Takeshi Ito -- Godzilla

One of the defining characteristics for me when it comes to the fusion band The Square (now T-Square) has been the wind synthesizer played by Takeshi Ito（伊東たけし）, and that was because of "Takarajima"（宝島）.

The Fukuoka-born musician is also a virtuoso on the saxophone and he is on the alto version of it when he plays his "Godzilla", the first track on his first solo album "Dear Hearts" from 1984. I'm rather curious as to why he named this particular song after Japan's most famous giant lizard. Although by the end of the piece, "Godzilla" goes into a foot-stomping jam, the first half comes over more as something more fleet-footed and soaring as if it were more Mothra in both the larval and adult stages (yeah, I was really wanting to put that sentence down). Another observation is that it sounds as if there is alternating competition and cooperation between Ito's sax and Philippe Saisse's keyboards, just like one of those battle royales between Godzilla and Rodan on Monster Island.

Incidentally, that photo at the top was taken in West Shinjuku. One of the skyscrapers had the photo and name of the big guy emblazoned on it, so I just had to take a shot. Unfortunately, I've yet to get a picture of that huge Godzilla head in Kabukicho. Next trip, I suppose.