Vinyl Vault: Apsaras

Next time on the Vinyl Vault, we’ll feature a self-titled album by the Japanese band Apsaras. The album was released in 1984 on Columbia Records/Sony. It was the first and only album by this band.

Apsaras was one of those bands that was hard to classify. A world-beat influence was clearly present, especially because the six-piece band had two drummers. They also used some traditional Japanese percussion instruments as well as the Kora. Jazz fusion was another key influence, and even some new age atmospherics made an appearance.   

The term “Apsaras” refers to celestial supernatural female beings in Hindu and Buddhist mythologies. Stories of the Apsaras appear throughout Asian cultures, including Japan. Apsaras are typically described as being youthful, beautiful, and elegant. They can change shapes and have the ability to make people fall in love with them. All of these qualities are what the band Apsaras was aiming for with their eponymous album.

Check out Apsaras on the next Vinyl Vault with Geoff Anderson, this Tuesday, December 9, at 8:30 p.m. on KUVO JAZZ.