Yoshio Suzuki - Touch Of Rain (1986)

Born in Kiso-Fukushima, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
Mr. Suzuki grew up in a musical family where his father was a violin craftsman, his mother a piano teacher, and his uncle, the founder of the world renowned “Suzuki Method”. He learnt piano and violin as a child and also played guitar during high school. He played piano in the Waseda University Modern Jazz ensemble.

Upon graduation, Mr. Suzuki started his professional career as a pianist. Soon he started studying under Japanese jazz icon, Sadao Watanabe. Around this time, Mr. Watanabe advised him to pursue bass as his main instrument.

From 1969 ~ ’73 he was the bass chair for Sadao Watanabe group and Masabumi Kikuchi group.

In October 1973, he moved to New York and started his career in America.
In 1974 he worked for Stan Getz as his regular bassist. Furthermore, he was the bassist for the legendary group “Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers” from 1975 ~ ’76.

From 1976 ~ ’80, Mr. Suzuki worked mainly with Bill Hardman&Junior Cook band. He also led his own group in New York City featuring David Liebman on saxophone. During this period, he also worked with Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, and Chet Baker. Simultaneously, he studied classical composition. By blending his jazz, classical and Japanese influences, he created a unique composing style and a musical voice.

Mr. Suzuki returned to Japan in 1985 and formed his own group MATSURI.
In 1992, he signed a contract with Video Arts Music and released an all -original composition featured album “THE MOMENT”(recorded in NY) from the ONE VOICE label. His proceeding releases also feature all original compositions of his own.

In 1993 He formed his own group EAST BOUNCE featuring Souichi Noriki (p, key), Masahiro Fujioka (sax) and Cecil Monroe (ds).
In June they release their debut album “KISSES ON THE WIND”.
They put on an album release concert at the Lafore Museum in Harajuku on the 9th of July.

In January 1995, they release their 2nd album “COMING BACK TO AMERICA”. Upon the release, they perform a successful series of concerts at more than 20 venues all over Japan.
In the same year, “BEST OF EAST BOUNCE” was released in the United States of America. It was a major hit on the NAC chart of the US and was featured numerous times on New York’s FM radio station CD101.9.
From April 1996, Mr. Suzuki’s original compositions were featured on television theme songs all over Japan.

In January 2001, EAST BOUNCE releases their 3rd album, “MISTRAL”.
2002 was the final year for EAST BOUNCE. They released a CD and DVD featuring their live performance entitled, “ EAST BOUNCE LIVE AT BODY & SOUL” which put a period to their nine-year stint.

Mr. Suzuki formed a new group in 2001 called, “BASS TALK” and in October 2004 released their first album “MOON AND BREEZE”. Upon the release and a commemoration of Mr. Suzuki’s 35-year anniversary as a professional musician, they performed a concert at the prestigious SOUGETSU- HALL in Aoyama.

In June 2005, BASS TALK conducted a two-week tour around Estonia, Sweden and Latvia, which was reviewed highly.

In June 2006, they performed at “Sweet Rhythm” in New York City as part of the JVC Jazz Festival.
Mr. Suzuki was voted No.1 bass player for 3 consecutive years from 2004~2006 in the Swing Journal magazine “Japanese Jazz Musician reader’s Poll”

He is also known by the nickname “Chin” and is a leading figure of the Japanese jazz scene.

Tracklist:

01. Our Sunday Morning 05:06
02. Touch Of Rain 03:03
03. From Country To Town 05:03
04. Empty Blues 04:28
05. Shinjuku 05:32
06. A Letter From N.Y. 02:39
07. What Do You Do When It's Spring? 07:04
08. Sailing In The Blue 02:19