via Tommy Snyder’s Facebook, he works at the R&D dep. electronic drum and percussion products:
‘Ikutaro Kakehashi, founder of Roland, father of the TR-909,TR-808,Godfather of MIDI, and someone who I have collaborated with for 38 years, and also considered him as my 2nd father, passed away at the age of 87. He was a super funny, wonderful and gifted human being, and his contributions to the musical instrument world , and music, touched millions of people worldwide. RIP dear Taro’
We wish the family a lot of strength with their loss.