Marcos Valle by Be Hard Bop - Máximo Valle ~ Selected Works

Marcos Valle & his brother Sergio have left their mark on Brazilian music with their compositions and participated to its expansion during the sixties and the seventies. This versatile musician has explored most of the existing musical styles from Bossa Nova, Contemporary Jazz, Rhythm&Blues as well as Funk/Soul, Rock and Pop. He contributed to do emerge various brazilian Rock & Jazz bands such as O Têrço, Som Imaginario or Azimuth by recruiting them on "Marcos Valle" '70, "Garra" (1971), "Vento Sul" (1972) & "Previsão Do Tempo" (1973). Most of his albums recorded during this period, have become great classics of Brazilian music. Since his first album "Samba Demais" released in 1963, the Valle's work divides into three distinct periods : his early Bossa Nova years (1963-1968), the Psychedelic years (1969-1972) and finally the Jazz Funk in 1973. This compilation brings together some of his finest compositions from 1963 to 1973 including the Bossa standards "Gente", "Samba De Verao" & "Os Grilos". Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Gal Costa - Gal Costa

 

Year : 1969  

Label : Philips

Genre : Jazz, Latin, Rock
Style : Samba, MPB, Psychedelic

Essential album by the iconic brazilian songtress of Tropicália mixing psychedelic rock, funk/soul including samba rock featuring special guest Gilberto Gil. It's the second collaboration with singer/lyricist Caetano Veloso after her first steps on duet album "Domingo", released in 1967. All tracks are arranged by Rogério Duprat, the brazilian maestro considered as the 'George Martin' of Tropicália movement. Titles include featurings with Gilberto Gil (Sebastiana, Namorinho De Portão), Caetano Veloso (Que Pena, Baby) and compositions from Roberto Carlos/Erasmo Carlos (Se Você Pensa, Vou Recomençar), Jorge Ben (Deus È O Amor), Veloso (Não Identificado, Saudosismo). 

Vladimir Cosma - Ultra Pop-op

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Year : 1970   

Label : Sylvester Music Company/MPI

Serie : Sounds Pop
Genre : Jazz, Rock
Style : Jazz Rock, Psychedelic, Pop   

Vladimir Cosma is a French/Romanian composer, conductor and violinist in various music genres during over fifties years, collaborating with Michel Legrand and likewise jazz giants  Chet Baker, Pepper Adams or Toots Thielemans. He was in charge of numerous french film music scores, whose the most famous are "Les Aventures De Rabbi Jacob" and "Le Grand Blond Avec Une Chaussure Noire" (starring Louis De Funès and Pierre Richard). Originally released under N° 27 of the "Musique Pour L'Image" (French music library label) including background music & psychedelic soundscapes, "Ultra Pop-Op" back in the spotlight thanks to the track "Black Flowers" selected by french Hip-Hop producer Michaël Darmon (Kif records, Jazz Liberatorz) for the French jazz compilation released in 2002, "Mélodie En Soul Sol". 

Minoru Muraoka - Bamboo

Year : 2014/1970
Label : Superfly Records/King Records
Serie : New Emotional Work Series
Genre : Jazz, Folk
Style : Folk, Jazz Rock, Min'yō

Minoru Muraoka was probably the best known shakuhachi player (traditional bamboo flute), with Hozan Yamamoto & Toshiaki Yokota (Sound Limited, The Beat Generation). He was among the first to mix Japanese folk with popular music, playing in particular with Herbie Mann ("Surprises" & "Gagaku And Beyond" in 1976). "Bamboo" is a crossbreeding between jazz, pop and Japanese folk music, recorded with a large ensemble of traditional instruments among shakuhachi, koto, biwa, shamisen and taiko, all performed by the New Dimension Group, featuring percussionists  Hiromitsu & Kisaku Katada (Original Soundtrack From Lupin The 3rd), Masako Hirayama on biwa, Kimiko Yamanouchi on koto. The album is divided in two parts with  first side that showcases the traditional Japanese instruments (in particular the percussions), while the other side opens on Pop/Rock orientation including an other rhythm section, The New Emotions, featuring Akira Ishikawa (ds), Yusuke Higuchi (org), Sadanori Nakamure (eg) & Jun Suzuki (eb). Titles include jazz standard "Take Five" (Paul Desmond), three original compositions with the folk song "Nogamigawa Funauta", his masterpiece "The Positive And Negative" (most sampled Minoru Muraoka's song), the iconic "Soul Bamboo", and various pop cover songs from The Beatles to The Animals by Simon & Gartfunkel.

