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Masaru Imada (今田勝, Imada Masaru, born March 21 1932, prefecture Tokyo; died May 30, 2025) is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer. He had classical piano lessons. He played jazz in student bands while a student at Meiji University, after which he worked in business for a year. He then decided to pursue music professionally. From 1953 he was part of clarinetist Eiji Kitamura's band. Imada had his own trio since 1964. In 1984 hr formed Now'in, a fusion band. Performed internationally at jazz festivals from the 1970s onwards.


ALBUMS


Masaru Imada
50th Memorial Best Collection
2006, 3xCD, Comp, Ltd, RM, art union
Masaru Imada & Akira Imada
Conversation Father And Son
1993, CD, Album, Alfa Jazz
Masaru Imada
The Summer Knows
1990, CD, Comp, Polydor
Masaru Imada / Prism (9) / Carioca
Turquoise Blue
1989, Cass, Comp, Polydor
Masaru Imada
Melodious Summer
1987, CD, Comp, Polydor
Masaru Imada
Perfect Release
1987, 2xCD, Comp, Ltd, Polydor
渡辺香津美*, 橋本一子*, 今田勝*, 近藤等則*, 辛島文雄*
Best Selection = フュージョン全曲集
1986, CD, Comp, Polydor
Masaru Imada
Rivage
1986
Masaru Imada
Smile For You
1986
Masaru Imada
Morning Dream
1985, CD, Comp, Polydor, ,
Fusion
Masaru Imada
Memory
1984, CD, Comp, Polydor, ,
Fusion
Masaru Imada
Tropical Sunset
1984
今田 勝*
A Day In The Paradise
1983, 7", Promo, Pro, Trio Records
Masaru Imada
A Day In The Paradise
1983, ,
Fusion/Latin Jazz
Masaru Imada
Songs On My Mind
1982
Masaru Imada
Blue Marine
1982, Vinyl, ,
Jazz-Funk/Latin Jazz
Eiji Nakayama With Masaru Imada
North Plain
1982,
Masaru Imada
Carnival
1981, Vinyl, ,
Fusion/Latin Jazz
Takashi Mizuhashi w/ Masaru Imada & Tsuyoshi Yamamoto
Interplay Now
1981
Masaru Imada
Andalusian Breeze
1980
Masaru Imada
Piko
1980
4 Trombones With Masaru Imada
Super Trombone
1980
Masaru Imada
Analogue Steinway X Digital Steinway
1979, LP, Album, Trio Records
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, Masaru Imada
Stardust: Standard Jazz Piano
1979,
Shigeko Toya & Masaru Imada
She Cries
1978
Masaru Imada
Seeking Blue
1978
Masaru Imada
Pinup
1977, LP, Album, Tam
Sunao Wada Quartet Featuring Isao Suzuki And Masaru Imada
Blues-Blues-Blues
1977
Masaru Imada And George Mraz
Alone Together
1977
Masaru Imada
Masaru Imada Piano
1976
Imada Masaru*
Ascent (Imada Masaru Recital Live)
1974, ,
Contemporary Jazz/Modal/Post Bop/Hard Bop
Imada, Masaru Solo* & Trio*
Poppy
1973
Masaru Imada
誘われてシーサイド
7", Single, Promo, Full House (3)
Masaru Imada
哀愁のカニヴァール = Carnival
7", Single, Promo, Trio Records,
Now'In*
Lovers In The Storm
1996, CD, Album, Venus Records (5)
Masaru Imada NOWIN
The Breeze And I
1989, CD, Album, Polydor
Masaru Imada NOWIN
Azure
1988
Masaru Imada NOWIN
Falling Star
1987
Masaru Imada NOWIN
