MIKI CURTIS & SAMURAI - Green Tea

Tetsu Yamauchi started his musical career in Japan, and became internationally recognized when he replaced Andy Fraser in Free. He recorded the solid Kossoff / Kirke / Tetsu / Rabbit side-project before doing Free's final album, the aptly-named Heartbreaker.

When Ronnie Lane left the Faces in 1973, Free had just split for the last time. The first person considered as a replacement for Lane was Andy Fraser. When the boys approached Simon Kirke, Free's drummer, about contacting Fraser with the offer, Simon recommended Tetsu, instead.
After the Faces ground to a halt, Yamauchi returned to Japan. He is, to this day, a fixture in the Japanese music scene, actively touring and recording.
Tetsu was born October 21, 1946, in Fukuoka, Japan. By the mid Sixties, Tetsu was in the Japanese folk-rock band, the Mikes. In late 1967 or early 1968, he joined a band that was touring Europe called Samurai. They moved to London for a time, recording the single "Good Morning Starshine" b/w "Temple of Gold" (UA UP2342), and a single released in Italy, "Shu Shu" b/w "Fresh Hot Breeze of Summer". They released an album on the German label, Metronome, and possibly an album in 1969 (Phillips FX-8511). They also recorded the following album:

GREEN TEA (Phillips FX-8517) 1970

MIKI CURTIS vocals, flute
JOE DUNNET guitar
HIRO IZUMI guitar, koto
JOHN REDFERN organ
TETSU YAMAUCHI bass
MIKE WALKER vcls, piano
GRAHAM SMITH harmonica
YUJI HARADA drums

As an aside, it appears as though it's the same Graham Smith that has worked with Teresa Brewer, Cat Stevens, Al Stewart, Magna Carta, and Alan Price, among others.

By 1970, Samarai returned to Japan. The band was led by it's vocalist, Miki Curtis. Tetsu also got a lot of session work through Miki, who was a successful producer. This included work with jazz vocalist Helen Merrill's son, Alan.
In 1972, Tetsu released the first of two solo albums. Information so far is sketchy (particularly on the second album), but here's what I've found:
Tetsu Yamauchi Tetsu (Columbia Japan, 1972)

A review, found on the net:
"Good folk-rock, not a lot of organ, sometimes acoustic instruments only. The feeling of the music derives from the beat-era. Sounds like a mix of Donovan and Procol Harum. Sung in English."

1973 Free Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu & Rabbit Bass
1973 Hamill, Claire One House Left Standing Bass
1973 Rabbit Broken Arrows Bass
1973 Free Heartbreaker Bass, Percussion
1974 Rabbit Dark Saloon Bass
1974 Vigrass & Osborne Steppin' Out Bass
1975 Faces Coast to Coast/Overture and Beginners Bass
1977 Kossoff, Paul Koss Bass
1992 Stewart, Rod Mercury Anthology Bass
1993 Free Molten Gold: The Anthology Bass, Percussion
1997 Kossoff, Paul Blue Blue Soul Bass
1999 Faces Best of Faces: Good Boys When They're Asleep

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Miki
• curtis
• samurai
• green
• tea
• Tetsu
• Yamauchi
• Japan
• folk
• rock

[rebeccaredfern]

My dad is the synth player

[Seifer267]

Sweet. Its really hard to find Stuff by these guys. Well done.

[rebeccaredfern]

my dad was John Redfern.

[luke200202]

@rebeccaredfern cool whos your dad

[pembridgegardens]

I know all too well about Tetsu doing the lp - Kossoff,Kirke,Tetsu and Rabbit !! He also played on Johnny Nash's lp- I Can See Clearly Now!

[suzywinwood]

Thank you for Great ONE....The 侍- Samurai IS Sooo fantastic..So special too me!!

[PILOTANANDIA]

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