Formed c. 1969

Akira Ishikawa was born in Yokosuka, Kanagawa on November 10, 1934, began his career with Shin Matsumoto and New Pacific in the early 1960s, played with Toshiyuki Miyama’s New Herd through the mid-1960s, and served as bandleader for the Japanese production of “Hair” before forming Count Buffalo as a dedicated jazz-rock and world percussion ensemble. The group’s name was spelled differently on almost every release: Count Buffalo, Count Buffaloes, Count Buffalos, Count Buffalo Jazz And Rock Band. “Electrum” (Victor, 1970), composed and arranged by Masahiko Sato, opened the Count Buffalo catalogue with jazz-rock and free jazz. “Bakishinba: Memories of Africa” (Polydor, 1970) arrived the same year, a more relaxed electric jazz-rock record. Ishikawa then travelled to Uganda, absorbed the native music, and returned with new instruments and a new direction. “Uganda” (1972), co-composed with saxophonist Takeru Muraoka, mixed African percussion and tribal drumming with acid rock guitar from Kimio Mizutani across four extended pieces, producing one of the most genuinely unusual records in the Japanese jazz catalogue. He subsequently introduced the tsugaru shamisen to jazz music for the first time. “Get Up!” (1975) completed the Count Buffalo studio catalogue. Ishikawa died on February 10, 2002, aged 67.