Rainbow Island
1985
Masaru Imada Nowin
Mint Breeze
1984, ,
Jazz-Funk/Fusion
Tee & Company
Sonnet
2000, CD, Comp, Ltd, RE, Three Blind Mice
Tee & Company
Dragon Garden
2000
猪俣猛とウエスト・ライナーズ*
Liner Note
1997, CD, Album, RE, RM, Columbia, ,
Modal/Soul-Jazz
Tee & Company
Sonnet・Spanish Flower
1988, 2xCD, Comp, Three Blind Mice, Three Blind Mice, ,
Fusion/Contemporary Jazz
Masaru Imada Trio
Blue Eyes
1979
Bingo Miki & The Inner Galaxy Orchestra
Montreux Cyclone
1979, 2x Vinyl Gatefold, ,
Big Band/Contemporary Jazz
Tee & Company
Dragon Garden
1978
Masaru Imada Quartet
Remember Of Love
1978
Masaru Imada + Kenji Kohsei Quartet
All Of A Glow
1978
Tee & Company
Spanish Flower
1978
JMO
Jazz Minus One Vol.1
1977, LP, Album, Tam,
JMO
Jazz Minus One Vol.6
1977, LP, Album, Tam,
JMO
Jazz Minus One Vol.3
1977, LP, Album, Tam
JMO
Jazz Minus One Vol.4
1977, LP, Album, Tam
JMO
Jazz Minus One Vol.5
1977, LP, Album, Tam
JMO
Jazz Minus One Vol.7
1977, LP, Album, Tam
JMO
Jazz Minus One Vol.8
1977, LP, Album, Tam
Tee & Company
Sonnet
1977
JMO
Jazz Minus One Vol.2
1976, LP, Album, Tam
井上陽水*
招待状のないショー
1976, ,
Kayōkyoku/Folk Rock/Soft Rock/Funk/Ballad/City Pop
Masaru Imada Trio
Standards
1976
Masaru Imada Trio
One For Duke
1975
浅川マキ*
こんな風に過ぎて行くのなら
1972
浅川マキ*
Live
1972
Sadakazu Tabata & Groovy 6
Smash In The Rock
1971
浅川マキ*
Maki II = 浅川マキ II
1971, ,
Folk Rock/Blues Rock/Psychedelic Rock

APPEARANCES +


Various
J Jazz (Free And Modern Jazz Albums From Japan 1954 > 1988)
2024, CD, Comp, BBE
Various
Rebirth Of "TBM" (The Japanese Deep Jazz)
2023, 2xLP, Comp, Mono, Ltd, Three Blind Mice, Sony Music Labels Inc.
Various
J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan (Volume 3)
2021, 3x Vinyl,
Various
Scenery Of Japanese Jazz
2020, CD, ,
Bop/Modal/Contemporary Jazz/Hard Bop/Post Bop
Various
Spiritual Jazz 8 - Japan: Part Two (Esoteric, Modal And Progressive Jazz From Japan 1961-1983)
2018
Mari Kanemoto With Masaru Imada Trio
Mari Kanemoto Sings Jazz Standard
2014
Various
Wax Poetics Japan Compiled Series Mixed Roots King Of JP Jazz 70's
2011, CD, Comp, King Records, King Record Co. Ltd, ,
Jazz-Rock/Latin Jazz/Jazz-Funk
Nobukazu Takemura
Shibuya Jazz Classics - Nobukazu Takemura Collection - Three Blind Mice Issue
2005, 2xCD, Comp, Solid Records (6)
Gilles Peterson
Shibuya Jazz Classics - Gilles Peterson Collection - Trio Issue
2003, CD, ,
Big Band/Latin Jazz/Post Bop/Modal/Vocal
Masaru Imada & Now'in* Featuring Akira Imada
Dear Friend
1992, CD, Album, Alfa Jazz, ,
Fusion
Eiji Nakayama
North Plain
1987
Helen Merrill
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
1982
Various
NHK Transcription Programme (No. 181) - Trend-Setters In Japanese Jazz
1980, 2xLP, NHK, ,
Fusion/Free Jazz/Contemporary Jazz
Tatsuya Nakamura
Where Is The Quarter?
