Kiyoshi Sugimoto

A really lovely album from pianist Masaru Imada – a set that has some elements of the great Japanese fusion scene of the time, but a record that also has some warmer more acoustic moments too! Imada does a great job of balancing between upbeat groovers and some more personal, lyrical songs – and although he plays a bit of keyboards, most of his work is on acoustic piano – in a lineup of players that also includes Grovewr Washington Jr on soprano sax, Steve Khan or Kazumi Watanabe on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor, and Steve Jordan on drums. There's some great interplay between the American and Japanese players – and titles include a version of Azymuth's "Carnival", plus "Morning Dream", "Blue Marine", "Secret Sounds", "Jumpin Dolphin", and "Andalusian Breeze".

A really lovely album from pianist Masaru Imada – a set that has some elements of the great Japanese fusion scene of the time, but a record that also has some warmer more acoustic moments too! Imada does a great job of balancing between upbeat groovers and some more personal, lyrical songs – and although he plays a bit of keyboards, most of his work is on acoustic piano – in a lineup of players that also includes Grovewr Washington Jr on soprano sax, Steve Khan or Kazumi Watanabe on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor, and Steve Jordan on drums. There's some great interplay between the American and Japanese players – and titles include a version of Azymuth's "Carnival", plus "Morning Dream", "Blue Marine", "Secret Sounds", "Jumpin Dolphin", and "Andalusian Breeze".

Yoshiaki Masuo And His Group - Winds Of Barcelona (1969) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series SICP 4291}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (image)+CUE+LOG -> 243 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 88 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 30 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1969, 2014 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP 4291
Jazz / Post Bop / Guitar

Reissue with the latest DSD remastering. Comes with liner notes. Guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo was only 22 years old when he recorded Winds of Barcelona, his first leader album, in 1969. He had been discovered by the Japanese jazz giant Sadao Watanabe, and had been a member of Watanabe's group for over a year. Masuo, and the fresh, new kind of jazz – sometimes referred to as "pop jazz" – was immensely popular at the time.

Jazz-funk/fusion album by Japanese drummer, Akira Ishikawa. Featuring percussion-heavy versions of ‘Let's Start’, ‘Bongo Rock’ and ‘Pick Up The Pieces’. 'Back To Rhythm’ was the final recording in Ishikawa’s African-influenced period. He cut this record with his band ‘Count Buffalos’, featuring Kiyoshi Sugimoto, Takeru Muraoka, Larry Sunaga and arranger Hiromasa Suzuki. Includes excellent cover versions of The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, BT Express, Stevie Wonder, Average White Band, Incredible Bongo Band and Fela Kuti.

A really lovely album from pianist Masaru Imada – a set that has some elements of the great Japanese fusion scene of the time, but a record that also has some warmer more acoustic moments too! Imada does a great job of balancing between upbeat groovers and some more personal, lyrical songs – and although he plays a bit of keyboards, most of his work is on acoustic piano – in a lineup of players that also includes Grovewr Washington Jr on soprano sax, Steve Khan or Kazumi Watanabe on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor, and Steve Jordan on drums. There's some great interplay between the American and Japanese players – and titles include a version of Azymuth's "Carnival", plus "Morning Dream", "Blue Marine", "Secret Sounds", "Jumpin Dolphin", and "Andalusian Breeze".

Terumasa Hino - Live In Concert (1975) {DSD Japan East Wind Masters Collection 1000 UCCJ-9146 rel 2015}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 326 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 109 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 150 Mb | 5% repair rar | DSD Mastering
© 1975, 2015 East Wind Music / Universal Japan | UCCJ-9146
Jazz / Fusion / Post Bop / Trumpet

Reissue with DSD remastering. A real lost treasure from trumpeter Terumasa Hino – a warm and wonderful live set, and one that's neither too free, nor too smooth – just perfectly set up right down the middle to open up on these beautiful long performances! The lineup is all Japanese – a great array of players that includes Shigeharu Mukai on trombone, Hideo Miyata on tenor, Sadao Watanabe on alto sax, Motohiko Hino on drums, and Fumio Itabashi on Fender Rhodes – part of a slightly larger ensemble who can be tight at times, but still allow plenty of room for open freedom on the solos. Hino's only part of the picture, as the other soloists get in some great space too – and the set includes the 23 minute groover "Logical Mystery", the long soulful original "In The Darkness", and a sweet mellow take on "Round Midnight".

Masaru Imada is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer. He had classical piano lessons. He played jazz in student bands while a student at Meiji University, after which he worked in business for a year. He then decided to pursue music professionally. From 1953 he was part of clarinetist Eiji Kitamura's band.

Terumasa Hino - Love Nature (1971) {2018 Octave Lab OTLCD2386}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44.1kHz - Digital Download -> 300 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 112 Mb | Cover | 5% repair rar
© 1971, 2018 Deep Jazz Reality / Octave Lab | OTLCD2386
Jazz / Post Bop / Progressive Jazz / Trumpet

An amazing moment from Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino – an early 70s session recorded in America – with fantastic work from Gary Bartz on alto and Reggie Workman on bass! The album's not like Hino's later American dates – which were often more fusion based – as the style here is sublimely spiritual, with long tracks stretching out in just the same energy as some of the first few albums by Bartz! Also like Bartz, the tunes really stretch out, but never go too far outside – less avant than searingly expressive, with fantastic work from both horn players throughout. The group also features a guitarist, who colors the sound nicely.