| Tusk of Jaguar | |
| Type: | Studio Album |
| Artist: | Akira Takasaki |
| Cover: | Akira Takasaki Tusk Of Jaguar.jpg |
| Studio: | Nippon Columbia Studio, Studio Birdman, Tokyo, Japan |
| Genre: | Progressive rock, hard rock, heavy metal |
| Label: | Columbia |
| Producer: | Daiko Nagato, Masanori Sasaji, Akira Takasaki |
| Next Title: | Ki |
| Next Year: | 1994 |
Tusk of Jaguar is the debut solo studio album by Japanese guitarist Akira Takasaki, renowned for his contributions to the rock bands Loudness and Lazy. Initially released in 1982 exclusively in Japan, it was reissued in 2005.[1] The album represents a collaborative effort between Takasaki and keyboard player Masanori Sasaji, who composed three tracks and played a crucial role in arranging and co-producing the recording. A large contribution was given to the album by Takasaki's bandmates in Loudness, who play on most tracks and collaborated on the musical arrangements. However, the music of Tusk of Jaguar is much more varied than in any Loudness' album, with its music ranging from hard rock to progressive rock to jazz fusion, reminiscing of some Dixie Dregs' and Al Di Meola's works. The precise and fast guitar playing by Takasaki is anyway always present in every track, and he even takes the lead vocal spot in the song "Ebony Eyes".