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Toshiyuki Sekine was born in Tokyo, Japan on January 10, 1955. One day in his high school days, he bought a record of Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 and was captivated by their sound of music. Then followed The Doors, Wes Montgomery, John Coltrane, etc. and his exploration of the world of bossa nova, rock and jazz music began.
At age 16, his enthusiasm for music finally made him learn to play the jazz piano all by himself, listening to and studying the performances of Sergio Mendes, Bud Powell, Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans, Phineas Newborn, Jr., Herbie Hancock, Joao Gilberto, etc.
In 1974, Sekine began his professinal career as a jazz pianist. He performed or recorded with Takashi Mizuhashi, Yoshio Otomo, Osamu Kawakami, Takao Uematsu, Toshio Ohsumi, Mabumi Yamaguchi, O. "Jess" Kurata, Masayuki Ise. Invited by George Ohtsuka as a keyboardist of his group, he played with Miroslav Vitous and Nana Vasconcelos in Ohtsuka's 1980 album Maracaibo. He also formed his own trio group and in 1978 released Love for Sale, the first album in his name where Osamu Kawakami played the bass and Hideo Yamaki on drums. He frequently appeared at the jazz spots of downtown Tokyo.
In1985, Sekine encountered Idaki Shin (Tadamitsu Saito) and was shocked at his improvisation performance which gives healing to people and revives in them a dynamic energy to live. In 1988, he quit from his own musical career and began working for Idaki Shin to promote his concerts and musical events taking place in Japan and overseas.
In 1998, however, he appeared in Idaki Shin's private concert and played the piano with him. This experience made him rediscover what he had long been wanting to express by music and in 2002 started live performances again - after 13 year's absence - and now he's one of the most frequent pianist on the Tokyo jazz scene.
In 2006, he released "Vento de maio," a collection of works published in Monthly DAICHI Music Webzine (Japanese version) and in 2007, he established his own label Mugigi Records and released "Ignition" with his Nippon Soul Jazz Band while his two albums recorded about 30 years before were reissued by Disc Union.
Toshiyuki Sekine's Website
http://www.mugi55.com/English/
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