Masayuki Takayanagi, New Directions – Independence: Tread On Sure Ground

Independence: Tread On Sure Ground by Masayuki Takayanagi, released in 1970 on the Union (later reissued by Cinedelic in 2022), marks a pivotal moment in Japanese free jazz. Conceived as Takayanagi’s debut as a leader with his trio New Directions—including Motoharu Yoshizawa on bass, cello, percussion and Yoshisaburo Toyozumi on drums—the album is celebrated for inaugurating a distinctly Japanese methodology in free improvisation. Recorded at Teichiku Kaikan on September 18, 1969, the music unfolds as an intense sonic storm, with Takayanagi’s jagged, feedback-laced guitar drawing comparisons to the exploratory ethos of European ensembles like AMM or the Spontaneous Music Ensemble, yet driven by a uniquely Japanese avant-garde vision

Critics and collectors have dubbed the album the “Lochness monster” of Japanese free jazz, owing both to its rarity and its groundbreaking impact. It is broadly regarded as the first true classic in the genre from Japan, defined by its raw energy and intricate interplay—where each instrument moves independently yet remains bound in a fiercely coherent sonic mass. The album’s enduring appeal is reflected in the excitement surrounding its 2022 limited-edition reissue on gold-coloured vinyl by Cinedelic, which introduced this foundational work to a new generation

Reviews

“Considered the 'Lochness monster' of Japanese free jazz records … largely regarded as the first true classic of Japanese free jazz.” – Cinedelic Records

“An electric guitar string is pinged with a sour and markedly unlovely resonance … The playing is exploratory and deliberate, technically adept and keenly judged … more akin to the European free improvisation of AMM or The Spontaneous Music Ensemble than the violent ecstasies of American fire music.” – Alan Cummings, cited by Cinedelic Records

“Recorded at the Teichiku Kaikan studios on September 18, 1969 … the group thrashes out an entirely new Japanese methodology for improvisation based on Takayanagi's theories about progressive art.” – Fusetronsound

“Rapid intensity similar to a violent rotating windstorm.” – Alan Cummings, highlighted by Different Perspectives