1980

The last album under the Soul Media name was Memory Lane, recorded in 1980. Inagaki stated at the time, « We tried to make this work as an anticipation of the future of fusion music.” Rather than being an extension of the jazz-rock sound he had explored in the 1970s, it was more of a new step forward at the turn of a new decade. Inagaki and collaborator Norio Maeda sought an unusual degree of perfection in terms of the songs, arrangements, and performances, with a view to going beyond the standard expected and taking the sound to a new level. Inagaki later commented on Maeda’s achievement with this album, saying, “This was executed meticulously.” It is an inspiring and fresh-sounding work that is still as vivid and exciting when listening to it today as it was when it was released!