazz,Psychedelic and Heavy Rock as well as some symphonic touches.Recommended.

I am not too familiar with Japanese prog scene. Mostly it's Far East Family Band. Luckily I discovered Yonin Bayashi. I bought Isshoku Sokuhatsu at a record convention in Eugene, Oregon without knowing much about it, other than the person selling those records were big on prog, so he figured I might like this, and he told me Mellotron was used (Hidemi Sakasita was credited to using one). Wow! This album blew me away! After the first cut, which was just a bunch of electronic sound effects, comes "Sora To Kumo". Those melodies are big, with some great use of electric piano. Far East Family Band shows all too well the Japanese language isn't too well suited in prog (don't get me wrong, I enjoy FEFB), Yonin Bayashi proved otherwise, some of the best Japanese vocals I ever heard in rock. This piece also features some Mellotron (so at least the seller was right on the tron, it's not a lot, but at least you notice it). "Omatsuri" is another killer piece, with great compositions. I really love the jam at the end where they go in Santana overdrive (complete with Santana-like Latin percussion!). The music throughout the album is often heavy, at time veering towards hard rock. This is fantastic stuff, great vocals, great playing, a great album overall. It's not space rock like Far East Family Band, it's rock, at time veering towards heavy prog. This comes highly recommended by me!

By the way, I noticed the inner sleeve on the LP has some amusing "Engrish", for example: "The Crea:" (I believe they mean "The Crew:"), "All lyrics / Yasuo Suematsu (Except harf parts of "ISHOKU-SOKUHATSU" / Katsutoshi Morizono)" and "Recorded / February-Aplil 1974 at T.S.C.", basically the classic "R" and "L" mistake the Japanese have with the English language is clearly seen on this inner sleeve.

A little gem that goes rather to unnoticed in prog circles

Yonin Bayashi and their first classic progressive rock album from 1974 named Isshoku-Sokuhatsu, as far as I know it means Touch and go. Well I was very pleasent surprised what I've heared here, I know the album for a long time , but only last year in spring I got it on CD, japanese Mini LP Papersleeve Replica CD Hagakure with a great cover art , both front and back , not to mention that the sound is crystal clear. So, this album is considered one of the most important ones in japanese old school of prog rock , because has virtuosic performance and above all some great ideas on it, even are only 5 pieces. The album goes from smooth and elegant prog rock arrangements like on Sora To Kumo that means Sky and clods with great warm voice of Katsutoshi Morizono, even I don't get it a word, he has a very good voice for such music, is catchy and the vocal tone is great, very nice is the keyboards parts. On the third piece Omatsuri aka Festival - Yonin Bayashi goes heavy prog, with long instrumental passages, reminds me in places of let say Rush or Uriah Heep, complex and very fine developed tune with some psychedelic overtones here and there. The title track follows, the longest piece of the album, extravagant mellotron use here, lots of tempo changes, what a really solid piece that made this band so great. The last piece with a strange name Ping Pong Dama No Nagek that means A deep sorrow of a ping-pong ball is an instrumntal piece where the symphonic parts are very well melted with more spacey ones, very smooth harmonies are to be found here, aswell the sound of a droping ping pong ball can be heared in the background. In the end a very good album that stood the test of time very well in comparation with other albums from that period not only from Japan but in general. For sure one of my fav albums from japanese old school prog rock that desearve from me no less then 4 stars. Fans of the genre must take this band much more in consideration because worth every second, little unnoticed in comparation with other albums from that period. recommended

Japanese prog have been very dear to me ever since I bought an album a band called PYG. They released one studio album and one live, alongside some singles. I was at purchasing the album first and foremost intrigued by the cover, a sort of naively drawn pig. It all looked tempting and it felt right at the time. And it was right, for the most part. A dreamy sort of soft, western sounding prog which really attracted me. The japanese lyrics was simply gorgeous. (I do not speak japanese, so I am only referiing to the melody and Beauty of the language.) Apart from bringing me pleasure it also brought me a certain amount of misunderstanding concerning the very eclectic nature of japanese prog. PYG was, as it were, not represantatives of japanese prog in general, simply their own. This all seems very naive today and I sort look down when I tell the story but it proves a point, I think, that, no matter the origin of prog it always puts forth a slab of their own native spice. The harshness of Flower Travelling Band, the interstellar cosmic sounds of Far East Family Band, the bluesy prog of Strawberry Path or the synthesized sound of Isao Tomita. It is all very grand, exciting and enjoyable.

However... One of my personal favorites among japanese or any prog is "Isshoku-Sokuhatsu" by Yonin Bayashi, a by then young band with a vision of their own. I suppose they lent an ear or two to bands like Deep Purple but that never stopped them from creating an album very much a product of themselves and their musical ability. (Why Deep Purple? Well, the main reason for such a name-dropping is due to the extensive use of the organ in as many a way as Lord ever did.) At the heart of it the Music is really melodious and spacious, leaving lots of room for improvisation. The interplay between the musicians is really something to marvel at. The music, especially in the two longest tracks, is built around different sections and are very much a platform for instrumental excursions.

