Tadao Sawai, Hozan Yamamoto - Jazz Rock Koto / Japanese Folk Song

Year : 2020/1973

Label : Mr Bongo/RCA

Genre : Jazz, Folk

Style : Soul Jazz, Jazz Rock, Min'yo

Originally released in 1973 on RCA, "Jazz Rock Koto" is actually the meeting between spiritual jazz with iconic japanese folk songs called "Min'yō", including funk elements, traditional japanese instruments use the shakuhachi (bamboo flute) and koto (national instrument of Japan). It features renowed koto players Tadao Sawai, Kazue Sawai on koto and the "Living National Treasure of Japan", Hozan Yamamoto on shakuhachi. They are supported by Norio Maeda (p) and his rhythm section with Takeshi Inomata (ds), Tatsuro Takimoto (b) and Sadanori Nakamure (g) plus Jake H Concepcion on saxophone. Titles include popular folk songs in Japan among "Soran Bushi", "Sado Okesa", "Hokkai Bonuta", "Kuroda Bushi", "Kiso Bushi" and many more.

New Stream In Jazz Vol. 13 ~ Japanese Jazz Meets Folk (Impressions Of The Far East)

 

Compilation series dedicated to the golden era of the Japanese Jazz scene through the years 60-70's. This volume focuses on the meeting between jazz with iconic japanese folk songs (Min'yō) and Eastern music including traditional japanese instruments use among shakuhachi (bamboo flute), koto, biwa and shamisen. It features the japanese legends Tadao Sawai (koto), Rinsyoe Kida (shamisen), Minoru Muraoka (shakuhachi), Kisaku Katada (taiko) and the "Living National Treasure of Japan", Hozan Yamamoto (shakuhachi), Akira Ishikawa, Kosuke Ichihara, Nobuo Hara, Norio Maeda, Toshiaki Yokota and Toshiyuki Miyama. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Hozan Yamamoto With Sharps & Flats - Beautiful Bamboo Flute

Year : 2019/1971
Label : Mr Bongo/Philips
Genre : Jazz
Style : Big Band, Folk, World, Fusion

Recognized as a “living national treasure” by the Japanese government in 2002, Hozan Yamamoto was the best known shakuhachi player outside Japan. "Beautiful Bamboo Flute" is the fourth collaboration between Hozan Yamamoto and saxophonist Nobuo Hara within his famous big band, after two albums as Sharps & Flats ("Sharps & Flats In Newport" in 1967, "New Jazz In Japan" in 1968), and one under his own name ("New Dimension Of Bamboo Flute" in 1968). The album is result of a clever mix between japanese folk music (called "Min'yō") and Jazz including Jazz Rock, Soul Jazz & Big Band styles, featuring arranger Masahiko Sato, guitarist Takao Naoi from Akira Ishikawa's Count Buffalos. Impossible to find original album nowadays, it was finally reissued by Mr Bongo Records.

MUSICIANS : Hozan Yamamoto - bamboo flute - Nobuo Hara - tenor saxophone - Hajime Maekawa, Koji Suzuki - alto saxophone - Nobuyuki Morikawa - baritone saxophone - Masahiro Nakajima, Tadao Taniyama - trombone - Hiroshi Saba, Shuzo Morikawa - trumpet - Sadayasu Fujii - piano - Hiroshi Takeuchi - bass - Takao Naoi - guitar - Yoshio Nakamura - drums

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.