9-7-10 Mute Beat / Kazufumi Kodama
KAZUFUMI KODAMA
CD 1982 / 2002 KODAMA (ECHO) FROM DUB STATION SPEEDSTAR JP VICL-60976
2002 16 TRK Collection, CD + DVD
CD DREAD BEAT IN TOKYO OVERHEAT JPN OVE-0056
1997 12 TRKS
CD IN THE STUDIO (as Dub Station) DELPHONIC JPN GNCL-1026
2005 10 TRKS Live in the studio, ’99 – mono
CD LIVE (with Gota Yashiki) OVERHEAT JPN OVE-0088
2002 18 TRKS Live ’96
CD MORE (as Dub Station) DELPHONIC JPN GNCL-1072
2006 13 TRKS + DVD (66m) “Geneon”
CD NAZO SPEEDSTAR JP VICL-60827
2001 15 TRKS
CD PISTOL OPERA (Soundtrack) SPEEDSTAR JP VICL-60786
2001 11 TRKS O.S.T.
CD QUIET REGGAE SONY JPN SRCS 6517
1992 9 TRKS
CD REQUIEM DUB SPEEDSTAR JP VICL-60467
1999 10 TRKS
CD RETURN OF THE DREAD BEAT ABSORD JPN ABCS-22
2002 11 TRKS
CD SILENT PRAYER, A SPEEDSTAR JP VICL-61150
2003 12 TRKS
CD SOMETHING – REMIX (with Gota Yashiki) SONY JPN SRCS 8194
1996 10 TRKS
CD SOMETHING (with Gota Yashiki) SONY JPN SRCS 8163
1996 15 TRKS
CD STARS RED INK WK 71053
2000 12 TRKS (’03 issue)
CD5 WHAT’S 8APPEN? (as “K.T.U.”) SPEEDSTAR JP VICL-35237
2001 3 TRK CD Single CD5
MUTE BEAT
CD 14 ECHOES + 1 (20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION) OVERHEAT JPN PCCA-01742
2002 15 TRK Collection; DSD Mastering
CDx2 DOCUMENT 1989 OFF NOTE ON-10
1996 18 TRKS Live
CD DUB WISE OVERHEAT JPN PCCA-00685
1989 8 TRKS 5th, re-issue
CD FLOWER OVERHEAT JPN D32Y-0117
1987 9 TRKS 2nd
CD LIVE OVERHEAT JPN PCCY-00041
1989 12 TRKS Live
CD LOVER’S ROCK PONY CANYON JP PCCA-01755
1988 9 TRKS (’02 issue) kami sleeve, DSD Mastering
CD MARCH OVERHEAT JPN D22Y-0320
1989 10 TRKS 4th
CD NO. 0 – VIRGIN DUB RESPECT JPN RES-7
1985 13 TRKS (2 x bonus tracks)
CD R. ALPHONSO MEETS MUTE BEAT OVERHEAT JPN OVE-0066
1988 13 TRKS Live
CD STILL ECHO OVERHEAT JPN D32Y-0114
1987 7 TRKS 1st
12″ SUNNY SIDE WALK OVERHEAT JPN C12Y-0301
1988 2 TRKS with pic sleeve
Unless I am mistaken, the way I first heard of Mute Beat was a promotional copy of the TRA Project cassette that was eventually released as “No. 0”. The tape came in a wooden box. The idea of Japanese dub reggae was intriguing. The company I had been working for went out of business in ’87, so I had to watch the bins at larger Tower Records stores in California, to keep abreast of Mute Beat releases (which I did a pretty good job of, I only missed one the first time around, “Mute Beat In Dub”).
They actually came and played in Los Angeles in ’89 – my whole crew went. I got a bunch of stuff autographed. Nice guys. I often think of ’87 – ’94 as being the years I know the least about Japanese music, with Mute Beat being the big exception. I followed them as closely as possible.
After Mute Beat finished, I continued my interest in the work of leader (and trumpet player) Kazufumi Kodama. “Quiet Reggae” was the first solo effort I spotted, and it’s a pretty cool album. Apparently, Kodama is somewhat known as a visual artist, as well.
Once I started going to Japan in ’94, it became much easier to keep up with his works. I have more stuff than is on this list, mostly vinyl – and some CD EP’s. Japanese artist discographies are notoriously difficult to compile / write.
When Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra came through town a few years later, I wore my Mute Beat T-shirt to the show and raised a few eyebrows.
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