The iconic racing game Gran Turismo introduced much to the world. The series’s huge popularity made heroes of many cars, from the unsuspecting Suzuki Cappuccino to the mighty Nissan Skyline GT-R. And GT’s now-iconic menu music, composed by Isamu Ohira, also exposed many to a unique version of jazz fusion.
Fusion, a blend of jazz, rock, and funk, was pioneered in the 1970s by groups like the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters, and Weather Report. Plus solo artists like Miles Davis, Jeff Beck, Jaco Pastorius, George Duke, and so many others helped fine-tune the sound. Fusion spilled over into rock and pop, perhaps most notably with Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell, whose adventurous rhythms and harmonies far exceeded their peers musically.
Jazz fusion became a global phenomenon and Japan was no exception. The country produced its own fusion artists, most notably groups like T Square and Casiopea. Growing up in the 1970s, Ohira learned Japanese folk music on guitar, until he discovered fusion.
"In high school, I played Casiopea with my friends," he told Motor1. "Then I discovered Larry Carlton's guitar playing, which had a huge influence on me."
Carlton, a first-call Los Angeles studio musician, struck a perfect blend of jazz and rock. His searing solo on Steely Dan’s "Kid Charlemagne" epitomizes this, mixing jazz sophistication with rock attitude.
"In 1988, I realized that I needed jazz knowledge and training and decided to attend the Berklee College of Music," Ohira says. "That was the beginning of my musical life and career."
At Berklee, Ohira studied guitar and composition. He wrote arrangements for small jazz groups and big bands alike. A perfect education for the gig he’s now known for.
Ohira went to high school with Yuichi Matsumo, one of the original car modelers for the Gran Turismo series. He recommended Ohira to Kazunori Yamauchi, the creator and boss of the series, who tapped the composer to create menu music for this new racing game.
"When we discussed music for vehicle-based games, we realized there wasn't a jazzy style before GT, so we tried to incorporate a jazzy concept vibe into the new game," Ohira recalls. His music was featured in the Japanese version of Gran Turismo alongside compositions from T-Square guitarist Masahiro Andoh.
"When we discussed music for vehicle-based games, we realized there wasn't a jazzy style before GT, so we tried to incorporate a jazzy concept vibe into the new game."
Despite North American, European, and Japanese releases of the game having unique in-race music that attempted to reflect the tastes of local audiences, Gran Turismo 2 through Gran Turismo 4 featured Ohira’s menu music. So, you might’ve been rocking out to the remix of Lenny Kravitz’s “Are You Gonna Go My Way” in GT3 while running the MR Challenge in a tuned NSX, Ohira’s menu music was worming its way into your brain while browsing the in-game car dealerships.
The technical limitations of the PlayStation 1 and 2 meant that the music for Gran Turismos 1-4 was rendered with software instruments. However, the series did produce soundtrack albums that featured live instrumentation, including Ohira’s own guitar playing.
Ohira’s music was an integral part of the feel of these games, and I think it’s worth remembering their popularity. Let’s look at the games where Ohira’s music featured across the globe: GT2 sold over 9 million copies, GT3 moved over 14 million, and GT4 shifted nearly 12 million. Three of the most popular jazz fusion albums of all time, Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters, and Weather Report’s Heavy Weather are certified platinum, with a million sales each.
It’s hardly a scientific comparison, but you can argue Ohira is one of the most-heard jazz fusion artists of all time, despite being one of the least well-known. For tons of GT players, his music might be the only jazz fusion they’ve ever heard. A friend who I’m convinced only listens to rock music and Taylor Swift was incredibly excited when he heard I was talking with Ohira. I don’t think he owns a single jazz album, at least not on purpose.
It’s hardly a scientific comparison, but you can argue Ohira is one of the most-heard jazz fusion artists of all time, despite being one of the least well-known.
Ohira, however, keeps a low profile. Gran Turismo 5 was the first title in the series not to feature any new or reworked music from Ohira. He has done some video-game music since, though, for a Japan-only mobile title called Break My Case. The music from that, like the song Be-Bop Aporia sounds like an evolution of his Gran Turismo music, bustling with a busy, funky bass line, prominent horns, sophisticated jazz harmony, and a guitar solo that sounds like Denny Diaz’s on Steely Dan’s “Aja.”
The GT series inspires a lot of nostalgia—have you looked at R34 Skyline GT-R prices recently?—and that extends to Ohira’s music.
Jazz Fusion is having another moment as well. We’re in the middle of a Steely Dan renaissance; Joni Mitchell is on a stunning comeback. While the 1980s resurgence of acoustic jazz made fusion uncool, modern artists like Thundercat are reviving the genre, while old-school groups like Casiopea and T-Square are finding new Western audiences via video and streaming platforms. “Light Velocity,” the car-dealership music from Gran Turismo 3 has over 1.5 million plays on YouTube.
"That’s just a huge surprise for me," he says. "I didn’t hear so much about my music from GT initially… I was surprised to see a lot of my tunes uploaded with my name on YouTube."
