George Otsuka Quintet - Sea Breeze

Year : 1971
Label : Union/Teichiku Records
Serie : Young Generation Music
Genre : Jazz
Style : Hard Bop, Modal, Jazz Funk

Masterpiece of Hard Bop/Modal Jazz by George Otsuka Quintet featuring Hideo Ichikawa, Takashi Mizuhashi, Takao Uematsu. The young Shunzo Ohno completes the formation and demonstrates, at just 22 years, that he's one of best japanese jazz trumpeter from his generation. George plays with his regular pianist, since 1965, in charge of all compositions (except The Beatles' song), to the point of wondering whether "Sea Breeze" would not rather a Ichikawa's project. "Sea Breeze" includes various jazz styles, with cool & mellow atmosphere, centered around the Fender rhodes, associated to funk/soul rhythms (Potato Chips), Hard Bop (Jumping Cats), Modal (Fool On The Hill), gospel & spiritual  jazz (Cannibal). 

MUSICIANS : George Otsuka - drums - Hideo Ichikawa - electric piano -  Takashi Mizuhashi - bass - Takao Uematsu - tenor, soprano saxophone - Shunzo Ohno - trumpet, flugelhorn

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George Otsuka Trio - Last Summer (Page 3)

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

Final chapter for drummer George Otsuka in the "Page" trilogy, released under the "New Stream In Jazz" category of the "Takt Jazz Series". "Last Summer (Page 3)" is the last album of this formation featuring pianist Hideo Ichikawa and bassist Masaoki Terakawa who introduce for the first time, electric materials (bass & organ) to bring a touch of Soul Jazz & Rock style. Titles include Jazz standards (Things We Did Last Summer, Over The Rainbow) and three originals songs composed by Hideo Ichikawa among others the two Soul-Jazz-Rock tunes "Sea View" & "Breeze Brook And Birds". All tracks arranged by Hideo Ichikawa & George Otsuka.

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Isao Suzuki Trio/Quartet ‎- Blow Up

Year : 1973
Label : TBM
Genre : Jazz
Style : Contempory Jazz, Avant Garde, Progressive Jazz

Nicknamed the "Jazz Godfather" in Japan, Isao Suzuki is one of the most famous modern jazz bassist, versatile and avant-gardist, in charge of more 50 albums from Jazz to Samba by Hip-Hop & Electronic. Suzuki has gained experience playing alongside Art Blakey, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Ella Fitzgerald or Ron Carter, before contribute to the development of the japanese Jazz Fusion and the Progressive Jazz movement, throughout the seventies. Many times awarded, the timeless "Blow Up" still remains a reference and an essential of Japanese Jazz, featuring two japanese jazz greats, pianist Kunihiko Sugano & drummer George Otsuka, as well as Takashi Mizuhashi, session bassist for TBM label, passing from the trio to a quartet formation when Suzuki plays cello. Titles include three compositions of Suzuki, the cello piece "Aqua Marine", the funky eponymous track, "Blow Up" & "Low Flight", the jazz standards "Everything Happens To Me", "I Can't Get Started"  & "Like It Is" played in the New Orleans style. All tracks arranged by Isao Suzuki, on tracks 1, 3, 5 & 6, Takashi Mizuhashi is added.

  

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George Otsuka Trio - Page 2

Year : 1968
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Takt Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Post Bop, Modal

Essential jazz record, volume 2 of three discs serie recorded between 1967-1969, by one of the most famous japanese jazz trio featuring pianist Hideo Ishikawa & bassist Masaoki Terakawa. The trio was actives from 1965 to 1969, recording the others jazz masterpieces that are "Page 1", "Last Summer - 3" and Akira Miyazawa's "Now's The Time". "Page 2" which received in 1969 the Grand Prix from the Japan Jazz Awards, is part of Sleep Walker's influences, a japanese Nu-Jazz quartet. Titles include the iconic dancing jazz tune "Hot Cha!" (Junior Walker) and the jazz standards "On Green Dolphin Street", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Blues By Five" (based on a version recorded in 1956 by the Miles Davis Quintet), "Lament".

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George Otsuka Quintet - Go On

Year : 1972
Label : TBM
Genre : Jazz
Style : Hard Bop, Modal 

The first steps on the Three Blind Mice label by the great japanese drummer George Otsuka featuring Mabumi Yamaguchi, Takashi Mizuhashi, Toshiyuki Daitoku & the soulful expressions of Shunzo Ohno. After evolved in the Toshiko Akiyoshi's Cozy Quartet and the Hidehiko Matsumoto Quartet from 1961 to 1964, George Otsuka formed with Hideo Ichikawa & Masaoki Terakawa, his first legendary trio, actives from 1965 until 1969, with whom he recorded the famous trilogy "Page 1", "Page 2" & "Last Summer - Page 3", all released on the Columbia Takt Jazz Series. In 1968, he recorded "Groovin' With My Soul Brother" alongside Roy Haynes & Ichikawa, later evolved in the Mabumi Yamaguchi Quintet and was recruited by Isao Suzuki for his "Blow Up" in 1973, also on the TBM catalogue. During the seventies, George sharing stage with Elvin Jones or Nana Vasconcelos, and was sideman for various frontmen such as Hampton Hawes, Jack Dejohnette, Phil Wood or Miroslav Vitous. Titles include the jazz standard "Here's That Rainy Day" by Jimmy Van Heusen, the cover song "Isotope" from original composition of Joe Henderson, the title-track by Shunzo Ohno and two original compositions by Mabumi Yamaguchi.

MUSICIANS : Shunzo Ohno - trumpet & flugelhorn - Mabumi Yamaguchi - soprano & tenor saxophone - Toshiyuki Daitoku - piano - Takashi Mizuhashi - bass - George Otsuka - drums

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