Hiroshi Sato (佐藤博, June 3, 1947 – October 24, 2012) was a Japanese singer-songwriter. He was an influential keyboardist in the Japanese jazz fusion and soft rock scenes during the late 1970s and 1980s, later dubbed "city pop".
Early life and career Sato was born as the eldest son of a temple family in his home town of Chiran in the Kagoshima Prefecture, and moved to Kyoto in 1949 at the age of two.
During his high school years, Sato obtained a reel-to-reel tape recorder and began learning how to play the bass guitar and drums, recording his work in a garage.サウンド&レコーディング・マガジン, リットー Music August 1983 issue. At age 20 he began playing the piano, and later stated that "when I was 20 years old, I practiced so much that I was willing to give up the world if I didn't turn pro."
Around 1970, he started his career as a pianist in a jazz band in Osaka, eventually leading to his collaboration with other blues musicians such as the West Road Blues Band and Masaki Ueda,Player, April 1977 issue. as well as folk musicians such as Kyozo Nishioka as part of "The Dylan", Masaji Otsuka and Ryo Kagawa.KEYBOARD BOOK (新譜ジャーナル別冊), published July 20, 1983.
In 1976, along with forming Shigeru Suzuki's short-lived band HucklebackSee the liner notes for "A Tale of Seven Cities" (七都市物語) and collaborating with Haruomi Hosono and his friends from Tin Pan Alley, he released his first solo album "SUPER MARKET" through Nippon Columbia.
In the late 1970s, Sato began experimenting with electronic music, collaborating a number of times with electronic pioneer Haruomi Hosono between 1975 and 1978. Sato incorporated electronic musical instruments including polyphonic synthesizers (such as the Yamaha CS-80 and Polymoog) and Roland drum machines in his 1979 album Orient. He was invited to join Hosono's electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978, but he declined as he decided to leave Japan in 1979 before returning in 1982. He experimented with the Roland TR-808 drum machine in the early 1980s, but decided to mainly use the Linn LM-1 sample-based drum machine for his 1982 album Awakening.
Sato was an early user of the Roland TR-909 drum machine, released in 1983. In 1984, he used the TR-909 for his album Sailing Blaster, and as a producer for Naomi Akimoto's album Poison 21.
He released 14 total albums up until his hiatus after "Oracle", which was released through Eastworld Records in 1996.
Discography Albums AlbumMediumRelease numberRelease dateLabelRefSUPER MARKETLPLQ-7008-CMay 25, 1976Wave Concept (Nippon Columbia)CDCOCA-11141November 21, 1993Nippon ColumbiaCDCOR-11141November 21, 1993Nippon ColumbiaCD (on demand)CORR-10298June 22, 2009Nippon ColumbiaCDTWCP-25November 21, 2012Tower to the People (Tower Records)TimeLPLX-7009January 25, 1977Wave ConceptCDARCD-1002March 10, 2003Ardun RecordsCD (on demand)CORR-10529December 21, 2009Nippon ColumbiaCDTWCP-26November 21, 2012Tower to the PeopleLPHMJA-101April 18, 2015HMVLPNovember 3, 2019Sony Music Entertainment JapanORIENTLPMKF-1047June 1, 1979Kitty RecordsCDPROT-1056March 13, 2013Universal Music GroupCDMKF-1047December 24, 2014Kitty RecordsLPPROT-7002April 18, 2015HMVLPWWSLP-12February 16, 2018WEWANTSOUNDSAwakeningLPALR-28036June 25, 1982Alfa Records"ADLIB!", June 1982 issue.CD32XA-91August 25, 1986Alfa RecordsCDALCA-9144May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsCDMHCL-648September 21, 2005GT Music (Sony Music Direct Japan Inc.)CDMHCL-30275December 10, 2014Sony Music Entertainment JapanLPMHJ7-3August 24, 2016Sony Music Entertainment JapanLPMHJL-106November 3, 2019Sony Music Entertainment JapanSAILING BLASTERLPALR-28059June 25, 1984Alfa RecordsCD32XA-921986Alfa RecordsCDALCA-9145May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsBlu-spec CD2 (paper jacket)BRIDGE-239June 3, 2015Bridge RecordsSOUND OF SCIENCELPALR-28081July 25, 1986Alfa RecordsCD32XA-70August 25, 1986Alfa RecordsCDALCA-9146May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsBlu-spec CD2 (paper jacket)BRIDGE-240June 3, 2015Bridge RecordsThis BoyLPALR-28066May 25, 1985Alfa RecordsCD32XA-39September 10, 1985Alfa RecordsFUTURE FILELPALR-28095May 25, 1987Alfa RecordsCD32XA-158May 25, 1987Alfa RecordsCDALCA-9147May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsBlu-spec CD2MHCL-30310June 3, 2015GT MusicAQUALPALR-28110June 25, 1988Alfa RecordsCD32XA-210June 25, 1988Alfa RecordsCDALCA-9148May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsBlu-spec CD2MHCL-30311June 3, 2015GT MusicTOUCH THE HEARTCD29A2-18June 25, 1989Alfa RecordsCDALCA-9149May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsBlu-spec CD2MHCL-30312June 3, 2015GT MusicGood MorningCDALCA-56July 25, 1990Alfa RecordsCDALCA-9150May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsCDDQCL-684November 24, 2017Sony Music Entertainment JapanSelf JamCDALCA-159July 21, 1991Alfa RecordsCDALCA-9151May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsBlu-spec CD2DQCL-685November 24, 2017Sony Music Direct Japan, Inc.HAPPY & LUCKYCDALCA-494June 21, 1993Alfa RecordsCDALCA-9152May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsBlu-spec CD2DQCL-686November 24, 2017Sony Music Direct Japan, Inc.ALL OF MECDTOCT-8882May 10, 1995Alfa RecordsCDQIAG-70057September 8, 2012Tower to the PeopleOracleCDTOCT-9706November 7, 1996Universal Music GroupCDQIAG-70058September 8, 2012Tower to the PeopleTHAT'S ALL RIGHTCDSMD-0001June 24, 2003Sara MusicAmazingLPJanuary 20, 2004Sara MusicAMAZING Vol. IICDECCA-1003April 5, 2006CREAMY AQUACDGHR-0001Aug 4, 2007Groovin' High Records
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