Norio Maeda Trio - Alpha Ray

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

The Norio Maeda's jazz masterpiece, among the best "Takt Jazz Series" albums ever recorded featuring bassist Tatsuro Takimoto & drummer Takeshi Inomata from The West Liners. "Alpha Ray" is played in up-tempo mode including Hard Bop, Modal (Fifth Column) & Avant-Garde Jazz (Infinite). Titles include four original compositions by Maeda, the jazz standards from Ray Henderson (Bye Bye Blackbird), Gene DePaul (Star Eyes), "Maria" taken from West Side Story played in the samba mode and the explosive opening track "Alpha Ray", which was included in the Shibuya Jazz Classics (Sleep Walker Collection - Columbia Issue), compilation gathering the influences of the japanese avant-garde Nu-Jazz band, Sleep Walker. All tracks arranged by Norio Maeda.

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Ace 7 - Latin Rhapsody

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Year : 1968 

Label : RCA 

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz 

Style : Easy Listening, Afro Cuban Jazz

"Ace 7" was formed by the japanese jazz giant pianist, Hachidai Nakamura, former member in the late fifties of the first incarnation of legendary jazz quartet led by drummer George Kawaguchi, "The Big 4", featuring Hidehiko Matsumoto & Mitsuru Ono. The Ace 7 are among legends of japanese jazz musicians including "Sleepy" Matsumoto (sax), Isao "Jazz Godfather" Suzuki (b), Shungo Sawada/Sadanori Nakamure (g), Akira "Count Buffalo" Ishikawa (ds), Akira Nakano (tp), Takashi Onodera (per) & Seiji Hiraoka (vibes). Their singularity is to produce showcase albums highlithing cinema ("Ciné Jazz", "Memories Of American Movie Themes") or jazz standards ("Modern Jazz Best"). "Latin Rhapsody" is a tribute to Latin music and its own declinations like Bolero (Quizas, Quizas, Quizas, Besame Mucho), Tango (El Choclo), Rumba (Rumba Rhapsody), including classics from Cuba, Mexico passing by Argentina & Spain. All tracks arranged by Hachidai Nakamura.

M. Sato + J. Inagaki & His Big Soul Media - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Year : 1971
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Master Sonic Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Free Rock

Masahiko Sato started as professional musician in the sixties joining the Masaaki Fujita Quintet  and  the Toshiyuki Miyama's New Herd Big Band, before to enter in the Berklee College of Music in order to become arranger. From 1968 to 1971, he formed his most famous jazz combo, the Masahiko Sato Trio with the bassist Yasuo Arakawa & drummer Masahiko Togashi (the trio won the Japan Jazz Award in 1970, in the best debut album category for "Palladium"). Prolific pianist, Masahiko Sato has left his indelible mark on the japanese jazz history, with various experimental iconic projects ("Amalgamation", "Tri-Piano" with Norio Maeda), Free Jazz albums such as "Holography" or "Astorama" (with french violinist Jean-Luc Ponty) and soundtracks as "Belladonna" for Tezuka Productions. "Astorama", recorded in 1970, opens the way to his future international collaborations, as composer & arranger, in considerable recordings from Nancy Wilson, Wayne Shorter, Roy Haynes, Gary Peacock, Art Farmer, Hank Jones passing by his fellow countryman Yohsuke Yamashita. Satoh enrolled the Jazz Rock band "Soul Media", in joint project with Jiro Inagaki featuring Ryo Kawasaki, Yasuo Arakawa plus Tadayuki Harada, Shunzo Ohno & Takeshi Inomata from the Sound limited. Titles include the killer groove "Sniper's Snooze", the psychedelic soul tune "Love & Peace", the pop ballad "Bridge Over Troubled Water" from Simon & Garfunkel & the bluesy "Somethin Goin On" from Al Kooper. All tracks arranged by Masahiko Sato.

