Born March 9, 1948 in Oita, Japan, Fumio Karashima would become one of the
greatest jazz pianists his country ever produced. The son of a music professor,
Karashima began formal training on the piano before the age of five. He recorded
his debut album, Piranha, in 1975 leading a trio that consisted of Jimmy Hopps
on drums and Isao Suzuki on bass. He continued to record and gig, eventually
landing a spot in Elvin Jones Jazz Machine in 1980, and he would remain a member
of that group for six years. That relationship would lead to him collaborating
with other exceptional drummers in...