Yuzo Hayashi & Salon '68 - Life As A Cinema

Year : 2002
Label : April Records
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Easy Listening, Bossa Nova, Acid Jazz

Sweet lounge music recorded in 2002 by an obscure japanese keyboarder/conductor & his group featuring scat singing performances by Minako Kasahara (former member of Reggae Disco Rockers) & Mayumi Chida. In 2006, with the same formation, Yuzo Hayashi was in charge of the soundscape for the josei animated serie, "Honey & Clover", and recorded a tribute to the italian actress, Monica Vitti (Memory Of Monica Vitti) in the same line. "Life As A Cinema" is somehow the reminiscent of the classics Italian soundtracks, reminding the famous reissues & compilations from the italian Music library label, "Easy Tempo" (Piero Umiliani or Stefano Torossi), but also the Konishi Yasuharu productions with his Pizzicato Five group. "Life As A Cinema" attemps to recreate a vintage & erotic atmosphere from the glorious days of the french/italian riviera from the mid-sixties including Bossa Nova (Kaigantōri To Hanauri, Erotica Mibōjin), french Pop (Sasowarete 63) & Acid Jazz (Kyū Shigai No Zawameki). All tracks composed & arranged by Yuzo Hayashi.

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Samurai Champloo Music Record by Be Hard Bop ~ The Sons Of A Battlecry

"Samurai Champloo" is one of the best japanese animated serie broadcast in the 2000s on TV screens, directed by Shinichiro Watanabe (also director of famous "Cowboy Bebop" serie), produced by the Studio Manglobe for FUJI TV in 2004. In order to create the perfect soundscape, the studio recruited some of the finest japanese producers & beatmakers featuring Nujabes, the electronic duo "FORCE OF NATURE" (KZA & DJ Kent), Tsutchie (former member of Shakkazombie) and Fat Jon from the american Hip-Hop band "Five Deez" including japanese rappers Shing02 (in charge of the opening), Suiken & S-Word from Nitro Microphone Underground and Azuma Riki from Small Circle Of Friends. Four volumes have been released to date plus one compilation especially produced for US. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Marcos Valle - Marcos Valle

Year : 1970
Label : Odeon
Genre : Jazz, Latin, Pop
Style : Bossa Nova, MPB, Psychedelic Pop

"Marcos Valle '70" is best known as "The Bed Album" featuring brazilian progressive rock group Som Imaginário, backing band of Milton Nascimento. Following his previous "Mustang Cor De Sangue" in 1969 introducing a psychedelic approach, "Marcos Valle '70" incorporates modern Rock & Soul influences from The Beatles, psychedelic music and the Afro-American culture. Before turning to the psychedelic pop, Marcos evolved over 10 years in the Bossa Nova style since his first album, "Samba Demais" in 1963 and contributed to its expansion with the latin jazz standards "Summer Samba" (Samba De Verão) and "Os Grilos". Titles include the finest pop ballad "Quarentão Simpático", the protest song "Dez Leis", new recording of "Os Grilos", "Esperando O Messias" feat. the Golden Boys, the waltz "Pigmalião", "Ele E Ela" & "Freio Aerodinâmico" feat. Ângela Valle (sampled by Jay Z on "Thank You" from "The Blue Print 3" in 2009) and experimental baroque suite "Suíte Imaginária". The line-up consists of Marcos Valle (vo, p), Novelli, Luiz Alves (eb), Nelson Ângelo, Tavito (eg), Wagner Tiso (keys), Robertinho Silva (ds) and Ângela Valle (backing vocals).

Count Buffalo & The Jazz Rock Band - Soul & Rock

Year : 1969
Label : Denon
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Modal

Free Jazz Rock album including cover songs and original compositions recorded by the Count Buffalo band, pioneer of the Japanese Jazz Rock style featuring jazz giant pianist/arranger Masahiko Satō. The second album of Akira Ishikawa under the Count Buffalo nickname, who was actives since the mid-fifties as prolific percussionist and most famous jazz drummer with Motohiko Hino, Takeshi Inomata & George Kawaguchi. Titles include free forms of Jazz & psychedelic rock from The Beatles (Michelle, Hey Jude), the Motown's iconic song "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" which was performed by The Supremes, The Temptations & Stevie Wonder, the negro spiritual "Deep River", two compositions of Masahiko Satō "The Cougar" & "No More Than A Drop". All tracks arranged by Hiromasa Suzuki & Masahiko Satō.

