George Otsuka, Lyrical Groove
B-side
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George Otsuka emerged as one of the important drummers of Japan’s modern jazz scene during the 1960s. After forming his own trio with pianist Hideo Ichikawa, he recorded the Page series before expanding the group into a quintet at the beginning of the next decade. In 1970 he also appeared in the unusual Four Drums project alongside Roy Haynes, Jack DeJohnette and Mel Lewis.
With the quintet, Otsuka’s music became broader and more colourful. Trumpet and saxophone were added to a rhythm section already transformed by Ichikawa’s electric piano, while Otsuka remained the source of forward motion rather than treating the drums as a showcase instrument.
QUINTET / ELECTRIC PIANO
Sea Breeze was the first album released under the George Otsuka Quintet name. The new formation brought together Shunzo Ohno, Takao Uematsu, Hideo Ichikawa and Takashi Mizuhashi, creating a sound considerably wider than Otsuka’s earlier trio recordings.
What interests me most is the balance between movement and openness. Ichikawa’s electric piano gives the record a soft, almost floating surface, while Otsuka’s drums continually push underneath it. The horns rarely overcrowd the arrangements, leaving enough space for the rhythm section to remain clearly audible.
SELECTED RECORDS
Sea Breeze — 1971
Sea Breeze feels remarkably relaxed for a record driven so strongly by rhythm. The title track combines electric piano, bass and Otsuka’s crisp drumming with restrained horn lines, creating a groove that is soulful without becoming heavy. Elsewhere the quintet moves through blues, post-bop and even an extended interpretation of Fool on the Hill without losing its identity
For me, its strength lies in the rhythm section. Otsuka never needs to dominate the recording: the drums create momentum while Ichikawa’s Rhodes and Mizuhashi’s bass give the music its depth and warmth.
LISTEN / SEA BREEZE
George Otsuka — drums
Hideo Ichikawa — electric piano
Takashi Mizuhashi — bass
Shunzo Ohno — trumpet, flugelhorn
Takao Uematsu — tenor & soprano saxophone
Recorded: 1971
Original issue: Union Records / Teichiku, ULP-2002
Released: 1971
George Otsuka emerged as one of the important drummers of Japan’s modern jazz scene during the 1960s. After forming his own trio with pianist Hideo Ichikawa, he recorded the Page series before expanding the group into a quintet at the beginning of the next decade. In 1970 he also appeared in the unusual Four Drums project alongside Roy Haynes, Jack DeJohnette and Mel Lewis.
With the quintet, Otsuka’s music became broader and more colourful. Trumpet and saxophone were added to a rhythm section already transformed by Ichikawa’s electric piano, while Otsuka remained the source of forward motion rather than treating the drums as a showcase instrument.
QUINTET / ELECTRIC PIANO
Sea Breeze was the first album released under the George Otsuka Quintet name. The new formation brought together Shunzo Ohno, Takao Uematsu, Hideo Ichikawa and Takashi Mizuhashi, creating a sound considerably wider than Otsuka’s earlier trio recordings.
What interests me most is the balance between movement and openness. Ichikawa’s electric piano gives the record a soft, almost floating surface, while Otsuka’s drums continually push underneath it. The horns rarely overcrowd the arrangements, leaving enough space for the rhythm section to remain clearly audible.
SELECTED RECORDS
Sea Breeze — 1971
Sea Breeze feels remarkably relaxed for a record driven so strongly by rhythm. The title track combines electric piano, bass and Otsuka’s crisp drumming with restrained horn lines, creating a groove that is soulful without becoming heavy. Elsewhere the quintet moves through blues, post-bop and even an extended interpretation of Fool on the Hill without losing its identity
For me, its strength lies in the rhythm section. Otsuka never needs to dominate the recording: the drums create momentum while Ichikawa’s Rhodes and Mizuhashi’s bass give the music its depth and warmth.
LISTEN / SEA BREEZE
George Otsuka — drums
Hideo Ichikawa — electric piano
Takashi Mizuhashi — bass
Shunzo Ohno — trumpet, flugelhorn
Takao Uematsu — tenor & soprano saxophone
Recorded: 1971
Original issue: Union Records / Teichiku, ULP-2002
Released: 1971