MUSICIANS : Masahiko Sato - piano & electric piano - Jiro Inagaki - tenor saxophone - Tadayuki Harada - baritone saxophone - Shunzo Ohno - trumpet - Tadataka Nakazawa - trombone - Ryo Kawasaki - guitar - Yasuo Arakawa - bass - Takeshi Inomata & Hajime Ishimatsu - drums - Seiji Tanaka - percussion

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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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Nobuo Hara And Sharps & Flats - Double Exposure

Year : 1970
Label : Liberty
Genre : Jazz
Style : Big Band, Modal, Funk/Soul, Folk

A project mixing Jazz with Oriental expressions by the most famous Japanese Big Band featuring the great "Lady of Jazz", pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi as arranger and composer. As the Count Basie Orchestra, "Sharps & Flats" has been a springboard for many outstanding japanese jazz musicians like Hiroshi Suzuki (tb), Takao Naoi from The Count Buffalos (eg), Toshihiko Ogawa (p), Hiroshi Takeuchi (b), Koji Suzuki (as) or Teruyuki Fukushima (tp), all playing on "Double Exposure". Toshiko brings her contribution with four own compositions : "Let's Roll In Sake" including dynamic drums breaks, the oriental piece "Sumie", "Fool" & the extended bluesy tune "Double Exposure". Titles also include "Ostinatism" & "Lonely Girl Of East" composed by Eiichi Fujii.

Harold Alexander - Sunshine Man

Year : 1971
Label : Flying Dutchman
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Funk/Soul

Soul Jazz masterpiece including the two iconic "Mama Soul/Sunshine Man" tracks by saxophonist/flutist Harold 'Jazzbo' Alexander featuring pianist Neal Creque, drummer Bernard Purdie, percussionist Richard Landrum & bassist Richard Davis. Harold Alexander shared stage alongside Elvin Jones, Jimmy Davis or Eric Dolphy, session musician in groups Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers with Neal Creque & Richard Landrum, and was sideman for organist Big John Patton during the "Understanding" & "Boogaloo" sessions recordings. He released two others albums during this period, "Are You Ready ?" (live recording at the Montreux Jazz Festival) and the "Raw Root" in 1974, before leave the world of music. All tracks composed & arranged by Harold Alexander.

Buddy Rich - Roar Of '74

Year : 1974
Label : Groove Merchant
Genre : Jazz
Style : Big Band, Contempory Jazz, Funk/Soul

The "Roar of '74" is the first of five albums released by the Buddy Rich Big Band on the crossover jazz label, "Groove Merchant", founded by band leader Sonny Lester. Drummer Buddy Rich goes on his Rhythm & Blues orientation (started in 1971 with "A Different Drummer" album), featuring guitarist Joe Beck, bassist Tony Levin, pianist Buddy Budson & soloist saxophonist Pat LaBarbera. Titles include jazz covers from Horace Silver (Nutville) with insane drum breaks, Duke Ellington (Prelude To A Kiss), the heavy funk "Big Mac", "Kilimanjaro Cookout" to the african expressions (arranged by Manny Albam), and the two pure Big Band style "Waltz Of The Mushroom Hunters" & "Senator Sam". All tracks produced by Sonny Lester.

Michel Legrand - Archi Cordes

Year : 2009/1964 

Label : Vadim Music/Philips

Genre : Jazz, Pop
Style : Big Band, Easy Listening

 

Pop-Jazz album including scat songs with strings ensemble conducted & performed by Michel Legrand Et Son Orchestre featuring Elek Bacsik, famous guitarist on Serge Gainsbourg's "Confidentiel" album released the previous year. This iconic album is returned to the light in 1996, thanks to the track "Di-Gue-Ding-Ding" which was selected for the easy-listening compilation "Inflight Entertainment". The french maestro pianist who enrolled Miles Davis, Bill Evans & John Coltrane for his legendary album "Legrand Jazz" recorded in 1958, was arranger for Maurice Chevalier, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz. But Legrand is best known as composer of over 100 films music and television (The Thomas Crown Affair, Summer 42, Never Say Never Again...), popular among french filmmakers from the New Wave, in particular, Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Demy, Agnès Varda, Chris Marker or Claude Chabrol. Titles include only compositions by Michel Legrand except Orange Blossom Special by Ervin T. Rouse.

