Ryo Okumoto

Because the mid-’90s, keyboardist Ryo Okumoto continues to be best-known for his enduring tenure in the American progressive rock and roll group Spock’s Beard, but he did a whole lot of various things before he joined. His background includes recording classes and live shows with pop and R&B performers like Peabo Bryson, Phil Collins, and Aretha Franklin on the main one hand, modern ruler Kitaro, and a small number of easy hearing albums within the additional, plus obviously the various family pet tasks of Spock’s Beard’s users. Okumoto was created in Osaka, Japan, in a family group where music was an obligatory portion of a child’s education. He required piano lessons from age groups 3 to 13. At 15, he fallen out of college to consider his 1st professional job in the Live Home in Osaka. A yr later he relocated to the best town — Tokyo. From 1975 to 1980 he played dance clubs and saving classes both as a residence band keyboardist so that as a “actual” member in several Japanese rock organizations. Typically the most popular was Creation, with whom he documented his first recording as an organization member in 1978. While Creation’s profile was increasing, Okumoto also made an appearance on Kitaro’s PERSONALLY LP and its own associated tour. Kitaro’s record label, Canyon, provided the youthful keyboardist a agreement for three albums which were all shipped and released in 1980: Solid Platinum, Makin’ Rock and roll, and Synthesizer. Documented in London, Hollywood, and Tokyo, respectively, they highlighted an impressive ensemble of music artists, including David Foster and Toto guitarist Steve Lukather. The LPs didn’t garner the eye (vital or well-known) Okumoto was longing for and, disenchanted, he made a decision to move to LA where he spent another four years their studies at the Dick Grove College of Music. His discography and live timetable found after his graduation in 1984. Through the following 13 years, he provides played the function of an adjustable sideman, executing with retro-R&B groupings, pop feelings, and hard rock and roll bands while documenting with Homer, Earthshaker, Kuni, and Edwing, among various other serves that didn’t last longer. In 1996-1997 he attempted to make a living in easy hearing, producing three amounts from the Treasured Occasions series and several movie scores. On the other hand, in 1995, Okumoto fulfilled the Morse brothers and became a member of their group Spock’s Beard, which acquired simply released its initial self-produced debut, The Light, and linked him back again to his root base. The group’s reputation among prog rock and roll fans increased one notch with 1997’s Avoid Darkness (the initial album using the keyboardist up to speed) and crossed to a wider market with the discharge from the Kindness of Strangers in 1998, following group’s signing using the label Metallic Cutting tool. Since 1998, Okumoto continues to be working almost specifically with Spock’s Beard. He released Arriving Through, his 1st solo recording in over twenty years, in past due 2002.