While "Hamabeth" is the intro and really nothing more, "Sora To Kumo" is a softer offering welcoming the listener. A good track and I enjoy it very much.

"Omatsuri" is a gentle piece at first glance but is really a forum for all kinds of influences. Jazz, hard rock and even some latin, nonetheless. It builds and flows to and fro in a really splendid manner. The sweet and gentle guitar playing is like a warm coat in the winter. It is an impressive track.

The best track is "Isshoku-Sokuhatsu", the title track. It starts off in a similar way as "Omatsuri" but transforms during it's course into avant-garde before setting sail towards Hard Rock Ocean before harbouring in Prog Rock Bay. The instrumentation on this track is marvellous, It is tightly performed and highly skilled.

The last track, opening with a ping pong ball, is an instrumental piece which really sums up the album in the best possible way. Really symphonic, the mellotron adds to it all and it is very enjoyable.

In conclusion I'd say that Isshoku-Sokuhatsu is a very intriguing album. It is jazz-rock, prog and symphonic tossed around in a bowler hat and spilled out on the table, forming glorious patterns of musical wonder. I think that this album should be listened to by more people. Having a hard time with the japanese lyrics? Oh, never mind those. Look at it as just Another instrument and you'll have a blast.

This Japanese classic has six insightful reviews here already, but it's always nice to lift into the frontpage spotlight these less known rarities and share one's own reception of the music. This one came to my knowledge in 2014, when a member of our local prog-loving circle of friends received the cd from his girlfriend as a souvenir from Japan. She had -- on his request -- asked for a Japanese prog classic in a music store. None of us knew the band in advance, but we all thought it was an excellent choice when we listened to it together.

So, Yonin Bayashi were a foursome formed at the beginning of the 70's and this is their debut album. Their most important influence was Pink Floyd whose epic 'Echoes' they had performed in their own way. Naturally that influence can be heard here, but not too directly at all. The opener 'Hamabeth' is an experimental 43-second instrumental focusing on electronic sounds. 'Sora To Kumo' (= The Sky and Clouds, according to Keishiro) is a groovy song in which I sense a jazzy vibe akin to early Steely Dan, or one-off Tonton Macoute or Cressida's eponymous debut. The male vocals are rather ordinary, in a good way, not pushing into the centre of attention.

The next track (the title meaning A Festival) is 11 minutes long and progresses from one mood/style to another, including also a hard-rocking el.guitar centred section. All in all the album's music is an interesting, albeit very Anglo- American sounding mixture of psychedelic early prog, classic rock in the vein of Wishbone Ash or The Doors, heavier moments and the forementioned jazzier touch. On the 12-minute title track I hear some Nektar (especially on melodies and vocals), as well as certain sonic echoes of Floyd's 'Echoes', especially on the rhythm section. It is powerful and at times approaches slightly cacophonic frenzy, but it doesn't lose the plot entirely. Impressive indeed.

The instrumental final track is again round five minutes and relatively mellower. "Deep Sorrow of a Ping Pong Ball"... all right. Here the focus is on the airy, jazzy keyboard work of Hidemi Sakasita. The two bonuses on the cd release are pretty good too. What I have by now listened to of Japanese prog, mainly symphonic prog from the 80's, this album has a character quite different from the majority, and is an undisputed vintage classic. Four strong stars!

A really solid album from Japan circa 1974. That album cover is iconic no? I laughed when I saw the back cover because the first impressions of the front is that we have this pipe smoking Lemur hanging off a tree limb. Flip it over and the tree branch is actually an elephant's trunk and he's standing on an enormous turtle shell. What!? Oh yeah this is psychedelia and this band were huge PINK FLOYD fans. A four piece with the usual instruments. The keyboardist adds piano, Fender Rhodes, organ, mini-moog and mellotron. Andy at Planet Mellotron gives this 3.5 stars and Julian Cope rated this 49th out of his top 50 Japanese albums. Both a little low in my opinion but this does have some commercial moments and other things I consider issues for my tastes but it's that very strong second half that pushes this over the hump in my opinion.

The album's title means "Dangerous Situation" and that title track is my favourite. Clocking in at 12 1/2 minutes the longest tune on here. This one has lots of energy early before calming down to a PINK FLOYD vibe after 2 minutes, vocals too. It all turns fuller including the vocals before 3 minutes as contrasts continue. How about that heavy section after 8 minutes and the singing is at it's best a minute later. They do sing in Japanese by the way. Ripping guitar after 10 minutes but I'm not big on the synths to end it. The closer "The Sadness Of A Ping-Pong Ball" opens with the sounds of said ball before we get this beautiful melancholic sound with light beats, picked guitar, bass and the odd piano note. Some mellotron here and on that second track but there's not a lot of it in play here. "Sky And Cloud" is that second song and my least favourite but even this has it's moments. I like the calm sections best. "Festival" has guest congas on it and how about the Canterbury sounding keyboards starting before 4 minutes. Surprising. This song isn't all over the place but it's getting close. Samples too.

A solid 4 stars for this one, and while it may have it's issues overall it's an album that all the adventerous music lovers of Japan should be proud of.