Year : 1968
Label : Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Rhythm & Blues
Although the title suggests 'blues' album, it's mostly a Soul-Jazz record featuring saxophonist Hidehiko Matsumoto supported by Ushio Sakai (org), Akio Mitsui (tp), Ikuo Shiosaki (g), Kimio Koizumi (b) and Masatsuka Nagashiba (ds). Hidehiko 'Sleepy' Matsumoto was one of the most greatest jazzmen from Japan, an iconic legend who was the first japanese musician invited to the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1963. He was an original member of the legendary japanese jazz quartet "The Big Four" formed by drummer George Kawaguchi, recording in particular "George And Sleepy" in 1969 and "The Big 4" in 1976. At the end of the seventies, he played within the "Inner Galaxy Orchestra" of japanese conductor, Bingo Miki. Titles include in particular jazz standard "St. Louis Blues", the Dixieland "Basin Street Blues", "The Touch" extracted from original soundtrack of 1954 French film "Touchez Pas Au Grisbi", and several original compositions by Matsumoto.
