Joe Henderson - In Japan

Year : 1973/1971
Label : Milestone Records/Victor

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz

Style : Hard Bop, Post Bop, Bossa Nova

Originally released as "Henderson's Habiliment" on Victor in 1971, "In Japan" is a live recording performed at the Junk Club, Tokyo, by american saxophonist Joe Henderson featuring pianist Hideo Ichikawa, bassist Kunimitsu Inaba & drummer Motohiko Hino. Titles include jazz standards from Thelonious Monk (Round Midnight) & Kenny Dorham (Blue Bossa), Henderson's original compositions "Junk Blues" and the variation of his "In 'N' Out" song called "Out 'N' In" that replaces "Black Narcissus" on the original release.

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Masabumi Kikuchi - Poo-Sun

Year : 1970
Label : Philips
Genre : Jazz
Style : Fusion, Contemporary Jazz

One of the finest Japanese Jazz Fusion album ever recorded by jazz pianist. Influenced by Mc Coy Tyner, Masabumi Kikuchi started as professional in the late 50's, was sideman for Sadao Watanabe during the sixties, and played alongside Terumasa Hino, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the jazz giants Elvin Jones, Gil Evans, Sonny Rollins or Miles Davis on stage. As the Terumasa Hino's Hi-Nology, "Poo-Sun" adopts the "Electric Miles" approach, the beginnings of electrification in jazz from "Miles In The Sky" (1968). Kikuchi formed a great sextet-combo based Kohsuke Mine, Motohiko Hino & Yoshio Ikeda. Titles include the representative Kikuchi style "Dancing Mist", the tribute to Elvin Jones (E.J.), the iconci jazz ballad "Yellow Carcass In The Blue" and the jazz rock "Puzzle Ring" followed by the short piano piece, "My Companion". All tracks composed and arranged by Masabumi Kikuchi excepted "Puzzle Ring" by Masahiro Kikuchi.

MUSICIANS : Masabumi Kikuchi - piano, electric piano - Hideo Ichikawa - organ, electric piano - Kohsuke Mine - soprano, alto saxophone - Yoshio Ikeda - bass - Motohiko Hino & Hiroshi Murakami - drums  Keiji Kishida - percussion

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Terumasa Hino Quintet - Hakuchu No Shugeki (Original Soundtrack)

Year : 2011

Label : Disk Union

Serie : Ciné Jazz

Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen

Style : Post Bop, Hard Bop, Jazz Funk, Modal

Original Soundtrack from the japanese iconic action movie "Hakuchu No Shugeki" produced by TOHO. Released in 1970, the movie was directed by an aficionado of Jazz, Kiyoshi Nishimura and starring Toshio Kurosawa in the main role. Originally released in 1969, the single "Snake Hip" was edited by Nippon Columbia on 45rpm with "Hakuchu No Shugeki - Theme" on side b, but the full music files of the original score had never been edited. Disk Union store's own label released the complete soundtrack for the Ciné Jazz serie in 2011. The music was performed by the legendary Terumasa Hino Quintet featuring Takeru Muraoka, Hiromasa Suzuki, Kunimitsu Inaba & Motohiko Hino. Titles include "Snake Hip" in the original extented version under "On The Corner" name, "Supermarket" (original recording in short version of "Hakuchu No Shugeki - Theme"), and the long modal piece "Getaway". All tracks composed & arranged by Terumasa Hino.

MUSICIANS : Terumasa Hino - trumpet - Takeru Muraoka - tenor saxophone, flute - Hiromasa Suzuki - piano, Fender Rhodes - Kunimitsu Inaba - double bass, electric bass - Motohiko Hino - drums

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Terumasa Hino, Masabumi Kikuchi - Hino=Kikuchi Quintet

Year : 1969
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Takt Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Modal, Hard Bop

Essential japanese jazz masterpiece from Takt Jazz Series by the Masabumi Kikuchi Quintet featuring trumpeter Terumasa Hino in duet album including Takeru Muraoka on tenor saxophone, Kunimitsu Inaba on bass & Hino's brother, Motohiko on drums. "Hino=Kikuchi Quintet" introducing the future Hino's legendary quintet from 1969 to 1970, later joined by keyboardist Hiromasa Suzuki on "Hi-Nology", "Hakuchu No Shugeki Original Soundtrack"& "Into The Heaven". All tracks composed & arranged by Masabumi Kikuchi. Titles include "H.G. And Pretty" selected for the "Shibuya Jazz Classics - Sleep Walker Collection" compilation released in 2003. 

