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TETSUO SAKURAI released GENTLE HEARTS TOUR 2004 DVD, in 2004. This page contains detailed performer credits and artist credits (line-up and band members), songs and tracks list, reviews, information and album cover graphic picture or DVD cover graphic or picture.
Tetsuo Sakurai Featuring Greg Howe & Dennis Chambers - Vital World - 2010 - King RecordsIn 2001, Japanese bass legend Tetsuo Sakurai (Casiopea, Jimsaku, solo artist) released Gentle Hearts (Victor Entertainment) - a critically acclaimed instrumental rock fusion album that featured the stellar combo of Greg Howe on guitar, and Dennis Chambers on drums. This energetic disc was loaded with heavy riffs, and killer guitar work from Howe. The band also took their act on the road, and subsequently released Gentle Hearts Tour 2004 (2005 - Victor Entertainment) on CD and DVD.
Now for his latest album, Vital World (King Records), Sakurai has joined forces with Howe and Chambers once again, and the results are even heavier and more guitar-driven than the group’s previous outings. What’s striking about Vital World is its sheer heaviness.
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While it does include shades of jazz harmony here and there, the music is largely driven by heavy guitar riffs - Sakurai is definitely shooting for a rock vibe with this album (Some tunes could even be described as prog metal). From a guitar perspective, Greg Howe’s style makes him a great fit for the material on this disc. Unlike many other players who make the attempt, he sounds authentic when utilizing a jazz influenced vocabulary with a rock approach and tone.The album’s in-your-face opener “Critical Planet” sounds like a throwback to “Brain Storm” from the Gentle Hearts album. It’s a relentless, slap-bass tour de force that gives Sakurai a chance to show off his considerable chops.
Up next is “Alien’s Feast” - an uber-heavy tune that would not sound out of place on a Planet X record. It also features Howe shredding over a harmonic minor tonality - something he rares does on his own albums. “A Tear Of The Clown” is a heavy tune as well, but in more of melodic “arena rock” vein.
Howe’s solo near the end of this piece may be his best on the album. The V chord at the end of the progression gives him a chance to peel off some nice altered scale runs.
Sakurai’s amazing bass work is showcased once again on “Are You Ready” - a fun, uptempo tune that may best be described as instrumental pop rock (if there is such a thing anymore). Following a killer Chambers drum break in the middle of the tune, Sakurai takes a wild solo chock-full of crazy slapping and fast runs. The following piece, “Another Kingdom,” is one of the only songs I’ve ever heard that successfully fuses the styles of neo-classical and jazz. The Yngwie-esque A section features long 32nd-note lines doubled between the guitar and bass (reminiscent of “Flight Of The Bumblebee”), while the double-time B section reminded me of a jazz orchestra on a film score session.
This would seem to be a strange combination, but the two sides to this tune flow together nicely. Two more heavy riff-based tunes follow - “Triangle Square” which features some Eastern-influenced melodies and an off-the-rails drum solo courtesy of Chambers, and “Monster Parade,” one of the hardest-rocking tunes on the disc. This song also has Howe playing some amazing outside lines.
In a total gear shift, the album closes with “Father” - a flowing melodic ballad that serves as a nice palette-cleanser after the onslaught you’ve just experienced for the previous 7 tunes. Vital World is certainly one of the best heavy fusion albums of the year.
Sakurai obviously went into this project with the intention of laying down some aggressive music, and he delivered in a big way. He explores a wide-array of rock styles here, yet still leaves room for his jazz and improvisational side. And with Howe and Chambers, he has the perfect bandmates for this endeavor - Both are well-versed in the styles presented on Vital World, and have an obvious rapport with Sakurai from the trio’s previous projects. Highly recommended.
© Rich Murray October 03, 2010 © 2004 - 2012 Rich Murray. All Rights Reserved.
Remarkable high energy, dynamic fusion album from the great Japanese bassist, Tetsuo Sakurai. Amazing musicianship throughout with plenty of soloing from Tetsuo, Greg Howe, Dennis Chambers, and Taiki Imaizumi on keyboards. Read more about Tetsuo @ All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 112 Mb TRACKS1. Critical Planet 2:282.
Alien's Feast 6:113. A Tear Of The Clown 7:104. Are You Ready 6:155. Another Kingdom 5:126. Triangle Square 6:357.
Monster Parade 6:518. Father 5:47All tracks composed by Tetsuo Sakurai except 'Are You Ready' composed by Mark FarnerMUSICIANSGreg Howe: GuitarsTetsuo Sakurai: Bass, ProgrammingTaiki Imaizumi: KeyboardsDennis Chambers: Drums.
Tetsuo Sakurai featuring Greg Howe & Dennis Chambers - Gentle Hearts - 2001 - Victor EntertainmentTetsuo Sakurai born is a Japanese bassist. To date, (2 March 2013) he has released a total of 37 albums as a member of Casiopea and Jimsaku and solo artist, and has also made 3 bass instructional videos.
Tetsuo started playing bass when he was 13 years old. In 1976, Sakurai, with Issei Noro, founded jazz fusion band Casiopea in 1976. He released 19 albums while in Casiopea but later left the band with Akira Jimbo in 1989 over musical differences. Both of them then went on to form a new jazz fusion supergroup, Jimsaku. Jimsaku was active for nine years, until 1998, when it was disbanded and both Sakurai and Jimbo went on to pursue individual solo careers. Sakurai's third solo album TLM20, released in 2000, was recorded live in a concert with Casiopea members Issei Noro and Minoru Mukaiya, Akira Jimbo, and Kazuki Katsuta of Dimension. The fourth solo album Gentle Hearts, released in 2001, was recorded with Greg Howe & Dennis Chambers.
The fifth solo album Cartas do Brasil was released in 2003 and was a vocal ballad cover album recorded in Rio de Janeiro with Djavan, Ivan Lins, Rosa Passos and other artists. In 2004, Tetsuo toured with Greg & Dennis. The following year, the tour live performances was released on DVD titled Gentle Hearts Tour 2004. Sakurai is currently composing and playing his own music as a solo artist with domestic and foreign musicians. – WIKIDont let the title kid you. There's little gentleness on this critically acclaimed instrumental rock fusion album by the great Japanese bassist Tetsuo Sakurai, best known for his work with Casiopea and Jimsaku.
The album features killer guitar work from the phenomenal Greg Howe, with drums supplied by the amazingly talented and dynamic drum legend Dennis Chambers. The power trio also toured and later released the CD/DVD album 'Gentle Hearts Tour 2004' in 2005. Great fusion and HR by A.O.O.F.C All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 102 Mb TRACKS1. Samurai Faith 4:522. Brain Storm 6:053.
Punk Jazz 5:544. Gentle Hearts 3:595. The Invisible Way 6:156.
Maximum 5:167. Wonderland In the Sky 7:368. Dandelion 4:37All tracks composed by Tetsuo Sakurai except 'Punk Jazz' by Jaco PastoriusMUSICIANSGreg Howe - GuitarsTestsuo Sakurai - BassMasatake Ohsato - SynthesizerDennis Chambers - Drums.
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