Sigeo Sampei Hirayama｜ Drums
1954年3月2日 大阪出身
STORY
予定調和と馴れ合いに満ちた、日本の閉鎖的な音楽空間を根底から破壊し、世界基準のグルーヴを叩き出す伝説的ドラマー。
A legendary drummer who shatters the closed, predictable confines of the Japanese jazz scene from its very foundation, forging a world-class groove.
For Hirayama, who has driven the golden age of the Japanese music scene for nearly half a century, a mere "list of past credentials" no longer holds any meaning. The rhythm that naturally surges from within him is an "Asian Continental Upbeat"—possessing a robust vitality that deeply resonates with the Soul at the very roots of Black music.
His delicate cymbal work, juxtaposed with a sharp, earth-shaking dynamism and groove, is truly continental. By achieving a perfect Aufheben (synthesis) of Japanese spirituality and a global mindset, he serves as the absolute standard-bearer, elevating THE SUPER 3 to a realm of "true dynamics" that completely sets them apart from conventional Japanese music.
Within THE SUPER 3, he does not simply trace the relics of the past. Instead, he reigns as the absolute heart and engine that, while honoring tradition, precisely carves out the "time of a new era" pouring down from the future into the present. He continues to beat an intense pulse—a profound fusion of ethnic roots and intellect—to give birth to a new sun within the listener.
COLLABORATORS
• A-C
• Yasuko Agawa
• Kimiko Itoh
• D-G
• Gregg Lee
• Tatsuya Fujimura
• H-M
• Naotaka Kusunoki
• Toshiyuki Kokubu
• Terumasa Hino
• Mieko Hirota
• Toshiyuki Honda
• Hidehiko Matsumoto
• Ryoko Moriyama
• Mari Nakamoto
• N-S
• Isao Suzuki
• Hiromasa Suzuki
• Shunji Takenaka
• T-Z
• Tom Pearson
• Koichi Yabori
(...and many other legendary artists.)
DISCOGRAPHY
A Legacy of Continental Grooves and Heartfelt Resonance — The Voyage of Virtuoso and Heartful Drumming
大陸的アップビートと魂の共鳴が織りなす、超絶技巧と愛のドラミングの軌跡
Track 01：『The Thing』
タイトルを入力
Track 04
タイトルを入力
Track 02：
タイトルを入力
Track ０5：
タイトルを入力
Track 03：
タイトルを入力
Track 02 Work in progress.
Track 01 Work in progress.
Track 03 Work in progress.
TRACK 4 Work in progress.
TRACK 5 Work in progress.
Trajectory and Resonance. 軌跡と共鳴
Tracks and Resonance — A Tribute to the Discography of Sigeo Hirayama
Released into the jazz scene in Japan, Sigeo Hirayama’s drumming combines continental grooves with precise, sharp-edged upbeats. His journey as a drummer has been a relentless quest, constantly pushing boundaries and redefining the very essence of music.
Born in Osaka in 1954, his prodigious talent surfaced following his 1973 professional debut. His exceptional sense of rhythm quickly caught the eye of legendary bassist Isao Suzuki. Upon moving to Tokyo in 1978, Hirayama unleashed an astonishing burst of creativity, recording six masterpieces within just two years, catapulting himself to the forefront of the Japanese jazz scene. Among them, Isao Suzuki’s seminal album Mongolian Chant featured Hirayama alongside trombone virtuoso Shigeharu Mukai, delivering a spiritual session that resonated far beyond its time and cemented his reputation.
In the 1980s, his kinetic rhythms effortlessly transcended genre limitations. During this period, he was handpicked for the group of world-renowned trumpeter Terumasa Hino, anchoring their feverish performances with unmatched beats. He also shook stages across Japan as a member of Toshiyuki Honda’s "Burning Wave" during the Boomerang national tour and accompanied the legendary television program Konya wa Saiko. His drumming remained at the cutting edge through his involvement with Mari Nakamoto & Spanky and the formation of the legendary unit "WALKIN" with Toshiyuki Daitoku.
From 1988, he breathed soul into the works of Masaru Imada’s "NOW IN," including Aja and Dear Friends. During this era, he provided the backbone for jazz titans such as Kimiko Itoh, Benisuke Sakai, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Matsumoto, Tatsuya Takahashi, and Katsunori Fukai with his overwhelming drumming power.
His rhythms eventually transcended national borders. He participated in trios and big bands led by the prodigious pianist Tom Pierson, who was highly acclaimed by the maestro Gil Evans, and toured with Yasuko Agawa. In 2003, he became a core member of "Asian Spirits," a collective of Asia’s elite musicians, sparking a fire in the Asian music scene, followed by a performance at the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland the next year, solidifying his international standing.
In 2006, while supporting stars like Mieko Hirota on her acclaimed Jazz Collection and Ryoko Moriyama, he launched his own units, "SIX SENSE" and the Sigeo Hirayama Trio, delivering energetic, genre-defying performances that established his unique musical universe.
Following this remarkable career, a "fated encounter" awaited him, marking a definitive turning point in his musical life.
In 2010, at an event hosted by the "WINDS Of ASIA Project" in Nara, he first met Toshiyuki Kokubu, the pianist・Keyboardist for the legendary 70s soul band "SOOO BAAD REVUE” and current producer of SAMURAI LABEL Inc.. Their intense, impromptu session, held amidst the silence of nature, ignited a profound resonance between their deep-seated musical ambitions.
This spiritual resonance soon reached a critical turning point. On August 19, 2012, at the "OKITSUMO JAZZ FESTIVAL" in Mie Prefecture, he stood on the stage that would become the origin of "THE SUPER 3," a supreme contemporary jazz trio formed at the call of Toshiyuki Kokubu—a project destined to be shared with over 100 countries worldwide. He delivered a breathtaking performance as the festival’s final act.
That night was legendary; it not only enveloped the festival in unprecedented fervor but also established a world-class standard of "Aufheben" (sublation), defining a progressive direction and an overwhelming "groove."
This cutting-edge sound has already crossed borders, garnering solid international acclaim. Within just a month of its worldwide release, it stood shoulder-to-shoulder with legends etched into music history, such as Nat King Cole, and was nominated for multiple prestigious international official playlists. Currently, moves are underway to release the hidden "Okitsumo Jazz Festival" recording on CD, ensuring that the passion of that night will once again shake the world.
Today, Sigeo Hirayama serves as the unshakable backbone of Samurai Label, continuing to strike out the pure "life force of music" with his unwavering beat.
The discography listed here is not merely a record of the past. It is a crystallized history of a drummer who staked his body and soul to resonate with the world’s elite, arriving at the pinnacle of artistic expression known as "THE SUPER 3."