Yuji Ohno - Space Kid

Year : 1978
Label : CBS
Serie : Master Sound 76
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Disco, Smooth Jazz

"Space Kid" is a concept album which prefigures the future sound of You & The Explosion Band, formed for the original soundtrack of "Lupin The 3rd". Indeed, some sounds seem to us familiar, various soundscapes have been used in the serie and in particular the moog synthesizer effects heard in the "Cagliostro No Shiro" movie (1979). The core of You & Explosion Band is based on the rhythm section featuring Akira Okazawa, Tsunehide Matsuki, Yasushi Ichihara, Pepe Anai & Larry Sunaga, supported by horn section feat. Jake H. Conception & the Suzuki Group (strings). Tiltes include the disco funk song "Space Kid", a variation on the "Mayflower" recording taken from "Electro Keyboard Orchestra", where accoustic piano replaces moog synthesizer, two featurings with brazilian songtress Sonia Rosa (Never More, Dancing Raccoon) and the latin funk "Solar Samba". All tracks composed, arranged & recorded by Yuji Ohno.

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno - keyboards - Kazushi Sugihara - synthesizer programmer - Akira Okazawa & Kenji Takamizu - bass - Tsunehide Matsuki - guitar -Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Pepe Anai, Larry Sunaga & Fujio Saitoh - percussion - Jake H. Conception - saxophone - Sonia Rosa - vocal

Sadao Watanabe - Live At The Junk

Year : 1970
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Bossa Nova, Jazz Rock

Amazing recording live performed in concert by the Sadao Watanabe Quartet at the Jazz Club "Junk", Ginza, Tokyo, 26 & 27th december, 1969. Sadao plays with his regular rhythm section from 1968 to 1970 featuring guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo, bassist Yoshio Suzuki & his brother, the drummer Fumio Watanabe. "Live At The Junk" is the synthesis of Sadao's career, started as a leader in 1961, including various recordings ranging from Bossa Nova to Jazz Rock by Modal. Titles include jazz standards from Charlie Parker (Cheryl) & Jimmy Van Heusen (Here's That Rainy Day), Bossa Nova compositions from Antonio Carlos Jobim (No More Blues, Granny's Samba~Ending Felicidade), two famous cover pop songs (Georgia On My Mind, This Guy's In Love With You) and the original Sadao's Jazz Rock composition, "If I Said The Sky Was Fallin" taken from the japanese TV drama "Matte Masu Wa" broadcasted on TBS from 1969.

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Kimiko Kasai - This Is My Love

Year : 1975
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Smooth Jazz, Jazz Funk

Kimiko Kasai meets american top musicians featuring the great Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Cornell Dupree, Bob Crankshaw & Joe Beck. Recorded at the famous Electric Ladyland studios in New York, "This is My Love" is among best productions of Kimiko Kasai including Jazz Funk & Smooth Jazz with killer song from Bill Withers "Use Me" based on the Esther Phillips version, nice sophisticated variation on the iconic pop hit "Happy Together" by The Turtles and the jazz standard "Love For Sale" by Cole Porter. Produced by Teo Macero.

MUSICIANS : Kimiko Kasai - vocals - Bob Crankshaw - bass - Allan Schwartzberg & Billy Lavangna - drums - Cornell Dupree, Jerry Friedman & Joe Beck - guitar - Bobby Scott - keyboards, vocals  - Lee Konitz - alto saxophone - Al John & Stan Getz - tenor saxophone  

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Nobuo Hara & His Sharps & Flats, Hozan Yamamoto - Sharps & Flats In Newport

Year : 1967
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Modal, World, Traditional, Big Band

Sharps & Flats lead by saxophonist Nobuo Hara meet Hozan Yamamoto, featuring Hiroshi Suzuki (tb), Koji Suzuki (as), Teruyuki Fukushima (tp), Toshihiko Ogawa (p) Hiroshi Takeuchi (b) among others. Hozan Yamamoto was the most famous shakuhachi musician (japanese bamboo flute), internationally renowned as pioneer for the traditional instruments introduction into modern music, in particular in Jazz. All tracks were extracted from recording sessions in studio under a replay form of their first live performance at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1967. "Sharps & Flats In Newport" is the meeting between Jazz and the japanese folk music, including the bamboo flute on various tracks inspired by japanese traditional music and composed by Nobuo Hara (Hakone Mago Uta, Midare, Geisha Girl). Titles include also japanese jazz standard "Sakura Sakura", songs in the Buddy Rich Big Band style (Sohran-Bushi, Awa Dance) and the Bobby Timmons' classic "So Tired" played in the Bossa Nova mode. All tracks conducted by Nobuo Hara, arranged by Norio Maeda & Kiyoshi Yamaya.

