Dr. J.B. Smith is a reknown percussionist who produced and performed on Apparitions for Percussion, an album featuring Akira Ifukube's Lauda Concertata for Marimba and Orchestra. Dr. Smith performs the marimba solo on that recording. Reiko Yamada is a Japanese-born pianist who studied under Akira Ifukube in the 1980s and has performed his music in concert many times.