New Herd - Perspective

Year : 1969
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Modern Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style :  Big Band, Modal, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde

Also presented as Masahiko Sato's work in co-leading alongside saxophonist Toshiyuki Miyama, "Perspective" is an essential album to the forefront of Japanese music, a masterpiece representative of the best japanese jazz productions recorded during the late sixties. The title-track is an original avant-garde composition including free improvisations, written and arranged by Masahiko Sato. "Lazy Lazy" is composed & arranged by pianist Norio Maeda on the modal form with Jazz Rock. Yamaki Kozaburo has composed, meanwhile, the "Furisode Girl", based on far east folklore played also in modal. Titles include also iconic Charlie Mingus' piece "Pithecanthropus Erectus", cover song of The Beatles, "Tomorrows Never Knows" played in the jazz rock style and "Africa" by John Coltrane.

MUSICIANS : Toshiyuki Miyama - leading, alto & soprano saxophone - Hiroshi Takami - alto saxophone - Kosuke Ichihara - tenor saxophone - Shunzo Sunahara - baritone saxophone - Kōji Hatori - trumpet - Seiichi Tokura - trombone - Masahiko Sato & Norio Maeda - piano - Kōzaburō Yamaki - guitar - Masao Kunisada - bass - Sadaichi Tabata - drums

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Tribo Massáhi - Estrelando Embaixador

 

Year : 1972/2015

Label : River's/Goma Gringa

Genre : Afrobeat, Latin Jazz, World
Style : MPB, Funk/Soul, Psychedelic

Unconventional brazilian album recorded in 1971, coming from the São Paulo underground music scene, an Holy Grail and ultra rare LP finally reissued by the Brazilian label, Goma Gringa. Back to the african roots for this Brazilian Afro-Psych group formed around seven members, all supported by a rhythm section featuring the 'Embaixador', that refers to the percussionist Sebastião Rosa De Oliveira. The band performs a music between Afrobeat, Afro Soul and Samba Funk, married to the typical African-Brazilian culture. Divided in two parts called "Timolȏ Timodê" on side A and "Lido's Square" on side B, eight tracks played without interruption, including "Walk By Jungle", "Dandara", "Oan" written by Embaixador & "Madrugada Sem Luar" written by Ruy Barbosa.

 

WEGOTSOUL ~ The Sound From A Revolutionary Era

Special edition of the "We've Got The Jazz" Hip-Hop serie, bringing together various songs & instrumentals in the pure abstract Hip-Hop style including conscious, protest lyrics, Funk, Jazz & Soul samples, coming from independent Rap scene featuring Jurassic 5, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Glue, Emanon, The Procussions, Black Star, DJ Muro & Substantial. All tracks compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

George Otsuka Trio - Last Summer (Page 3)

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

Final chapter for drummer George Otsuka in the "Page" trilogy, released under the "New Stream In Jazz" category of the "Takt Jazz Series". "Last Summer (Page 3)" is the last album of this formation featuring pianist Hideo Ichikawa and bassist Masaoki Terakawa who introduce for the first time, electric materials (bass & organ) to bring a touch of Soul Jazz & Rock style. Titles include Jazz standards (Things We Did Last Summer, Over The Rainbow) and three originals songs composed by Hideo Ichikawa among others the two Soul-Jazz-Rock tunes "Sea View" & "Breeze Brook And Birds". All tracks arranged by Hideo Ichikawa & George Otsuka.

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Keitaro Miho & His Group - Sound Poesy "Sachio"

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Year : 1969
Label : Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Bossa Nova, Samba, Pop, Soul Jazz, Stage&Screen

Composed as a soundtrack, arranged & performed by the pianist Keitaro Miho, "Sound Poesy" is a tribute dedicated to a young japanese racer, Sachio Fujisawa who died in a test run, the same year. The first side is entirely devoted to the race's story of Sachio including dialogues inserts, racing sounds & noises cars (Start Your Engine), which contribute to create a Grand-Prix's atmosphere (all tracks of this side are composed by Keitaro Miho). The other side includes female scat singing, classics of the Bossa Nova from Antonio Carlos Jobim (One Note Samba & Meditation), Jorge Ben (Mas Que Nada), Pop cover songs (Goin' Out Of My Head, I Wanna Be Around) & the original composition, "Remember Of Paris". All tracks arranged by Keitaro Miho.

