Earnest yet uninhibited. Weighty yet vivid. A masterful debut album capturing the moment gifted pianist Mikio Masuda took flight.

Artist：Mikio Masuda
Title：Trace
Format：LP
CAT#：PROZ-7932
Barcode：4988031898130
Price：$55
Label：Universal Music
Japan Release Date：December 5th, 2026

The debut album by pianist Mikio Masuda, who first came to prominence with the Terumasa Hino Group. The recording lineup is the same as that of Hino’s group at the time in 1974, but with Masuda taking the leader’s role, he plays with the freedom and vitality of a musician fully in his element. Four of the album’s six tracks are Masuda originals. At one moment, he races forward with an agile touch; at the next, he tenderly spins out a beautiful theme. The variety of the compositions and the freshness of the performances are nothing short of remarkable.

Among the highlights is the weighty, Afrocentric "Prayer," an outstanding composition and performance built around a post-Coltrane approach. This album marks the starting point of Masuda’s career before his string of hits during the fusion era, and remains one of his defining works.

Text by Yusuke Ogawa (UNIVERSOUNDS / DEEP JAZZ REALITY)

Tracklist:
Side A
01. Pinocchio
02. Black Daffodils
03. Hard Luck

Side B
01. Prayer
02. Add Some
03. Alone Alone And Alone