Yoshio Suzuki - Friends

Year : 1973

Label : CBS

Genre : Jazz

Style : Hard Bop, Modal

The debut album as a leader by Yoshio Suzuki featuring saxophonist Kohsuke Mine, pianist Takehiro Honda, drummer Hiroshi Murakami & special guest flutist Hideo Miyata. "Friends" is an essential japanese jazz masterpiece ranging from Hard Bop (The Past, K'S Waltz) to Modal jazz (Burning Point) passing by Bossa Nova (Samba De Chico), it includes only Suzuki's own compositions. Before to settle in New York in 1973, Yoshio was sideman for Sadao Watanabe, Takehiro Honda from 1969 to 1973, played for Masabumi Kikuchi, Yoshiaki Masuo (24 & Winds Of Barcelona) and Kimiko Kasai (What's New & Satin Doll). In US, he played alongside Stan Getz as his regular bassist, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker and joined the famous Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers. During 1999 to 2001, he was member of the Yuji Ohno Trio on the first three albums from the LUPIN THE THIRD [JAZZ] serie. 

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Yoshiaki Masuo - 24

Year : 1970

Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Psychedelic Rock

The masterpiece of Yoshiaki Masuo is an essential album of japanese progressive jazz featuring Sadao Watanabe, Yoshio Suzuki, Hideo Ichikawa & Motohiko Hino. "24" is the exact age of Masuo in 1970, who explores the music of the Woodstock generation, following the Jimmy Hendrix steps. The album is an incursion in the Rock 'N' Roll genre from Blues Rock (Dirty Mashy Toe) to Folk Rock (Shirley), including original songs by Masuo, the jazz rock anthem "Round Trip : Coming" composed with Sadao, "Uptight" to the free expressions, the jazz ballad "Soft Sadness" and "Corvallis" with Sadao on flute. All tracks arranged by Yoshiaki Masuo.

MUSICIANS : Yoshiaki Masuo - guitar - Hideo Ichikawa - keyboards - Yoshio Suzuki - bass - Motohiko Hino - drums - Hiro Tsunoda - drums, percussions - Sadao Watanabe - flute, percussions - Tetsuo Fushimi - trumpet - Takashi Imai - trombone - Shigemichi Domoto - trombone

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Kimiko Kasai - Tokyo Special

Year : 1977
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

"Tokyo Special" is the eighth album and second recorded by Kimiko Kasai in japanese tongue since "Umbrella" in 1972. Kimiko back to the japanese studios after a three albums serie recorded in US, supported by "The Colgen Band" lead by pianist/arranger Hiromasa Suzuki featuring guest soloists :tumpeter Terumasa Hino, bassist Isao Suzuki & saxophonist Takeru Muraoka. Terumasa Hino takes part on "Very Special Moment" & "Tokyo Special (Manhattan Special)", Isao Suzuki plays cello and composes "Yarikake No Jinsei", while Hiromasa Suzuki takes over the arrangements. The Colgen Band is supported by strings ensemble, The Tadaaki Ono group.

THE COLGEN BAND : Kimiko Kasai - vocal - Hiromasa Suzuki - keyboards - Akira Okazawa - bass - Tsunehide Matsuki - guitar - Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Masafumi Yamaguchi - saxophones - Pepe Anai - percussion - Shin Kazuhara - trumpet - Koji Hatori - trumpet & flugel horn - Eiji Arai - trombone

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Kimiko Kasai - What's New

Year : 1973
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Vocal, Cool Jazz

The fifth album by Kimiko Kasai supported by the Masahiro Kikuchi Trio featuring pianist Masahiro Kikuchi, bassist Yoshio Suzuki & drummer Hiroshi Murakami. Kimiko takes over the great standards of jazz vocal that performed the great Ladies of Jazz, such as Billy Holiday (But Not for Me), Ella Fitzgerald (Close Your Eyes), Sarah Vaughan (Body & Soul), Nancy Wilson (But Beautiful) or also Helen Merrill (What's New). All tracks arranged by Masahiro Kikuchi and produced by Kiyoshi Itoh.

