Takehiro Honda - Reaching For Heaven

Year : 1978
Label : Flying Disk
Genre : Jazz
Style : Contemporary Jazz, Fusion

"Reaching For Heaven" is the second of three albums serie released on the japanese label Flying Disk, including "Another Departure" in 1977 and "It's Great Outside" in 1978. Takehiro Honda Trio is formed with the same legendary duo featuring bassist Ron Carter & drummer Tony Williams from the Second Great Quintet of Miles Davis. Recorded during the "Another Departure" sessions at Vanguard Studio in 1977, New-York, the album includes various Jazz sandards & covers from Oliver Nelson (Ostinato), Horace Silver (Peace), Bobby Hutcherson (Little B's Poem), Victor Young (Beautiful Love) and the original composition by Honda (Lazy Dream). Produced by Kiyoshi Itoh and Yukio Morisaki.

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Takehiro Honda - Another Departure

Year : 1977

Label : Flying Disk

Genre : Jazz

Style : Contemporary Jazz, Fusion

   
"Another Departure" is first part of recording sessions at Vanguard Studio from 2, 3 May 1977, New York by pianist Takehiro Honda featuring jazz legends, Ron Carter & Tony Williams, former members of the Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet from 1965 to 1968. Honda was one of the most renowned japanese jazz pianist, influenced by McCoy Tyner, he started in 1966 as member of japanese rock band "The Mojo" during the 'Group Sounds' era. Thereafter, he formed his first own jazz trio in 1968 with drummer Hiroshi Murakami, bassist Eijiro Hagiwara and played in various prestigious japanese jazz formations such as the Nobuo Hara's Sharps & Flats Big Band. In 1969, he recorded his debut album "Takehiro Honda Meets Rhythm Section" featuring the Sadao Watanabe Quartet opening a fruitful period of masterpieces production. From 1973 to 1978, he was sideman for Sadao Watanabe taking part to his studio recordings ("Kenya Africa", "Recital"...) and live tours (Montreux Jazz Festival in 1975), before to form his famous successful Jazz Funk band "Native Son" with saxophonist Kohsuke Mine & Hiroshi Murakami. Titles include contemporary Jazz (Longing, Puddle), Soul Jazz (Wonder), Carribean fusion (Calypso Street) and Jazz Funk (Spirits Flow). All tracks composed by Takehiro Honda, produced by Kiyoshi Itoh & Yukio Morisaki.

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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 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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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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