Takeshi Terauchi - Nippon Guitars

Tracklist Side 1 1."Ganroku Hanami Odori" 2."Rising Guitar" 3."Sado Okesa" 4."The Clamour Of The Sun" 5."Hoshi Eno Tabiji (Journey To The Stars)" 6."Meiji Ichidai Onna" 7."Sa No Sa" 8."South Pier"Side 2 1."Summer Boogaloo A & B" 2."Touryanse" 3."Meigetsu Akagi Yama" 4."Nambuzaka Yuki No Wakare" 5."Tsugaru Yamabiko Uta (Mountain Echo)" 6."Tsugaru Eleki Bushi"

 

14 tracks taken from the CD version** Ace, reverent collection of Japanese "instrumental surf, Eleki & Tsugaru Rock 1966-1974" compiled by Honest Jon's Howard Williams (the man behind Ethbo Records' superb 'Killing 'Melody' LP). 'Nippon Guitars' is actually the first ever Western retrospective of Takeshi "Terry" Terauchi's work and draws parallels between his American counterparts - Les Paul and The Ventures - and the heavily effected style of Eleki which he single-handedly invented in the late '50s thanks to his innovative echo box designs and electric style. When rock 'n roll really arrived in Japan around the mid 1960s Takeshi was manning two bands, Blue Jeans and The Bunnys, playing a mixture of country, surf, Hawaiian, rock 'n roll, funk, classical and more, but at the behest of the Japanese Board Of Education he began to incorporate more traditional Japanese "Minyo" melodies, forming a syncretic style of updated, beat-driven and amplified folk rock. In effect Takeshi's music could be seen as adjunct to the pioneering likes of Egypt's Omar Khorshid who similarly assimilated electric surf and beat music alongside more traditional elements. Takeshi eventually rejected any American influences, and his speedy shredding style more echoes Tsugaru shamisen, "a unique blue-style of percussive, semi-improvised playing from northern Japan", with shades of J-pop and heavy, heavy breaks ripe for sampling.