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Kimiko Kasai - Butterfly

Year : 1979
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

Japanese jazz songstress Kimiko Kasai meets Herbie Hancock (keyboards, vocoder) in joint project featuring members from the first incarnation of The Headhunters. The band is formed by bassist Paul Jackson, drummer Alphonse Mouzon, percussionist Bill Summers, saxophonist Benny Maupin and Webster Lewis in addition on keyboards. "Butterfly" consists of six compositions by Herbie Hancock, including two songs from his "Sunlight" album released previously (I Thought It Was You, Sunlight), "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" from "Fat Albert Rotunda" (1969), his jazz standard "Maiden Voyage" and the cover song "As" composed by Stevie Wonder. All tracks produced, mixed and recorded by David Robinson & Herbie Hancock at CBS studio in Tokyo.

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Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Steve Stills - Super Session

Year : 1968
Label : CBS
Genre : Rock, Blues, Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Psychedelic, Blues Rock

Super Session is a psychedelic Rock 'n' Soul album directed, arranged and produced by multi-instrumentalist Al Kooper featuring Mike Bloomfield (from Electric Flag group) and Stephen Stills on guitar. Several kind of music such as Rhythm & Blues (Stop), Soul (Man's Temptation), Blues (Albert's Shuffle) and Jazz (His Holy Modal Majesty).

Al Kooper_vocals, piano, organ, ondioline, electric guitar
Mike Bloomfield_guitars
Stephen Stills_guitars
Barry Goldberg_electric piano
Harvey Brooks_bass
Eddie Hoh_drums, percussion

01. Albert's Shuffle
02. Stop
03. Man's Temptation
04. His Holy Modal Majesty
05. Really
06. It Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes A Train to Cry
07. Season of the Witch
08. You Don't Love Me
09. Harvey's Tune

Kimiko Kasai With Gil Evans Orchestra - Satin Doll

Year : 1972

Label : CBS

Genre : Jazz

Style : Vocal, Big Band, Smooth

Best Kimiko Kasai's album ever recorded with the Gil Evans Orchestra featuring some american and japanese jazz greats among Billy Harper, Marvin 'Hannibal' Peterson, Kohsuke Mine, Yoshio Suzuki or Hiroshi Fukumura. The tracklist consists of jazz standards including "Satin Doll" by Duke Ellington, "Bye Bye Blackbird" by Willie Dixon or also "I'm Walkin'" by Fats Domino played in a jazz funk variation. All tracks arranged by Gil Evans, produced by Kiyoshi Itoh and recorded at Tokyo.

MUSICIANS : Kimiko Kasai - vocal - Gil Evans - electric piano - Masayuki Takayanagi - guitar - Yoshio Suzuki - bass - Yoshiyuki Nakamura - drums - Kohsuke Mine - soprano & Alto saxophone - Marvin Peterson - trumpet - Hiroshi Fukumura & Hiroshi Munekiyo - trombone - Billy Harper - flute

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Yoshiaki Masuo And His Group - Winds Of Barcelona

Year : 1969

Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

Debut album in the Montgomery's style from the japanese boss of guitar featuring Kiyoshi Sugimoto, Kazuo Yashiro, Larry Sunaga,  Yoshio Suzuki & Fumio Watanabe from the Takehiro Honda Trio. Influenced by Wes Montgomery and the Grant Green's works, Yoshiaki Masuo has been spotted by saxophonist Sadao Watanabe who launched his professional career in joining up his quartet from 1967. In the late sixties, he was enrolled in the Sharps & Flats by band leader Nobuo Hara and played for pianist Takehiro Honda on his debut album within Sadao Watanabe Quartet. In 1971, he moved to New York where he played for his fellow countryman bassist Teruo Nakamura, prestigious musicians like Lenny White, Michael Brecker, Chick Korea or Elvin Jones, and later in 1973 within the Sonny Rollins group. Titles include pop cover songs by Laura Nyro (Stoned Soul Picnic), Simon & Garfunkel (Scarborough Fair), Bacharach & David  (I Say A Little Prayer, What The World Needs Now Is Love), tribute to Wes Montgomery (One For Wes) and the Sadao's Bossa tune "Gary's Tune".

MUSICIANS : Yoshiaki Masuo & Kiyoshi Sugimoto - guitar - Hideo Miyata - flute - Yoshio Suzuki - bass - Fumio Watanabe - drums - Larry Sunaga - percussions - Kazuo Yashiro - organ - Nobuhiro Suzuki - vibraphone, marimba

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Sadao Watanabe - Sadao Watanabe

Year : 1972
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Fusion, World, Modal

"Sadao watanabe '72" is an essential japanese jazz album mixed by famous jazz engineer Kunihiko Sugano featuring saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, trombonist Hiroshi Fukumura, pianist Fumio Itabashi, guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi, bassist Mitsuaki Furuno and drummer Arihide Kurata. The iconic album which introduces the African period of Sadao Watanabe and desmonstrates, one more time, that he's always to the forefont of japanese jazz. Recorded after a trip in East Africa, in particular Kenya, Sadao leaves the Bossa Nova to explore the roots of African music including its rhythms and modes, mixing to modal and jazz rock. Each track can be seen as a theatrical representation of the East African culture. 

