Masayoshi Takanaka

About

Masayoshi Takanaka isn't as popular here in the United States as he is in his home country of Japan. Yet he was highly influential to the genres of City Pop and Jazz Fusion.

What to listen for

Takanaka is not a flashy player but the melodies he plays always fit the song.He's one of the few electric guitar players able to compose instrumental music worth listening to. A lot of his music has Brazillian influences as well.

Examples

This song is from Takanaka's first album released in 1976. You can hear the Brazillian influences in his music.

This piece features the cuica, a percussion instrument used in samba named after the gray four-eyed opossum.

Another of Takanaka's compositions, this one sounds like a Mario Kart track. Or rather Mario Kart tracks were heavily influenced by this style of Jazz Fusion.