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yuji toriyama - choice works 1982 - 1985 - time capsule - vinyl

New Copy

Genre: Disco

1. Night Together
2. Stranger In The Mirror
3. Donna
4. Maze
5. Bay/Sky Provincetown 1977

price tba Japanese fusion guitarist Yuji Toriyama’s early 80s selected instrumental tracks first time on 45 rpm loud cut vinyl with original artwork by Ben Arfur

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The 2nd installment from the label is an anthology of guitarist, composer and producer Yuji Toriyama, regarded as one of the pioneering Japanese fusionists alongside Hiroshi
Sato, Ryo Kawasaki and Yasuaki Shimizu. Toriyama has not
enjoyed as much recognition as his contemporary, after
shunning a solo career in favour of pop and TV arrangements in the 90s and composing video games soundtracks like Street Fighter II and Final Fantasy XII.

Choice Works 1982-1985 represents his first reissue title,
with Kay Suzuki compiling work from three rare albums to
showcase the best of Toriyama’s sound, most appealing to
modern ears. Drum machines and live drums combine to
create rich depth, complimented by the boogie tenacity of
funk fusionist Toshiki Kadomatsu and the crying spiritual
solos of Pat Metheny. It’s no coincidence that Metheny and
Toriyama used the same Roland GR-300 and G-505 synth
guitars.

LM-1 funk boogie A1 ‘Night Together’ is lifted from Aerobics
LP (1982), a TV soundtrack where Toriyama collaborated
with keyboardist and producer Ken Morimura. Vocoder
mellow funk A2 ‘Stranger in the Night’ and slap bass sexy
fusion B1 ‘Donna’ come from his self-titled third solo album
Yuri Toriyama (1983). Pat Metheny inspired one man
production of B2 ‘Maze’ and balearic boogie down B3
‘Bay/Sky Provincetown 1977’ are taken from subsequent
solo album A Taste of Paradise (1985).

“Yuji Toriyama is an unsung guitar hero in Japanese fusion.
While there were so many talented Japanese guitarists in the
80s, Yuji’s production and arrangement in the era were very
experimental and raw. I chose tracks that would somehow
resonate with the feelings we have in 2018.” Kay Suzuki