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Sadao Watanabe - Round Trip

Year : 1970
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Contempory Jazz

The saxophonist Sadao Watanabe is the most famous jazz musician outside Japan, always active nowadays, he's best known as the man who introduced Bossa Nova in Japan. During his fruitful career, he recorded a numerous of masterpieces whose "Round Trip", introduced here, featuring jazz giants Chick Corea (p,el-p), Miroslav Vitous (b) and Jack DeJohnette (ds). In 1962, Sadao moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music and later played alongside Charlie Mariano (including three duet albums in the late sixties), Chico Hamilton, Gary McFarland, Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin or Hank Jones. Always in the forefront, he explored worldwide musical cultures, reflecting his Brazilian, African & Indian expressions on several albums, and will become the japanese representative of Bossa Nova & World Music like Joe Zawinul. Titles include "Round Trip : Going & Coming" with free improvisations, the short track "Nostargia", the modal "Pastoral" and the Jazz Samba "Sao Paulo". All tracks composed, arranged by Sadao & produced by Kiyoshi Itoh.

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Sonia Rosa With Yuji Ohno - Spiced With Brazil

Year : 1974

Label : CBS

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz

Style : Pop, Bossa Nova

"Spiced With Brazil" is a joint project between a Brazilian native living in Japan and japanese jazz legend, pianist Yuji Ohno featuring Akira Okazawa (eb), Takao Naoi (g), Tsunehide Matsuki (eg), Kazuyoshi Okayama (ds), Tsuyoshi Yamamoto (ep), Larry Sunaga & Pepe Anai (per). In order to get to closer to the sound of the iconic Bossa Nova Verve's productions to the sophisticated sweetness, Yuji enrolled strings ensemble the "Ohno Group". Sonia Rosa started in 1967, recording her debut album with Chiquinho De Moraes, before to leave Brazil for Japan at the age of 20. In 1970, she released covers album of Bossa Nova "Sensitive Sound Of Sonia Rosa" with the Sadao Watanabe Quintet, her first record in Japan. Shortly after, she recorded "Spice With Brazil", her best-known album marking the beginning of a fruitful professional relationship with japanese jazz pianist Yuji Ohno, including "Space Kid" in 1978, "Samba Amour" in 1979 or "Lupin The Third [JAZZ] : Bossa & Fusion" in 2002. Titles include the classics of Bossa Nova from Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfa to Chico Buarque by Edu Lobo ("Casa Forte" feat. Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on piano), jazz standards of Jimmy Van Heusen ("Here's That Rainy Day"), Paul Francis Webster ("Secret Love"), pop covers of James Taylor ("Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight") and Linda Creed ("You Make Me Feel Brand New" feat. backing vocal band Time Five). All tracks arranged and conducted by Yuji Ohno except "Chove Là Fora" by Sonia Rosa.

Dreams - Dreams

Year : 1970

Label : CBS

Genre : Jazz, Rock

Style : Jazz Rock, Folk Rock, Funk/Soul, Psychedelic

Dreams is a Jazz Rock group formed by the Brecker Brothers featuring Billy Cobham, Jeff Kent & Doug Lubahn (Barry Rodgers, Edward Vernon and special guest John Abercrombie from Mahavishnu Orchestra are added), who ended the band activities after their second & final album, Imagine My Surprise, released in 1971. Doug Lubahn is best known for his collaboration as studio bass player on Waiting For The Sun, Strange Days & The Soft Parade albums from legendary band The Doors. Miles Davis came listen the band during their live performance and recruited later Billy Cobham for his "Live Evil". Titles include their three singles Devil Lady/The Maryanne, 15 Miles To Provo & The Dream Suite. All tracks arranged by Dreams, produced by Dreams & Fred Weinberg.

Doug Lubahn_bass, vocals
Billy Cobham_drums, percussion
Jeff Kent_keyboards, guitar, vocals
John Abercrombie_lead guitar
Edward Vernon_lead vocal
Michael Brecker_tenor saxophone, flute
Barry Rodgers_trombone, tuba
Randy Brecker_trumpet, flugelhorn

01. Devil Lady
02. 15 Miles To Provo
03. The Maryanne
04. Holli Be Home
05. Try Me

06. Dream Suite

• Asset Stop
• Jane
• Crunchy Grenola

07. New York