Clare Fischer & the Yamaha Quartet

The Yamaha Quartet was an American jazz ensemble established by renowned composer, band leader, and keyboardist Clare Fischer (1928—2012) in the early 1970s to promote and endorse the iconic Yamaha EX-42 electronic organ. The quartet featured a few of Fischer's long-time collaborators and members of his numerous bands. Before the Quartet's album, Clare Fischer used EX-42 on the 1972 Nancy & Lee Again LP by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. Yamaha Corporation heavily invested in promoting the EX-42 electronic organ, employing Koichi Oki to produce a few albums, including Yamaha Superstar! (1971) and EX-42 V.S. ARP Synthesizer (72) with Shiro Michi, a sort of a "battle" between two synthesizer giants. Among "Western" musicians who recorded albums exclusively or predominantly on EX-42 are Australian Eric Smith In Concert On The Yamaha EX-42 (1971) and Claude Dupras from Canada, who released The Compleat Organ in 1975. The Yamaha Quartet Clare Fischer — Yamaha EX-42 electronic organ Gary Foster — alto & soprano saxophones Andrew Simpkins — bass Larry Bunker — drums