Osamu Kitajima - Dragon King (album review)
Osamu Kitajima
Dragon King
Arista Records
1981
Sometimes things just stumble into your path and you've a great WTF! moment. Osamu Kitajima's Dragon King is one such thing. I was actually researching another band, a death metal band when this was listed next to it. I was intrigued and was met with some awesome jazz from the 70s with a Japanese twist. So why then in 2017 and I reviewing an album almost 40 years old? Because it fucking rocks!
The bass work is stellar! It has this great forward momentum that sucks you in and doesn't let go! There is a wildness to the album courtesy of the compositions and musicianship. The flutes, the guitars, the shakuhachi; everything melds together to create a sense of freedom.
The weakest song on the album is the third track 'Say You Will'. That's only because it has vocals. The music becomes cookie cutter to make way for the vocals. 'Share Your Love' is your basic R&B 70s track. Lackluster and stock is how I would describe it. But then it gets back to the awesomeness with the title track 'Dragon King'. It's wicked and other worldly! Overall the album is a good listen. It's still on sale at various internet outlets.
Dragon King
Arista Records
1981
Sometimes things just stumble into your path and you've a great WTF! moment. Osamu Kitajima's Dragon King is one such thing. I was actually researching another band, a death metal band when this was listed next to it. I was intrigued and was met with some awesome jazz from the 70s with a Japanese twist. So why then in 2017 and I reviewing an album almost 40 years old? Because it fucking rocks!
The bass work is stellar! It has this great forward momentum that sucks you in and doesn't let go! There is a wildness to the album courtesy of the compositions and musicianship. The flutes, the guitars, the shakuhachi; everything melds together to create a sense of freedom.
The weakest song on the album is the third track 'Say You Will'. That's only because it has vocals. The music becomes cookie cutter to make way for the vocals. 'Share Your Love' is your basic R&B 70s track. Lackluster and stock is how I would describe it. But then it gets back to the awesomeness with the title track 'Dragon King'. It's wicked and other worldly! Overall the album is a good listen. It's still on sale at various internet outlets.
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