Mute Beat is a legendary and essential part of the underground Japanese reggae subculture, founded as a rock group in 1981 in Tokyo, Japan. The group is famously maintained by frontman, producer and trumpeter Kazufumi Kodama, who is largely credited as a primary contributor to the spread of reggae music to Japan. The band is famous for its contributions to the Japanese sound of reggae and dub music, having worked with the likes of Gladstone Anderson, Roland Alphonso, King Tubby, Lee "Scratch" Perry and others. The band is also known for having influenced Shinji Sato massively, and their sound played a massive role in the early career of Sato's band Fishmans. Kodama would go on to produce Fishmans' debut album, Chappie, Don't Cry.
Mute Beat consists of the following members:
- Kazufumi Kodama (trumpet)
- Akihito Masui (trombone)
- Hiroyuki Asamoto (keyboards)
- Gota Yashiki (keyboards, 1981-1987)
- Takayoshi Matsunaga (bass)
- Hideyuki Imai (drums, 1987-present)
- Izumi "Dub Master X" Miyazaki (producer)
- Koya Naito (guitar)
- Mitsuwa Sakamoto (keyboards, 1981-1986)
- Hirofumi Asamoto, aka Dr. Echo-Logic (keyboards, 1986-1989)
- Emerson Kitamura (keyboards, 1989-present)
The group is responsible for six studio albums, two compilation works and a multitude of singles, and hasn't released new material since the 90s. Despite never having formally broken up, Mute Beat has ceased all activity, their final performance being in 2008 as a reunion to celebrate Shizuo Ishii's "Riddim" magazine's 25th anniversary.
Mute Beat was founded by Kazufumi Kodama, who was inspired after having discovered reggae music and marching band tunes in the 70s. 1981 saw the formation of the group, with Kodama aiming to explore avenues by which reggae and dub hadn't explored before, that being the molding of dub and marching band techniques to form a sound unique to other reggae artists of the time. As a result, Mute Beat's music is retroactively considered a precursor to trip hop and acid jazz, despite the genres having been properly developed only after Mute Beat's debut. Regarding Mute Beat's sound, Kodama told Red Bull Music Academy that "I was influenced by music and culture from so many different parts of the world, but the music of Mute Beat is something that didn’t exist anywhere except inside my mind, where there was a melody. For me, jazz is not a musical genre, it’s more like freedom. And then I progress to a much freer music format: dub."
Despite the band members having synthesized a revolutionary reggae sound in their beginning, they had a falling out in the late 80s, with half of the band's population leaving the band and having to be replaced. Their groundbreaking sound often conflicted within the band, who all had different ideas for where the group might go next.
A more detailed, extensive report on the band's history is available at Red Bull Music Academy here: https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2014/10/mute-beat-feature
Albums[]
- Tra Special Mute Beat (1985, Tra Project) - this release is also known by "Japanese Dub", "No. 0 Virgin Dub" and "In Dub", all different reissues.
- Still Echo (1987, Overheat Records)
- Flower (1987, Overheat Records)
- Lover's Rock (1988, Overheat Records)
- March (1989, Overheat Records)
- Dub Wise (1989, Overheat Records)
Live Albums[]
- Live (1989, Pony Canyon)
- Document 1989: Live at Inkstick Shibaura Factory (1996, Off Note)
- Tribute to Roland Alphonso (1999, Overheat Records) - Collaboration with Roland Alphonso
- Gladdy Meets Mute Beat - 1987 February. 14 (2014, Overheat Records) - Collaboration with Gladstone Anderson
Singles[]
- Butterfly / Still Echo (1983, Pithecan Records)
- Mute Beat (1986, Overheat Records)
- Something Special (1987, Overheat Records) - Collaboration with Gladstone Anderson
- Organ's Melody (1987, Overheat Records)
- ハット・ダンス (1987, Overheat Records)
- Sunny Side Walk (1988, Overheat Records)
- Down Train (1988, Overheat Records)
- Something Special / Thread Mill of Life (2019, Overheat Records)
Compilation Albums[]
- 14 Echoes +1. 20th Anniversary Edition (2003, Pony Canyon)
- Best Of Mute Beat : Member's Best Selection (2011, Overheat Records)