Jun Fukamachi

Jun Fukamachi, born on May 21, 1946 in Japan, was a jazz fusion composer, arranger, and keyboardist. He began playing the piano at the age of three and later attended Izumi High School. After dropping out of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music just before graduating, Fukamachi signed with Polydor Records in 1971, releasing his debut album A Portrait of a Young Man. Throughout the 1970s, he released several albums, including Hello (1972) and Introducing Jun Fukamachi (1975). He collaborated with notable artists such as The Brecker Brothers and Steve Gadd. In 1980, he released the album Quark, which highlighted his innovative use of synthesizers, particularly the Yamaha CS-01 breath controller technique. Fukamachi was appointed Professor at Scooter Gakuen University Music School in 1989 and founded Japan's first synthesizer major. He passed away on November 22, 2010 due to a pericardial hematoma caused by aortic dissection.