Monday, December 31, 2012

Mr Drum & The Sound Machine - Mr Drum Lowdown


Year : 1971
Label : Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Pop

Under the pseudonym of "Mr. Drum & The Sound Machine", hides the famous japanese drummer Takeshi Inomata and his Sound Limited featuring Norio Maeda, Kimio Mizutani & Shunzo Ohno. "Mr Drum Lowdown" is a progressive jazz rock album including covers following the previous Inomata's works recorded during the early seventies. Titles includes several timeless classics of Pop & Soul Music among "Brown Sugar" (The Rolling Stones), "It's Don't Come Easy" (Ringo Starr), "Rainy Days & Mondays" (The Carpenters), "Never Can Say Goodbye" (The Jackson 5), "Want Ads" (Honey Cone). All tracks arranged by Norio Maeda.

MUSICIANS : Takeshi Inomata - drums - Norio Maeda - organ, piano - Yasuo Arakawa Jun Suzuki - bass - Sadanori Nakamure Kimio Mizutani - guitar - Jake H Concepcion - alto saxophone - Shunzo Ohno Tetsuo Fushimi - trumpet - Osamu Nakajima - percussion


Big Jullien And His All Star - Riviera Sound No.1


Year :
1970  
Label : Riviera
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Funk/Soul, Big Band

"Riviera Sound No.1" is a soul jazz album recorded at the Studios Barclay, Paris, including incredible funk/soul breaks & brass sounds with Michel Colombier compositions ("The Big Team/Opening45 RPM or "I Remember Otis"), Ivan Jullien (An Oscar For Eddy) and Charlie Mingus (Time Square). Ivan Jullien is a French trumpeter, bandleader and arranger, who composed and arranged over one hundred songs for various french singers among Henri Salvador, Charles Aznavour, Sacha Distel, or Françoise Hardy. He collaborated also with the greatest jazz musicians such as Michel Legrand, Francis Lai (arrangements on "A Man  And A Woman"), Quincy Jones, Count Basie Orchestra or Dee Dee Bridgewater. During the sixties and the seventies, he was the leader of the Paris Jazz All-Stars big band featuring the organist Eddy Louiss, drummer Jean Arpino, pianists Maurice Vander & Michel Colombier, all credited as musicians on "Riviera Sound No.1".

Stefano Torossi - Feelings

Year : 1974 
Label : Carosello
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Jazz Funk, Soundtrack

This most-wanted and iconic italian library record was reissued by various labels such as Conroy (1976), Easy Tempo (2000) or more recently by portuguese label Golden Pavilion records (2012). Stefano Torossi is a composer, arranger, conductor in charge of various italian soundtracks and background music for TV Shows. Due to legal restrictions, he signed "Feelings" under the Jay Richford & Gary Stevan names (Puccio Roelens & Giancarlo Gazzani) and was associated to Sandro Brugnolini to the composition (uncredited). Titles include deep funk grooves (Having Fun) and Smooth Jazz (Loving Tenderly) played in a cinematic mood, reminiscent of spy/cop movies (Running Fast, Fearing Much, Flying High) or best Blaxploitation themes. All tracks composed, arranged and directed by Stefano Torossi, Sandro Brugnolini, Giancarlo Gazzani & Puccio Roelens.

Dagha - The Divorce


Year : 2008
Label : Lewis Recordings
Genre : Hip-Hop
Style : Jazzy Hip-Hop, Abstract

Second album by former member of Boston MCs crew Electric Company including jazzy cuts & Funk/Soul breaks featuring DJ Real on turntables. Produced by Mike Lewis, owner of Lewis Recordings, "The Divorce" bears the signature of the Martiangang duo formed by japanese beatmaker Shin-Ski and DJ Real who produce six tracks including "Cliché" by Shin-Ski. Others titles consists of "Devil's Work" produced by his longtime fellow, Insight from Electric Company, "Whatever It May Be" & "What I'mma Do?feat. the MC Cloke, "Ashy Knees Outro" produced by L In Japanese. All scratches by DJ Real.

Terumasa Hino Quintet - Hi-Nology


Year : 1969
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Takt Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Post Bop, Fusion

The japanese jazz masterpiece recorded by the legendary Terumasa Hino Quintet featuring saxophonist Takeru Muraoka, bassist Kunimitsu Inaba, pianist Hiromasa Suzuki & drummer Motohiko Hino. "Hi-Nology" is an essential japanese jazz album released on the Takt Jazz Series, recorded under live conditions at the famous Yamaha Hall, Tokyo, with the full expressions of Terumasa Hino at the top of his game. "Hi-Nology" was inspired by "Miles In The Sky" album which contributed to the electrification in Jazz, and therefore, opening the fusion era. The album opens on the tribute to Miles Davis, "Like Miles", passing by Muraoka's tune "Electric Zoo" including free forms of jazz, the heavy funk "Hi-Nology" and the jazz avant-garde "Dupe".