The Freedom Unity - Down By The Naked City

Year : 1971
Label : Victor
Genre : Jazz
Style : Free Jazz, Post Bop, Modal

Iconic avant-garde masterpiece from the legendary jazz supergroup featuring keyboardist Hiromasa "Colgen" Suzuki, saxophonist Takeru Muraoka, bassist Kunimitsu Inaba, trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki and drummer Akira Ishikawa. The group was formed by all-stars japanese jazz musicians, members of Terumasa Hino Quintet, Count Buffalos & The Soul Media, starting with "Something" in 1970 (highlighting saxophonist Takeru Muraoka), recorded "Salute To Soul" & "Dynamic Rock" featuring japanese rock songstress Masami Chino (Sammy) in 1971, and Hiroshi Suzuki's album "Cat" released in 1975. The album opens on the title-track, an extended modal suite over 23 minutes played in two parts ("The Doors Of Perception" & "The Dancing Protoplasm"), composed by Hiroshi Suzuki, follow by "The Equator", "The Old Castle" & the Muraoka's original composition, "Light Up". All tracks arranged by Hiromasa Suzuki.

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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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Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalo - Uganda (Dawn Of African Rock)

Year : 1972
Label : Toshiba Records
Genre : Jazz, Rock
Style : Jazz Rock, Afrobeat

No need to introduce the best known and most iconic record of Akira Ishikawa & his progressive Jazz Rock Band, the Count Buffalos, in quartet formation featuring avant-garde guitarist Kimio Mizutani, bassist Hideaki Chihara &percussionist Larry Sunaga. The hypnotic "Uganda" was composed by saxophonist Takeru Muraoka (also in charge of arrangements), is a kind of stage play in four acts (Wanyamana Mapambazuko, Na Tu Penda Sana, Vita & Pigmy) that could have been produced in East Africa including Afrobeat, Progressive Rock and free forms of drum beats. All drums & percussions sounds arranged & composed by Akira Ishikawa.

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Sadakazu Tabata - Smash In The Rock

Year : 1971

Label : Polydor

Genre : Jazz, Rock 'N' Roll

Style : Jazz Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Blues Rock

"Smash In The Rock" is a tribute to Rock 'N' Roll recorded by jazz & rock drummer Sadakazu Tabata. Introduced by the voice of Katsuya Kobayashi, a famous Japanese radio DJ (best known under the Mr. Music nickname), it includes various classic rock songs from Elvis Presley (Love Me Tender), Led Zeppelin (Moby Dick), blues standard by Freddie King (Hide Away) and originals compositions by Hiro Yanagida (Smash, His Salad Day's). Former member of the Jiro Inagaki's Soul Media, Sadakazu Tabata is a session musician who played in particular for japanese Blues/Folk Rock songstress Maki Asakawa and jazz pianist Masao Yagi. Sadakazu Tabata plays with the "Groovy 6" formed by the rock avant-garde organist, Hiro Yanagida, Masaru Imada from the Soul Media, Masaoki Terakawa (in groups George Otsuka Trio, The Count Buffalos, The Beat Generation) & Shigeo Suzuki (sideman for Terumasa Hino & Takeshi Inomata). 

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Sandro Brugnolini - Underground

Year : 2014/1970
Label : SONOR/Record TV Discografica
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Jazz Rock, Psychedelic, Avant Garde, Free Rock

"Underground" was recorded at Dirmaphon Studio in Rome featuring the Rai TV session musicians and during the same session as his previous "Overground" in march 1970. This reissue of iconic Sandro Brugnolini record, brings together all tracks released on both RT 104 & RT 16, two LPs recorded for "Musiche Per Commento" serie by the italian music library label RTV (Record TV Discografica). Brugnolini explores psychedelia, afrobeat & rock avant-garde sounds in eleven instrumentals tracks including "Psichefreèlico", "Uauàico", "Africaneìdico" & "Dimàndico" (extracted from RT 16). All tracks composed & conducted by Sandro Brugnolini featuring Silvano Chimenti & Angelo Baroncini (eg), Giovanni Tommaso (eb), Enzo Restuccia (ds), Giorgio Carnini (org, p). 

The Psychedelic Soul Vol. 2 ~ Japanese Rare Groove, Pop Beats & Rock 'N Roll

More Psychedelia ! More GS ! More Rock 'N' Roll ! A compilation of twenty two tracks of Japanese Pop, Progressive Rock & Rhythm 'N' Blues, performed by Nippon Girls, GS Boys & Jazz musicians featuring Jackey Yoshikawa, Kiyoshi Sugimoto, Akira Ishikawa, Jiro Inagaki & many more... All tracks released between 1967-1972, compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.