MUSICIANS : Akira Ishikawa - drums - Masaoki Terakawa - bass - Masahiko Satō - piano - Hiromasa Suzuki - electric piano - Kiyoshi Sugimoto - guitar - Takeru Muraoka - saxophone

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Hiroshi Suzuki=Masahiko Togashi Quintet - Variation

Year : 1969
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Takt Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Modal, Free Jazz, Avant-Garde

Essential jazz album among the influences of the future-jazz quartet Sleep Walker by trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki. "Variation" is a joint project including the legendary jazz drummer Masahiko Togashi featuring pianist Yuji Ohno, saxophonist Jun Suzuki and trumpeter Tetsuo Fushimi. Masahiko Togashi was a major figure alongside Masahiko Sato, Masayuki Takayanagi and Yosuke Yamashita in the blooming of free jazz in Japan in the late sixties whose "Variation" is one of the iconic masterpiece. Masahiko Togashi started in 1957, when he joined the Sadao Watanabe Quartet, which will bring him to play for various legends of Jazz as pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi, Helen Merrill, Masayuki Takayanagi, Yosuke Yamashita or Charlie Mariano and also in jazz big bands such as the famous Toshiyuki Miyama's New Herd. He recorded various free jazz sessions in 1969, with the Masahiko Sato Trio, several solo projects (the first "We Now Create"), and the same year, formed his best known quintet, the J.J. Spirits. Titles include "Castle Cats" selected in the  "Shibuya Jazz Classics - Sleep Walker Collection", compilation released in 2003.

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Various - Nippon Girls : Japanese Pop, Beat & Bossa Nova 1967-1969

Year : 2013

Label : Big Beat International

Genre : Rock, Pop, Jazz

Style : Bossa Nova, Beat

Sweet sugar pop & Rock 'N Roll spirit from the "land of the rising sun" compiled by Sheila Burgel for Big Beat International. It brings together some of the greatest hits performed by the queens of the japanese pop in twelve incredible songs released between 1967-1968, featuring Jun Mayuzumi, Mieko Hirota, Reiko Ohara, Mie Nakao or Sayuri Yoshinaga. Most of the tracks selected was composed following the GS (for Group Sounds) wave, a japanese rock genre influenced by the US Rock & British Pop music which introduced the japanese pop in a modern era. Titles include pure rock songs (Black Room, Sharock No.1, Kiiro No Sekai), Jazz pop-oriented songs (Peacock Baby,  Watashi No Inori) and Bossa Nova tunes (Tsukikage No Rendezvous,  Ame Agari No Samba).

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SIDE A : Jun Mayuzumi - Black Room / Mie Nakao - Sharock No. 1 / Keiko Mari - Tsukikage No Rendezvous / J Girls - Kiiro No Sekai / Reiko Ohara - Peacock Baby / Mieko Hirota - Nagisa No Tenshi

SIDE B : Rumi Koyama - Watashi No Inori  / Nana Kinomi & Leo Beats - Suki Sa Suki Sa Suki Sa / Miki Obata - Hatsu Koi No Letter  / Ryoko Moriyama - Ame Agari No Samba / Ayumi Ishida - Taiyou Wa Naite Iru / Sayuri Yoshinaga With Schoolmates - Koi No Yorokobi

Yuji Ohno - Lupin The 3rd TV BGM Collection Vol. 2

Year : 1981
Label : Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz

Part II of the TV Original Soundtrack BGM Collection series, recorded for the fourth and final season of "Lupin The 3rd" animated serie broadcast between 1979-1980. This compilation includes new recordings of the previous tracks composed for the first season from 1977 to 1978 (Midnight Chasers & Active Guys), unreleased & alternative takes (The Memory Of Mysterious Journey). Various songs were extracted for background music recorded for the "Cagliostro No Shiro" movie (1979), later gathered in two compilations released in 1983 & 1994. All tracks composed & arranged by Yuji Ohno, performed by You & The Explosion Band.

Side A : Lupinland (also known as "On The Sunny Street") - A Fogcircle - Run! Run! Run! The Game Of Chase (new version of Midnight Chasers - 1977) - A Man's Man (variation of Super Hero - 1978) - Christal So Christal - Nightmare - Teardrops - Dangerous Temptation (new version of Active Guys M9 - 1977) - Darkness And Shadow - Don't Be Shy, Zenigata

Side B : Lupin In The Trap - The Memory Of Mysterious Journey (variation of Mysterious Journey) - Strange Sensation (from Cagliostro No Shiro) - Fire Treasure (instrumental version from Cagliostro No Shiro) - Sneakin' (from Cagliostro No Shiro) - Lone Wolf (from Cagliostro No Shiro) - Uncanny Night (from Cagliostro No Shiro) - Leave You (instrumental version)

                               

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