Minoru Muraoka became well known for using the shakuhachi to play jazz music, which was influential on popularizing the instrument in contemporary Japanese music.
10 Facts About Minoru Muraoka
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Minoru Muraoka worked in the editorial department of Zen-On Music Company until 1959.
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In 1962, Minoru Muraoka joined a shakuhachi trio called Shakuhachi San-Jyuso-dan, together with Katsuya Yokoyama and Kohachiro Miyata, with the aim of popularizing the instrument.
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Minoru Muraoka played shakuhachi on Hibari Misora's Japan Record Award-winning song "Soft".
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Minoru Muraoka released Harlem Nocturne, one of the first shakuhachi jazz albums, through Columbia Records in 1967.
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Minoru Muraoka recorded and privately released his live album Osorezan, which was dedicated to Mount Osore, in April 1970.
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Minoru Muraoka formed the group the New Dimensions in 1970, who released 11 albums, including 1972's Yuri Furi Suri.
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Minoru Muraoka died on 2 January 2014 at 90 years old due to multiple organ failure.
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Minoru Muraoka's music was mostly jazz, but included elements from a variety of other genres, including folk, pop, rock, psychedelia, enka, and free jazz.
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Minoru Muraoka first started playing jazz music with the shakuhachi in the late 1950s, and his music has been considered influential on popularizing the shakuhachi in contemporary Japanese music.