Count Buffalo & His Rock Band - Exciting Drums ~ African Rock Party



Year : 1969
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Exciting Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Latin Rock

Debut album introducing the Count Buffalo's name, behind which hide Akira Ishikawa & his rock band featuring pianist/arranger Hiromasa Suzuki, Kiyoshi Sugimoto (eg), Takeru Muraoka (ts) and Masaoki Terakawa (eb). "African Rock Party" opens the african period of the legendary jazz drummer, including twelve jazz rock tracks to the african & latin beats with psychedelic grooves & funky horns, all arranged by Kozaburo Yamaki & Hiroshi Takami from the Toshiyuki Miyama's New Herd. Titles include only covers & jazz standards (The SidewinderThe Cat) from Soul to Rock among The Supremes (You Keep Me Hangin' On),The Doors (Touch Me) or Booker T. & The MG's (Soul Limbo).

Junior Mance - With A Lotta Help From My Friends


Year : 1970
Label : Atlantic
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Jazz Funk

Awesome Jazz funk album with catchy breakbeats, funky accoustic piano & raging drumming recorded by pianist Junior Mance featuring an insane combo including drummer Billy Cobham from Mahavishnu Orchestra, guitarist Eric Gale and bassist Chuck Rainey. Junior Mance was a session musician in demand, playing for numerous jazz formations among Lester Young Sextet, Cannonball Adderley Quintet or Dizzy Gillespie Quintet and sideman for Gene Amons, Dinah Washington or Johnny Griffin. Titles includes nice covers of Sly & The family Stone (Thank You Falletin Me Be Mice Elf Agin), Blood, Sweat And Tears (Spinning Wheel) and in particular the killer tune "Don't Cha Hear Me Callin' To Ya" selected on "Right On! - Break Beats And Grooves From The Atlantic & Warner Vaults" released in 1999.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Nobuo Hara & His Sharps & Flats + 1 - Electronics


Year : 1970
Label : Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Funk/Soul, Jazz Rock

Crossover Jazz album by the Sharps & Flats big band lead by saxophonist Nobuo Hara featuring Hiroshi Suzuki (tb), Koji Suzuki (as) Toshihiko Ogawa (p), Hiroshi Takeuchi (eb), Kazuhiro Ebisawa (ds), Takao Naoi (eg) among others, and special guest, Takehiro Honda on Fender Rhodes and Hammond B3 organ. As the title suggest, Nobuo Hara introduces for the first time electronic elements in "Sharps & Flats" in particular electric bass & piano. It's also the first incursion in the R&B genre, that's why Masahiko Satoh & Yasuo Arakawa were recruited in charge of arrangements. Titles include Rock & Soul covers from Jethro Tull (Bourree), The Beatles (Come Together) and original compositions by Nobuo Hara (Tumblin! Tambourine!, Horse Laugh Blues) and Masahiko Sato (Nervous Breakdown). 
 

Lou Donaldson - Alligator Bogaloo



Year : 1967
Label : Blue Note
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

The essential Soul Jazz masterpiece among the most sampled album of the time, performed by the Soul Jazz saxophonist No. 1 featuring a funky combo with drummer Leo Morris (Idris Muhammad), guitarist George Benson, organist Lonnie Smith & cornestist Melvin Lastie Sr. in addition on "I Want A Little Girl". "Alligator Bogaloo" opens the R&B era of Lou Donalson to the Funk/Soul accent including the climax album "Midnight Creeper" with the same rhythm section. Titles include "One Cylinder" sampled by french rapper MC Solaar on "Qui Sème Le Vent Récolte Le Tempo" (1991) & "Superstarr" (1994), original composition by Lonnie Smith (Aw Shucks!), "The Thang", "Rev. Moses" & the title-track composed by Lou Donaldson. Recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.

Yoko Kanno - Kids On The Slope (Original Soundtrack)


Year : 2012
Label : Epic/Sony
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Hard Bop, J-Pop

Original soundtrack from "Sakamichi No Apollon" directed by Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo), based on a Yuki Kodama's manga, produced by pianist & iconic animation score composer Yoko Kanno. As on the "Cowboy Bebop" soundtrack, "Kids On The Slope" contains original compositions, some typical Yoko Kanno pop/rock songs and in particular, Hard Bop, Modal & Cool jazz tracks including the strandards from Milt Jackson (Bag’s Groove), Bobby Timmons (Moanin), Horace Silver (Blowin’ The Blues Away), George Gershwin (But Not For Me), George Shearing (Lullaby Of Birdland) or Duke Ellington (Satin Doll). All tracks arranged & recorded by Yoko Kanno featuring Masato Suzuki from Naruyoshi Kikuchi Dub Sextet, Yasuo Sano & Masayoshi Furukawa from The Seatbelts.

MUSICIANS : Yoko Kanno - keyboards - Yasuo Sano & Masayoshi Furukawa - guitar - Takashi Matsunaga - piano - Shun Ishikawa - drums - Shinpei Ruike - trumpet - Masato Suzuki & Keisuke Torigoe - bass  - Yuuka Nanri, Aoi Teshima & Manabu Yamaguchi - vocal

LISTEN SAMPLE
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