Artists
Album Info
Release Date: 2021-06-04Label: Off
In loving memory of Toshinori Kondo 15 December 1948 – 17 October 2020"I first met Kondo during my 2011 tour in Japan where we did three memorable concerts together, in Kyoto, Sasebo and Fukuoka. It turned out to be a unique encounter: an exciting first meeting between Kondo’s amazing electric trumpet and the captivating beats of Middle Eastern drums and percussion.
Written, performed and produced by Ruben van Rompaey, Bergen op Zoom Holland 2014-2020. Ruben Van Rompaey - drums, percussion, add. bass, synths/keys and vocals.
Featuring Toshinori Kondo - electric trumpet
Executive producer: Frans C.M. van Rompaey
Guitar solo 'Ginza Lounge - Part 2' by Rutger van Rompaey
Vocal samples by Maarten Zweers
Mastered by Rutger Verberkmoes @ Accent Audio Studio Bergen op Zoom, Holland. Tracks 14, 15 mastered by Ruben van Rompaey.
Cover and inside booklet painting (acrylic on canvas) Toshinori Kondo and Ruben van Rompaey by Rachelle van Rompaey (rachelvanrompaey.com)
Japanese translation: Shinya Tanaka (EE Japan)
Cover design by Rachelle van Rompaey, Alain Lefebvre
Pictures Kondo & Ruben live in Kyoto, Kondo & Ruben - Makise Satoshi, Takahiko Tanaka
Special thanks: Van Rompaey family, Frans Van Rompaey, Chen Hao, Rachelle van Rompaey, Rutger Verberkmoes, Shinya Tanaka, Maarten Zweers, Alain Lefebvre.
This album, named Tokyo Fusion, serves as a reflection of the synergy originating from our collaborations. It’s a compilation of tracks I have written and produced between 2014-2020, all of them featuring Kondo's brilliant electric trumpet improvisations.
The album captures the essence of Kondo’s free spirit electric trumpet, regularly blending with oriental soundscapes, crossing borders of space and time. Some of the original recordings from 2014 were featured on the album Mirage and specially re-edited and re-mastered for this album.
The music can be roughly divided into two parts: the first part contains previously unreleased tracks, the second part mainly consists of remixes and remastered tracks.
In October 2020 Toshinori Kondo sadly passed away.
I feel honored to releasing this album as a dedication to Kondo's super-creative dimensions, whose sounds will keep astonishing the universe forever!" -Ruben Van Rompaey