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.

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

Takeshi Inomata & Sound Limited - Innocent Cannon

Year : 1971
Label : King Records
Genre : Jazz
Serie : New Emotional Series
Style : Jazz Rock, Free Rock, Art-Rock

Concept art-rock album by Takeshi Inomata & his progressive jazz rock group, The Sound Limited featuring trumpeter Shunzo Ohno, guitarist Kimio Mizutani, flutist Toshiaki Yokota from The Beat Generation and special guest, the mystical narrator, japanese photographer Noriaki 'Tenmei' Kannoh. Titles include tribute to Janis Joplin "The Death of Janis", free forms of Rock, experimental sounds and Psychedelia. All tracks composed & arranged by Takeshi Inomata.

MUSICIANS : Tenmei Kano - narrator - Takeshi Inomata - drums - Jun Suzuki - bass - Kimio Mizutani - guitar, sitar - Shigehito Ohara - keyboards - Osamu Nakajima - percussion - Toshiaki Yokota - flutes - Jake H. Concepcion - soprano, alto & tenor saxophone, flute - Shunzo Ohno - trumpet, flugelhorn - Takehisa Suzuki - trumpet, flugelhorn - Shigemichi Domoto - trombone, vibraphone

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Takeshi Inomata & Sound Limited - Drum Battle : Rock Now

Year : 1972
Label : RCA
Serie : DYNAGROOVE
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Funk/Soul

Rock cover album taken from the "DYNAGROOVE" serie, performed by Takeshi Inomata & his progresssive jazz rock band, The Sound Limited featuring guitarist Kimio Mizutani, bassist Makoto 'Jun' Suzuki, organist Yusuke Hoguchi, all conducted by Norio Maeda. Takeshi Inomata is involved in a drums battle including three others japanese drummers, Masao Suzuki (not to be confused with the saxophonist), Seiji Tanaka & Chito Kawachi. Titles include as well as classics of rock 'n' roll from Deep Purple (Black Night), Chase (Get It On), The Rolling Stones (Tumbling Dice), Soul music ("Theme From Shaft" by Isaac Hayes) and Latin Rock with the "Black Magic Woman" (Peter Green). All tracks arranged by Norio Maeda.

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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

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Yuji Ohno - Original Soundtrack From Lupin III

Year : 1978
Label : Satril/Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Jazz Funk, Disco

First of five serie records of the Lupin The 3rd Original Soundtrack released between 1978 to 1981, performed by Yuji Ohno who formed, for the nonce, his new Jazz Funk group called "You & The Explosion Band" supported by a strings ensemble conducted by Minoru Suzuki (The Suzuki Group), and guests singers Sandi A. Hohn & Tommy Snyder from japanese pop band GODIEGO. Titles include the popular opening and ending themes from the first season, "I Miss You Babe, (Yes I Do)" feat. Sandi A. Hohn, "Dangerous Zone" (also extracted from original soundtrack of Lupin VS Mamo 1978 movie), "Lovin' You (Lucky)" feat. Tommy Snyder. Some tracks are introduced by dialogue inserts extracted from the episodes of Lupin III serie, starring the main characters. All tracks composed & arranged by Yuji Ohno. 

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno - keyboards - Minoru Kuribayashi - Hammond organ - Takeru Muraoka & Jake H. Conception - saxophone - Shigeharu Mukai - trombone - Akira Okazawa - bass - Tsunehide Matsuki - guitar - Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Larry Sunaga - percussions

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Jun Fukamachi - Spiral Steps

Year : 1976
Label : Kitty
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Fusion, Space Age
   

"Spiral Steps" is a Space-Age Funk & Future Jazz album featuring the Breckers Brothers and the KORG synthesizer in showcase. Recorded for the first time outside Japan, it's divided in two recordings sessions, Tokyo & New York, including japanesese musicians among his regular sidemen Ray Ohara & Ponta Murakami, Akira Okazawa, Kazumi Watanabe, Anthony Jackson, Barry Rogers, Lou Marini from Blood, Sweat And Tears plus Jake H Conception as guest. Titles include the disco-boogie "In The Holiday Groove" feat. Jake H. Conception & "Taft 1082", the insane heavy funk "Spiral Steps" and the highlight suite for synthesizer "Scoto Phonobine Type I to III". All tracks composed & arranged by Jun Fukamachi.

