Marty Bracey
Mystic Heart
Agharta (Japan) 1980
C25A0097 (LP) Promotional copy. w/obi, insert.
sleeve : EX+(slightly wear on corner)
media : EX+/EX+(some slightly noise)
Released in 1980, this was the only album by Marty Bracey, a drummer born in Cleveland, Ohio, who became active as a session musician in Japan from the 1970s onward, appearing on numerous recordings including Izumi Kobayashi’s Sea Flight and Junko Ohashi’s Full House. The album was co-produced with Yasuaki Shimizu, who also contributed compositions and arrangements. In addition to Bracey and Shimizu, the lineup includes members of Mariah such as Morio Watanabe on bass and Takayuki Hijikata on guitar. Much of the album consists of technically sophisticated fusion reflecting Shimizu’s musical direction during this period, but the real highlight is the closing title track B4. Bracey’s fiercely aggressive drum solo is layered with voice, creating a track with an astonishingly powerful groove. That piece alone makes the album worth hearing, while B3 is also highly recommended—a superb jazz-funk number driven by a funky rhythm section and highlighted by Shimizu’s saxophone.
B3: Our Love is Getting Better
B4: Mystic Heart