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Biography 菊地雅章
Masabumi Kikuchi (菊地 雅章, Kikuchi Masabumi, 19 October 1939 – 6 July 2015) was a Japanese jazz pianist and composer born in Tokyo, Japan, notable for working with a variety of well known jazz musicians such as Lionel Hampton, Sonny Rollins, Woody Herman, Mal Waldron, Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, Billy Harper, and Hannibal Peterson.
Masabumi Kikuchi also known as ‘Poo’ started the piano lessons and music theory study. After graduating from Tokyo Art College High School, Kikuchi started his professional career leading his own trio. Right after his debut, he played in wide fields by joining Lionel Hampton’s Japan Tour, playing as a featured pianist for the movie “……” (directed by Masahiro Shinoda, script by Shuji Terayama, music by Toru Takemitsu) In 1966, together with Masahiko Togashi (ds), Kikuchi joined the recording of Sadao Watanabe’s “Jazz Bossa”. In 1967, he formed Hino-Kikuchi Quintet, which he led with trumpeter Terumasa Hino. “Hino-Kikuchi Quintet”, recorded the same year, became a best-seller album.
In the meanwhile, Kikuchi had won a scholarship by winning a contest for overseas musicians by downbeat magazine to enroll at Berklee College of Music, and the quintet's performance was interrupted in September of the following year. Before going to Berkley, Kikuchi sat in Sonny Rollins’ Japan Tour. At Berkley, he studied composition from William Maloof, music and arrangement from Herb Pomeloy. In 1969, after returning to Japan, he formed his own sextet with 2 pianos and 2 drums, recording “Re-confirmation and …” and “Poo-sun”. In 19** he joined the recording of Hozan Yamamoto (bamboo flute)’s “Silver World” (featuring Kikuchi,p and Gary Peacock, b) as a pianist and composer-arranger. Kikuchi’s collaboration with Peacock started about this time. He died from a subdural hematoma on 6 July 2015 at a hospital in Manhasset, New York. At the time of his death, he lived in Manhattan, New York City.
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