Masaru Imada Quartet - Now!

Year : 1970
Label : Three Blind Mice

Genre : Jazz

Style : Modal, Post Bop, Free Jazz

Essential Japanese Jazz album recorded on TBM, second as a leader by pianist Masaru Imada featuring saxophonist Ichiro Mimori, bassist Takashi 'Gon' Mizuhashi & drummer Masahiko Ozu. Masaru Imada is one of these Japanese Jazz masters who evolved in various "figurehead" groups of the Japanese Jazz, at the dawn of the 70s. Masaru played in groups Takeshi Inomata's West Liners (alongside Ichiro Mimori), Tadayuki Harada's group, Bingo Miki's Inner Galaxy Orchestra and was a former member of the iconic jazz rock band Jiro Inagaki's Soul Media. The bassist Takashi Mizuhashi was sideman for Sadao Watanabe, George Otsuka, Isao Suzuki, Terumasa Hino and also member of the legendary George Kawaguchi's Big 4 & Kosuke Mine Quintet. Titles include only original compositions arranged by Masaru Imada including Modal Jazz & free improvisations.

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Various - Mobilisation Générale : Protest And Spirit Jazz From France

Year : 2013
Label : Born Bad Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Modal, Free Jazz, Avant-Garde

Music from the revolutionaries inspired by the Beat Generation & the counterculture featuring Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Brigitte Fontaine, Full Moon Ensemble, Michel Roques, François Tusques & Le Collectif Du Temps Des Cerises. Great spiritual jazz associated to poetry, spoken words & african/arabic rhythms, performed by various French underground artists in the Paris '70 which polarized african culture & the protest spirit during this decade. The whole of a generation politically committed & anti-militarist influenced by the Free Jazz movement with for main inspirations John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Fela Kuti, Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler or Pharoah Sanders. All tracks are selected by JB Born Bad & Julien Achard Digger's digest, released for French label, Born Bad Records.

DISC 1: Alfred Panou & Art Ensemble Of Chicago - Je Suis Un Sauvage / Brigitte Fontaine & Areski Belkacem - C'est Normal / Atarpop 73 & Le Collectif Le Temps Des Cerises - Attention... L'Armée / RK Nagati - De L'Orient A L'Orion / Frédéric Rufin & Raphaël Lecomte - Les Eléphants / François Tusques - Nous Allons Vous Conter... (Intercommunal Blues)

DISC 2 :Mahjun - Nous Ouvrirons Les Casernes / Full Moon Ensemble - Samba Miaou / Baroque Jazz Trio - Orientasie / Michel Roques - Le Cri / Chêne Noir - Hey / Beatrice Arnac - Athée Ou A Te

Astrud Gilberto - Beach Samba

 

Year : 1966

Label : Verve

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Bossa Nova, Pop

Astrud Gilberto surrounded by orchestra conducted by Don Sebesky featuring flutist Hubert Laws & Toots Thielemans (guitar, whistle), rhythm section including bassist Ron Carter, drummer Grady Tate, Marcos Valle (guitar) and Georges Devens (vibraphone). "Beach Samba" was cut for international audience (like the Marcos Valle's "Samba '68"), benefiting of the Eumir Deodato and Don Sebesky's arrangements to the jazz pop orientation. Titles include a songs alternation in portuguese and english lyrics, "The Face I Love" by Marcos Valle, the jazz standard "My Foolish Heart", the banda "Parade" by Chico Buarque, two covers of Luiz Bonfa ("Oba Oba", "Dia Das Rosas") and Deodato contribution's with "Canoeiro" & "Não Bate O Coração". All tracks produced by Creed Taylor. "Beach Samba" is included in the "1001 Discs To Listen Before Die" book.