Masaru Imada (今田勝, Imada Masaru, born 21 March 1932) is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer.

Masaru Imada
Birth nameMasaru Imada (今田勝, Imada Masaru)
Born (1932-03-21) 21 March 1932 (age 92)
Tokyo, Japan
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentPiano
Websiteimadamasaru.com

Life and career

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Imada was born in Tokyo on 21 March 1932.[1] He had classical piano lessons.[1] He played jazz in student bands while a student at Meiji University, after which he worked in business for a year.[1] He then decided to pursue music professionally.[1] From 1953 he was part of clarinetist Eiji Kitamura's band.[1]

Imada had his own trio from 1964.[1] He formed Now'in, a fusion band, in 1984.[1] He played internationally at jazz festivals from the 1970s.[1]

Discography

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An asterisk (*) after the year indicates that it is the year of release.

As leader/co-leader

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Year recorded Title Label Notes
1970* Maki Quartet, with tenor sax, bass, drums
1970* Now! Three Blind Mice Quartet, with tenor sax, bass, drums
1973 Poppy Three Blind Mice Some tracks solo piano; some tracks trio, with Isao Fukui (bass), Masahiko Ozu (drums)
1975 Green Caterpillar Three Blind Mice Quintet, with Kazumi Watanabe (guitar), Isao Fukui (bass), Tetsujiro Obara (drums), Yuji Imamura (percussion)
1976 Masaru Imada Piano Three Blind Mice Solo piano
1977 Alone Together Three Blind Mice Duo, with George Mraz (bass)
1980 Andalusian Breeze Trio With Kazumi Watanabe (guitar), Mitsuaki Furuno (bass), Shinji Mori (drums), Yuji Imamura (percussion)
1981 Carnival Trio With Michael Brecker (tenor sax), Randy Brecker (flugelhorn), Kiyoshi Sugimoto (guitar), Akira Okazawa (bass), Yuichi Tokashiki (drums), Yuji Imamura (percussion)
1982* Seaside With Grover Washington, Jr. (tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax, flute), Tom Brown (trumpet), Steve Kahn (guitar), Anthony Jackson (bass), Steve Jordan (drums), Manolo Badrena (percussion)
1986* Strange Conversation Polydor Quartet, with keyboard, bass, drums
1988* Azure Sextet
2002* Standards Three Blind Mice

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Sugiyama, Kazunori, Imada, Masaru, Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, retrieved 1 February 2015