Teruo Nakamura performing from his 1976/’77 LPs in NYC

by Ian Chainey

Teruo Nakamura

Jazz bassist/producer Teruo Nakamura will be playing two upcoming shows with his Rising Sun band that will focus on material from his albums Rising Sun (1976) and Manhattan Special (1977). Both will take place at Greenwich Village's Zinc Bar, with the first happening Tuesday (6/24). The second is scheduled for July 31. Tickets are $15 at the door.

Teruo Nakamura has served as a noted jazz producer and session man, playing with and producing leaders like Roy Haynes, Barry Finnerty, and Bob Mintzer, while also working with all-star session men such as Roy Ayers, Steve Gadd, and Jaco Pastorius. For crate-diggers and samplers, he's known for his fusion/electric jazz albums that balanced a funky edge with effervescent, instrumental hooks. Manhattan Special, featuring Herbie Hancock on keys, even broke into the 1977 Billboard Jazz charts. Plus, if you've heard The Roots' Illadelph Halflife, you've also heard Teruo Nakamura, as Rising Sun's "Cat" served as the sample for the Q-Tip collaboration "Ital (The Universal Side)."

Teruo Nakamura's new Rising Sun band lineup along with a few streams, below...

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Teruo Nakamura Rising Sun Band feat. Bill Washer and David Schnitter
Teruo Nakamura: Bass
Bill Washer: Guitar (Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Stan Getz)
David Schnitter: Sax (Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers)
Mike Flythe: Drums (Stanly Jordan, Sadao Watanabe)
Robert Aaron: Keyboard (David Bowie, Africa Bambataa, Chic)
Joe Berger: Guitar, sound design (Roy Haynes, Barry Finnety)