1979, LP, Album, CBS/Sony
Bingo Miki & Inner Galaxy Orchestra*
Back To The Sea
1978, Vinyl, ,
Big Band/Contemporary Jazz
Ayako Hosokawa With The Masaru Imada Quartet*
No Tears
1978
Masaru Imada Trio+1*
Planets
1977
Yoshiko Gotoh* = 後藤芳子*
Gentle Rain
1975,
Masaru Imada Trio +2*
Green Caterpillar
1975, ,
Jazz-Funk/Contemporary Jazz
Masaru Imada Trio, Eiji Kitamura
Yuh Sings For You
1973, LP, Album, Myuh Records
Shigeko Toya
Fine And Mellow
1973, Vinyl, ,
Vocal
Jiro Inagaki & Big Soul Media* , Composed, Arranged And Conducted By Hiromasa Suzuki
By The Red Stream
1973
The Masaru Imada Trio*, Shigeko Toya
Yokohama Concert
1973
Toya, Shigeko* With The Imada, Masaru Trio*
Toya, Shigeko With The Imada, Masaru Trio
1972
Inomata Takesi & Sound Limited*
Inomata Meets Rock
1971
Various
Jazz Adventure In Drums
1970, LP, Album, Gat, Victor World Group, ,
Contemporary Jazz/Free Jazz/Jazz-Rock/Modal/Soul-Jazz
Imada, Masaru Quartet*
Now!!
1970, ,
Modal/Free Improvisation/Post Bop
J.Inagaki + Soul Big Media* = Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media
Jazz & Rock "Out" 真夏の夜のロック
1970
Toshiaki Yokota
エキサイティング・フルート = Exciting Flute
1970
Various
Sensational Jazz '70: Vol. 1/2
1970, ,
Free Jazz/Avant-garde Jazz/Jazz-Rock/Soul-Jazz
Imada Masaru Trio + 1*
Maki
1970
Jirō Inagaki & His Soul Media* = 稲垣次郎アンド・ヒズ・ソウル・メディア*
Head Rock = ヘッド・ロック
1970, Vinyl Gatefold, ,
Jazz-Rock
Hiroshi Matsumoto & Swinging Herd
Groovy Indeed
1969
Takeshi Inomata & His West Liners
Liner Note
1967, ,
Bossa Nova/Soul-Jazz/Modal
Various
Jazz Tune 23 Vol. 1
LP, Comp, Tam
Motohiko Hino & His Friends
ビートドラムVol.2 = Beat Drums Vol 2
LP, Denon
Chintam (Blow Up)*
Japanese Groove Disc Guide / 和モノA To Z Presents "Blow Up" Trio
2020, CD, ,
Funk/Psychedelic Rock/Kayōkyoku
Various
Groovy Indeed! Trio Records 1971-1981
2010, CD, Comp, art union,
Hiroko Otsuka
The Pieces Of Trio Records Mixed By Hiroko Otsuka
2010, CD, art union
DJ Korosuke
Japonisme & Mode Vol. 2
2008, CD, Comp, Mixed, Promo, Sonimage-Lab,Inc
DJ Mitsu The Beats
Another Roses
2007, CD, Mixed, Show Tiku Bai Records, ,
Jazz-Funk
Various
Samurai-Era
1999, 2x Vinyl, ,
Hard Bop/Fusion/Jazz-Funk
Various
The Famous Sound Of Three Blind Mice
1997, XRCD, Comp, Smplr, Dig, Three Blind Mice
Various
The Famous Sound Of Three Blind Mice Vol. 2
1988
Various
The Famous Sound Of Three Blind Mice Vol. 1
1988
Various
Yes! Near Real
1981, 12", Promo, Trio Records
Various
Jazz Beat 4
Cass, Comp, Top's Dynamic,
Various
Nowin
1999, 12", Unofficial, Moton Records Inc., ,
Fusion
Various
Taste Of Jazz
Cass, Comp, Unofficial, Pan Audio