MUSICIANS : Jun Fukamachi - keyboards - Shuici Ponta Murakami - drums - Akira Okazawa, Ray Ohara & Anthony Jackson - bass - Masayoshi Takanaka, Kazumi Watanabe - guitar - Randy Brecker - trumpet - Barry Rogers - trombone - Jake H.Conception, Michael Brecker & Lou Marini - tenor saxophone 

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Yuji Ohno & Galaxy - Captain Future (Original Soundtrack)

Year : 1979
Label : Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Jazz Funk, Disco

The legendary japanese soundtrack composed by Yuji Ohno and recorded with the Galaxy band featuring Takao Naoi, Eiji Arai, Takeru Muraoka, Jake H Concepcion and Pepe Anai, all from You & The Explosion Band. Produced in the late seventies, the Space Opera "Captain Future" is a TOEI animated serie in 53 episodes, originally broadcast from november 1978 to december 1979. "Captain Future" is among the first animated serie to be exported outside Japan which knew a worldwide success from France ("Capitaine Flam") to Italy by US. The serie is based on stories written by Edmond Hamilton which were published in the Pulp Magazine from 1940 to 1951. The soundtrack includes deep ambient grooves served by the Korg Synthesizer, Jazz Funk pearls ("Andromeda No Kanata Ni"), Disco beats ("Ijigen No Eden") or Pop songs ("Oira Wa Sabishii Spaceman" feat. Hideyuki Hirano). Titles include also the opening ("Yume No Funanori" feat. Yukihide Takekawa) & ending themes ("Popura-Dōri No Ie" feat. Peeka-Boo), the song "Ok! Captain" feat. Kamishiro Youth Chorus from Sendai.

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno - electric piano, Korg synthesizer - Minoru Kuribayashi - organ - Takao Naoi - electric guitar - Kiyoshi Hagiya - electric guitar - Michio Nagaoka - electric bass - Yasushi Ichihara - drums - Pepe Anai - percussion - Takeru Muraoka - tenor saxophone - Jake H Concepcion - alto saxophone - Tetsuo Fushimi - trumpet - Susumu Kazuhara - trumpet - Eiji Arai - trombone - Isao Kaneyama - vibes

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Takeshi Inomata & Sound L.T.D. - Drum Method

Year : 1972
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Method Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock

Another amazing album of Takeshi Inomata in the Chicago band's style recorded for the "Method Series" including progressive rock, insane drum breaks ("Drum Concert I" & "II") and Funk/Soul expressions. Always supported by his supergroup "Sound Limited" featuring pianist/arranger Norio Maeda, Takeshi Inomata takes over some incredelible rock songs including terrific variations on the "Runaway Child" of Buddy Miles, "Smack Water Jack" (composed by Quincy Jones for Carole King) and "Child Of Storm"/"Fibonacci's Number" of British band "IF". Titles include also others jazz standards and covers from Michel Colombier (Pourquoi Pas ?), Herbie Hancock (Maiden Voyage) & Dave Brubeck (Blue Rondo A La Turk), two original compositions of Norio Maeda (Sleeper, Seven). All tracks arranged by Norio Maeda.

MUSICIANS : Takeshi Inomata - drums - Norio Maeda - piano, electric piano - Yusuke Hoguchi - organ - Jun Suzuki - electric bass - Kimio Mizutani - electric guitar - Toshiaki Yokota - flute - Shunzo Ohno - trumpet - Jake H. Concepcion - saxophone

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Takeshi Inomata And His Friends - Get Happy

Year : 1975

Label : Audio Lab. Record

Genre : Jazz, Ltin Jazz

Style : Hard Bop, Post Bop

Amazing record, among the best in the Takeshi Inomata's discography including swing, hard bop &  latin jazz with dynamic beats and insane drum breaks. Arranged by Norio Maeda,  mixed by Mr. "Jazz" sound engineer Okihiko Sugano, "Get Happy" brings together some of the best japanese jazz musicians featuring legends Tadayuki Harada & Kohnosuke Saijoh. Titles include Jazz standards "Here's That Rainy Day" by Jimmy Van Heusen, "Witch Doctor" by Lee Morgan, "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Cole Porter, and killer up-tempo variations on the Duke Ellington's "Caravan" and Stevie Wonder's "Uptight (Everything's Alright)". 

MUSICIANS : Takeshi Inomata - drums - Norio Maeda - piano - Yasuo Arakawa - bass - Fujio Saitoh & Pepe Anai - percussion - Jake H. Concepcion - alto saxophone - Kohnosuke Saijoh - tenor saxophone - Tadayuki Harada - baritone saxophone - Tadataka Nakazawa - trombone

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