Masahiko Togashi - Sketch (2025)

Masahiko Togashi was born in 1940 and was one of the leading Japanese jazz percussionists and composers. In a densely contested field of exceptionally talented drummers, Togashi stood out as one of the most versatile and distinctive. He worked with Sadao Watanabe, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Tony Scott in the 1950s, then founded the ensemble Jazz Academy in 1961 with Hideto Kanai, Masabumi Kikuchi, and Masayuki Takayanagi. Togashi was an early free jazz leader in Japan, playing with Yosuke Yamashita and performing with American musicians such as Ornette Coleman, Lee Morgan, and Sonny Rollins.

In 1969 Togashi lost the use of his legs in an accident and designed a new drum kit that allowed him to continue playing. Later associations included performing and recording with Paul Bley, Don Cherry, Jack DeJohnette, Steve Lacy, Gary Peacock, and Masahiko Sato. Togashi died in 2007.