▁( born ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁N ish in omi ya ) ▁is ▁a ▁Japanese ▁jazz ▁drum mer ▁and ▁session ▁music ian . ▁ ▁Mur ak ami ▁first ▁learned ▁to ▁play ▁French ▁horn , ▁but ▁switched ▁to ▁classical ▁per cussion ▁as ▁a ▁te en ager ▁before ▁sett ling ▁on ▁the ▁drum ▁k it . ▁He ▁worked ▁extens ively ▁as ▁a ▁side man ▁on ▁jazz ▁sessions ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁with , ▁among ▁others , ▁S ada o ▁Wat an abe , ▁Y os u ke ▁Yam ash ita , ▁Kaz umi ▁Wat an abe , ▁A ki ra ▁Sak ata , ▁and ▁Tak ashi ▁K ako . ▁He ▁founded ▁the ▁group ▁Pont a ▁Box ▁( fe aturing ▁side men ▁Mas ah iro ▁Say ama ▁and ▁Mas atos hi ▁M iz uno ) ▁which ▁recorded ▁three ▁albums ▁for ▁J VC ▁Victor ▁and ▁appeared ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁Mont re ux ▁Jazz ▁Festival , ▁and ▁has ▁recorded ▁several ▁albums ▁under ▁his ▁own ▁name . ▁He ▁also ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁session ▁music ian ▁for ▁J - pop ▁stars ▁for ▁several ▁dec ades . ▁ ▁Disc ography ▁As ▁leader ▁Int rodu cing ▁Pont a ▁Mur ak ami ▁( T os hib a , ▁ 1 9 7 6 ) ▁Tokyo ▁F usion ▁Night ▁( Pol yd or , ▁ 1 9 7 8 ) ▁Welcome ▁To ▁My ▁Life ▁( J VC , ▁ 1 9 9