Album Notes

A native of Osaka, Japan, Yasuyuki Takagi (call him Yaz) was influenced by the sounds of jazz at a very early age. As a child, Yaz listened to both the music of his native homeland as well as his father?fs jazz collection. Looking back on his childhood, Yaz always felt that the presence of his father?fs records had a big influence on his musical development. And though he admits that he didn?ft know what it was he was listening to back then, it had enough of an impact to shape his musical direction for the rest of his life.

As a student, Yaz listened to artists such as Bob James, Dave Grusin, The Crusaders, Earth, Wind and Fire, Grover Washington Jr. and other American jazz artists. And while his friends were listening to the energy and power of rock?fn roll, it was David Sanborn?fs music that led him to pursue the saxophone as his instrument of choice. Subsequently, upon entering Japan?fs Kochi University Yaz began to study the saxophone while earning his Bachelor?fs Degree in Education. And although he started to listen to and collect more of the same albums which he heard as a child in his father?fs house, he never dreamed that one day he might go to the United States, New York in particular, to pursue a career as a professional musician.

After graduation, Yaz worked through the day as a social worker in Osaka while studying saxophone with Tetsuyuki Miya and theory with Sadayasu Fujii. As his passion for jazz grew stronger through time; He began to play with jazz groups and also sat in on some of teacher?fs gigs, as well. At this point Yaz decided that he wanted to continue his jazz studies abroad and moved to New York in April, 1992.

However, after moving to New York, Yaz was impressed with the higher level of musicianship and began to lose confidence in his own abilities. Feeling that his own ability was inadequate to pursue a career as a professional musician in New York, he decided to return back to Japan. However, with only a month left in N.Y. before his scheduled return home, he met a fellow saxophonist who encouraged him to stay and pursue his dreams.

Hence, he decided to stay in New York and began studying with Rob Scheps while working as a dishwasher in a Japanese restaurant. As time passed, his abilities (and confidence) improved as his continued to work at night and practice during the day until soon he was able to switch to a day job, thus leaving his evenings open for music.

As Yaz began to play with more and more groups and jam sessions, his abilities came to the attention of some N.Y. area local bands, such as Joy Ryder and the New York Rhythm All Stars, the smooth jazz group Since When?, The Sly Geralds Band, to name a few. When he lost his day job as the result of the September 11th, tragedy, Yaz became a full time musician, formed his own group (the Yaz Takagi Group) and became a regular feature with the New York City Transit Authority?fs ?gMusic Under New York?h series.