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Terumasa Hino Quintet - Hi-Nology

Year : 1969

Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Takt Jazz Series

Genre : Jazz

Style : Post Bop, Fusion

The japanese jazz masterpiece recorded by the legendary Terumasa Hino Quintet featuring saxophonist Takeru Muraoka, bassist Kunimitsu Inaba, pianist Hiromasa Suzuki & drummer Motohiko Hino. "Hi-Nology" is an essential japanese jazz album released on the Takt Jazz Series, recorded under live conditions at the famous Yamaha Hall, Tokyo, with the full expressions of Terumasa Hino at the top of his game. "Hi-Nology" was inspired by "Miles In The Sky" album which contributed to the electrification in Jazz, and therefore, opening the fusion era. The album opens on the tribute to Miles Davis, "Like Miles", passing by Muraoka's tune "Electric Zoo" including free forms of jazz, the heavy funk "Hi-Nology" and the jazz avant-garde "Dupe".

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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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Shungo Sawada Quintet - Mood In Vossa Nova

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Year : 1968
Label : RCA
Genre : Latin Jazz
Style : Bossa Nova

The classics of Bossa Nova including some pop standards performed by Shungo Sawada, the japanese boss of guitar, You Tokuyama (p), Hironori Takiya (b) and percussionist Takeshi Onodera. Titles include the greatest songs that made the fame of bossa nova from Antonio Carlos Jobim (One Note Samba, The Girl From Ipanema...), Jorge Ben (Mas Que Nada, Constant Rain), Luiz Bonfa (Manhã De Carnaval), jazz standard "Fly Me To The Moon", "Going Out Of My Head", and two Beatles covers "A Little Help From My Friends" & "Day Tripper" played in samba mode.

Kiyoshi Sugimoto Quintet - Babylonia Wind

Year : 1971
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : The Essence Of Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock

"Babylonia Wind" is an essential of the japanese jazz albums, masterpiece of jazz guitar performed by the Kiyoshi Sugimoto Quintet featuring Kiyoshi Sugimoto at the top of his game. The quintet is based on the same rhythm trio as on his previous album (Country Dream), including bassist Yoshio Ikeda & drummer Motohiko Hino, while Hideo Ichikawa replaces Hiromasa Suzuki on electric piano with Takao Uematsu on tenor saxophone in addition. Titles include deep grooves with free improvisations (Rosetta Stone, Colsabard Hill), modal expressions (Hieroglyph) or jazz tinged with psychedelic rock (Babylonia Wind, Mr Darius). All tracks composed and arranged by Kiyoshi Sugimoto.

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Terumasa Hino Quartet - Alone, Alone And Alone

Year : 1970/1967
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Takt Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Hard Bop,  Modal, Cool Jazz

"Alone, Alone And Alone" is the debut album of Terumasa Hino, considered as the japanese counterpart of Freddie Hubbard, the most famous Jazz trumpeter outside Japan, and one of Japan's finest jazzman influenced by Miles Davis and Fumio 'Satchmo' Nanri. Hino gained experience in the US military camp dance band, then within the Hideo Shiraki Quintet, and contributed to the Hard Bop expansion in Japan in the sixties. As sideman, he played with Sadao Watanabe and others Jazz giants such as Joe Henderson, Elvin Jones, Gil Evans or Jackie McLean. "Alone, Alone And Alone" introduces his first quartet featuring bassist Kunimitsu Inaba, pianist Yuji Ohno and his young brother, drummer Motohiko. After an interlude in 1968 with Masabumi Kikuchi (Hino=Kikuchi Quintet), the group change into quintet including pianist Hiromasa Suzuki (who replaces Yuji Ohno) and saxophonist Takeru Muraoka in addition, opening a fruitful collaboration with "Hi-Nology" in 1969 & "Into The Heaven" in 1970. All tracks are  composed & arranged by Terumasa Hino except "Summertime" by George Gershwin.

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Kiyoshi Sugimoto Quartet - Country Dream

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

Debut album and jazz masterpiece recorded for the Takt Jazz Series by one of the most finest japanese jazz guitarist Kiyoshi Sugimoto featuring pianist Hiromasa Suzuki, bassist Yoshio Ikeda & drummer Motohiko Hino, brother of Terumasa. "Country Dream" was entirely arranged and composed by Hiromasa Suzuki except the opening track "Country Dream" by Kiyoshi Sugimoto. Kiyoshi was a session musician and sideman in demand, playing alongside Motohiko Hino, Marcus Miller, pianist/arranger Norio Maeda or Yuji Ohno, former member of Akira Ishikawa's Count Buffalos, Terumasa Hino Sextet, Allan Praskin Quartet and Seiichi Nakamura Quintet. Titles include "Country Dream", "Step Ahead", "The Apple", "Limited Space" and "D-51".

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