Finger Dancin'

Finger Dancin'
Studio album by Masayoshi Takanaka
Released	September 1, 1980
Recorded	1980
Studio	Kitty Izu Studio, Izu Polydor Studio, Tokyo KRS Studio
Genre	Jazz fusion funk pop
Length	21:22
Label	Kitty
Producer	Masayoshi Takanaka
Masayoshi Takanaka chronology
T-Wave (1980) Finger Dancin' (1980) The Rainbow Goblins (1981)

Finger Dancin' is the eighth studio album by Japanese musician, producer, and composer Masayoshi Takanaka, released by Kitty Records on September 1, 1980. Often categorized as a mini-album, it features only four original tracks, making it one of the shortest standalone releases in Takanaka's discography.

Despite its brevity, Finger Dancin' offers a mix of jazz fusion infused with elements of city pop, smooth jazz, funk, and rock, highlighting Takanaka's signature melodic guitar work, colorful production, and rhythmic variety. The title track "Finger Dancin'" features intricate guitar lines and an upbeat feel that epitomizes the vibrant sound of Takanaka's early 1980s output.

Background

The album was initially issued on 12-inch 45rpm vinyl and cassette, with the cassette edition including bonus tracks sourced from previous albums. ^[1] Finger Dancin' carries a space-themed concept, reflected in both the song titles and the album's visual design.

It was likely recorded during the T-Wave sessions or shortly afterward, which places the recording period around mid-1980 in Kitty Izu Studio (Shizuoka) and KRS Studio in Tokyo. ^[2]

Production details are hard to come by, which has made Finger Dancin' something of a cult favorite among fans of Takanaka’s more obscure work. ^[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Masayoshi Takanaka.

Finger Dancin' track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Space Wagon"	8:25
2.	"Plastic Tears"	3:32
3.	"Finger Dancin'"	3:45
4.	"Heart Ache"	5:38
Total length:		21:22

Personnel

Credits and personnel adapted from liner notes ^[4]

*Masayoshi Takanaka — producer, music, arrangements, guitar Yuki Sugawara — percussion Susumu Ohno — engineer Teruaki Igarashi — engineer Tadao Tomita — cutting engineer Hidenori Taga — executive producer Mimi — music Satoshi Nakamura — horn arrangements, horn, tenor saxophone Shigeru Inoue — drums, percussion Yukari Uehara — drums Masahiro Miyazaki — drums Akihiro Tanaka — bass Getao Takahashi — bass Kiyosumi Ishikawa — keyboard, Hammond Izumi "Mimi" Kobayashi — keyboard Emiko Arai — chorus Kazumi Takeda — horn Toshio Araki — horn Shigeharu Mukai — horn Genji Sawai — horn Shunzo Sunahara — horn Kato Group — strings Choux Suzuki — lyrics

*Arranged by [Horns] — Satoshi Nakamura (tracks: A1, B1) Bass — Akihiro Tanaka Conductor — Naochika Yamamoto Cover — K. Chigi Creative Director, A&R — Choux Suzuki Drums — Masahiro Miyazaki Engineer — Susumu Ohno Assistant Engineer — Izumi Marumo Executive Producer — Hidenori Taga Guitar, Producer, Composed by, Arranged by — Masayoshi Takanaka Horns — Genji Sawai, Hitoshi Okano, Kenji Nakazawa, Satoshi Nakamura, Shunzo Sunahara Image Editor — Moonie Ishiyama Keyboards, Chorus — Izumi Kobayashi Latin Percussion — Yuki Sugawara Photography — George Ide, Nov Kondow Strings — Kato Group, Ohno Group

Release history

Release history for Finger Dancin'

Region	Date	Formats	Label	Ref.
Japan	Jun 1, 1980	Vinyl cassette	Kitty Records
	Mar 1, 2006	CD	Kitty Records/USM Japan	[5]
	Jun 26, 2013	CD (remaster)	USM Japan	[6]

References

1. Masayoshi Takanaka - Finger Dancin', 1980, retrieved June 28, 2025
2. "Seki EP Review: Masayoshi Takanaka - Finger Dancin'". melodicroadblock.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
3. "高中正義 [Masayoshi Takanaka] - FINGER DANCIN'". Album of The Year. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
4. Masayoshi Takanaka - Finger Dancin', September 1, 1980, retrieved June 28, 2025
5. https://www.universal-music.co.jp/takanaka-masayoshi/products/upcy-9055/
6. https://www.universal-music.co.jp/takanaka-masayoshi/products/upcy-6717/

External links

• Finger Dancin' at Discogs (list of releases)