Takagi Mototeru | |
---|---|
Born | Osaka, Japan | December 28, 1941
Died | December 2002 | (aged 60–61)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Tenor saxophone |
Takagi Mototeru (高木 元輝) (28 December 1941 – December 2002) was a Japanese tenor saxophone player and composer, known for playing in a distinctive and powerful free jazz style. He played with many of the most important Japanese free groups and musicians during the seventies, such as ESSG and those of Masahiko Togashi, Motoharu Yoshizawa and Masayuki Takayanagi.
Takagi was born in Osaka in 1941. He grew up in Yokohama.[1] During his younger years, he spent time in the bands of players such as Charlie Ishiguro and Hisashi Sakurai. In 1968, he joined the Motoharu Yoshizawa Trio, which created fresh free sounds in Japanese jazz.[2] Takagi also composed for the band.[2] The following year he joined Togashi's Quartet and ESSG. After Togashi's accident, Takagi played briefly with Masayuki Takayangi's New Direction Unit and in a duo with percussionist Sabu Toyozumi. From November 1973 he spent one year playing in France, returning to Japan in November 1974.
Takagi recorded very few albums as a leader over the course of his career, but he was highly valued as a collaborator by many Japanese jazz, rock and avant-garde musicians.