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Shunzo Ohno Quartet: “Falter Out” (1972) - his debut leader-date at age 23, a real stunner!


Rooster_Ties

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Now that this is just up on YouTube within the last year, it can be more easily heard and discussed. What everyone’s take on this striking debut leader-date by Shunzo Ohno? - who was only 23 when it was recorded (it seems to have been released in 1973).

  • Trumpet, flugelhorn, compositions Shunzo Ohno
  • Piano, electric piano  Mikio Masuda
  • Bass – Mitsuaki Furuno
  • Drums – Arihide Kurata
  • recorded Aug 28, 1972

https://www.discogs.com/Shunzo-Ohno-Quartet-Falter-Out/release/11040820

Just three tracks on CD (side 2 on the album segues), this first bare link (URL) is to a playlist of the entire album. Or each track is individually embedded below. Issued on CD just once (a SHM, fwiw)  in 2017 (on Deep Jazz Reality). Even brand new it seemed to run around $23-$25 (iirc), and I paid $30 for it from Dusty Groove (but it was worth every penny).

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Usa_qZVpty8&list=OLAK5uy_l5mp4e83QAfBqSYqrW8hmhwVK2leIp3hI

1. “Alfa” (12:39)

2. “A Mournful Scene” (6:59)

3. “Falter Out ~ Once Again” (24:31)

 

Edited by Rooster_Ties
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The group interplay especially on this album, is on such a high level. How many trumpeters could play like that, at the age of just 23! Not entirely unprecedented, I realize (Clifford Brown, for instance)  but I think Ohno plays with technique and lyricism well beyond his years.

I see online that Ohno, plus both the keyboard player and drummer - were all 3 born in 1949 (each ~23 years old in ‘72).  The bass player was born in 1947, but was still only 25.  Quite an album for a bunch of early-to-mid-20-somethings to have made.

Edited by Rooster_Ties
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Also from 1972, Ohno wrote the title track “Go On”, from this album by The George Otsuka 5 — and he plays on the entire album (including a nice version of Joe Henderson’s “Isotope”).

The album is more hard bop (than Ohno’s own debut from that same year), but his presence is pretty strong none the less...

I just got this on CD from Dusty Groove a couple weeks ago.

https://www.discogs.com/The-George-Otsuka-5-Go-On/release/14641851

1. ”Go On” (Ohno) 8:58


5. “Isotope” (Henderson) 5:35


I’m just noticing the entire album is now uploaded at the link below (less than a week ago). When I ordered the CD last month, I wasn’t able to find all the tracks on-line, and had to buy the album a little half-blind (I rarely buy these expensive Japanese imports unless I can sample them extensively first).

 

Entire album: https://youtu.be/6I_H9Z2g2KA

Drums, leader - George Otsuka (Ohtsuka)

Bass – Takashi Mizuhashi

Piano, Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Toshiyuki Daitoku

Tenor, Soprano – Mabumi Yamaguchi

Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Shunzo Ono (Ohno)

recorded at AOI Studio on Nov 28-29, 1972

Edited by Rooster_Ties
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He is apparently also on Sea Breeze -

 

Bass - Takashi Mizuhashi
Drums – George Ohtsuka
Electric Piano – Hideo Ichikawa
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone –Takao Uematsu
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Shunzo Ohno
 
Sea Breeze
Fool On The Hill
Cannibal
Potato Chips
Jumping Cats
 
Edited by ejp626
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