Jazz & Improvisation / Japanese Jazz

**In process of stocking** BBE Music presents J Jazz volume 3, the latest in its definitive compilation series exploring the finest modern jazz from Japan. Since the first volume in February 2018, the J Jazz compilation series has showcased some of t…

"Following the sell-out success of our landmark compilation, J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1969-1984, BBE Records is thrilled to present another exploration into the very finest Japanese modern jazz.J Jazz Volume 2 builds on the solid foundatio…

** Mabumi Yamaguchi Quartet's outstanding modal jazz outing 'Leeward' from 1978 ** Leeward, released in 1978 on Union Record, is the second album by tenor and soprano saxophonist Mabumi Yamaguchi. Already in quartet formation for his previous album, …

**In process of stocking** BBE Music presents the seventh release in its highly acclaimed J Jazz Master Class Series: ‘Evolution’ by Shintaro Quintet. Recorded in 1984 and originally released on the private label Streetnoise Records, ‘Evolution’ is a…

** 2021 Stock ** Hōryū-ji or else Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law is one of the powerful Seven Great Buddhist Temples in Japan. Horyu-ji has entasis, in architecture, the application of a convex curve to a surface for aesthetic purposes. It al…

** In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Tomorrow by Hideo Ichikawa Trio. Recorded July 27 & August 17, 1976 at Epicurus Studio, Tokyo. Art Direction – Ben Nishizawa, Bass, Cello, Percussion [Kokiriko], Shaker – Isoo Fukui, Drums, Cowbe…

** In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Samba De Sun by "Sleepy" Matsumoto Quartet. Recorded on March, 18 & 19, 1979. Bass – Takashi Mizuhashi, Drums – Hideo Sekine, Piano – Hideo Ichikawa, Tenor Saxophone – Sleepy Matsumoto.

** In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Back to the Sea by Bingo Miki and Inner Galaxy Orchestra. Recorded at Epicurus studio, Tokyo, Japan on June 20, 27, 28 & 29 1978. Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Masatsugu Matsumoto, Alto Saxo…

** In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Sei Shonagon by Jimmy, Yoko & Shin. Produced For Three Blind Mice Records, Inc. Recorded June 22, 23, 1978 at AOI Studio Tokyo. Acoustic Guitar, Electric Bass, Vocals – Jimmy Shironaga, Drums, Co…

** In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Lover Man by Yoshio Otomo and Hidefumi Toki Alto-Madness. Recorded May 26, 1975. Alto Saxophone – Hidefumi Toki, Yoshio Otomo, Art Direction – Ben Nishizawa, Bass – Nobuyoshi Ino, Drums – Steve J…

** In process of stocking ** Craftman records presents Greensleeves by Shoji Yokouchi Trio Plus Yuri Tashiro. Art Direction – Ben Nishizawa, Bass – Kunimitsu Inaba, Drums – Hajime Ishimatsu, Electric Guitar – Shoji Yokouchi, Engineer [Cutting Enginee…

** In process of stocking ** Craftman records presents Maya by Shunzo Ohno Quintet. Recorded July 22 and 23, 1991. Alto Saxophone – Steve Wilson, Bass – James Genus, Drums – Billy Drummond, Engineer – Michael McDonald, Flugelhorn – Shunzo Ohno, Maste…

** 2021 Stock. In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Fine and Mellow by Shigeko Toya. Recorded May 17, 18, and 24, 1973. Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Masayuki Takayanagi, Alto Saxophone – Akitoshi Igarashi, Art Direction – Ben Nis…

** 2021 Stock. In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Concierto de Aranjuez by Hideto Kanai Quintet. Recorded November 2, 1978. Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Mikinori Fujiwara, Bass – Hideto Kanai, Drums – Michael …

** 2021 Stock. In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Shuko Mizuno's "Jazz Orchestra '73". Recorded August 23, 1973 (Part 1), and September 2, 1973 (Part 2). Alto Saxophone – Isao Kimura, Kazumi Oguro, Baritone Saxophone – Shigeru Hirano…

** 2021 Stock. In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Touch by Isao Suzuki & His Fellows. Recorded November 20 and 26, 1975. Art Direction – Ben Nishizawa, Bass – Isao Suzuki, Congas – Yoichi Ogawa, Drums – Tetsujiro Obara, Engineer [Rec…

** 2021 Stock. In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Scandinavian Suite 三木敏悟 / Reissue album from Bingo Miki, Tatsuya Takahashi & The Tokyo Union. Originally released by Three Blind Mice in 1977. Recorded May, 15 and 22, 1977.

** 2021 Stock. In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Live At The Misty by Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio. Recorded live on December 25, 1974. Tsuyoshi Yamamoto: Grand Piano, Akira Daiyoshi: Ac-Bass, Toshio Osumi: Drums, Koji Moriyama: Congas.

** 2021 Stock. In process of stocking ** A live recording of 1974 released by Hokkaido-born bassist Takashi Mizuhashi from [Three Blind Mice] in his own group after working for Masaru Imada and Isao Suzuki. Seiichi Nakamura (TS) and Shigeharu Mukai (…

** 2021 Stock. In process of stocking ** Craftman Records presents Debut by Takao Uematsu Quartet/Quintet. Art Direction – Ben Nishizawa, Bass – Yoshio Suzuki, Drums – George Ohtsuka, Electric Piano [Fender Piano] – Sadayasu Fujii, Engineer [Recordin…

Jinya Disc presents Masayuki Takayanagi Archive 1. The equivalent of the long-out-of-print box, reprinted in simple CDs on standard slimline cases,  without any booklet. Recording studios: Jean-Jean, Shibuya, Pulcinella, Shibuya. Bass – Nobuyoshi Ino…

**to be released on 29.05.2020** "WRWTFWW Records is proud to announce the official reissue of Motohiko Hamase’s extremely rare live album Anecdote (recorded in 1987). The album is sourced from original masters and available on vinyl (double LP) for …

Mass Hysterism: In Another Situation, a 1983 record by the late Japanese noise-guitar hellion Masayuki Takayanagi (1932–1991) is one of those albums that always going to be lurking in my attic, so to speak. I can put it away for a while, but it never…

"Eri Yamamoto transcended jazz, classical and folk forms in creating her new work for jazz trio and 50-member choir. She has seamlessly melded biography, group improvisation and far-ranging compositional vocabularies in a momentous seven-part suite, …

The fifth release in the BBE Music J Jazz Masterclass Series has the perfect combination of rarity and exceptional musicality that inspires seasoned collectors to break out in a sweat. Animals Garden by Miyasaka + 5 was originally issued in 1979 on t…

2026 Repress. Guitarist Masayuki "Jojo" Takayanagi (1932-1991) was a towering leader in the Japanese jazz world. His first influence was Lennie Tristano, but through the 1960s and 1970s he explored and pushed the boundaries in free form jazz, leading…

Guitarist Kiyoshi Sugimoto's 1978 jazz-funk and fusion album, written and arranged by him, reissued in 2026 on clear sky blue vinyl in Universal's J-Fusion Renaissance series. Japanese edition with obi.

Berlin, 7 November 1971, the week of the Berliner Jazztage. Terumasa Hino on trumpet and flute with the Frankfurt tenor Heinz Sauer, Peter Warren on bass and Pierre Favre on drums, for Enja's second year. Five long pieces, free and arranged in turns,…

Yosuke Yamashita and Mal Waldron knew each other from Waldron's years of touring Japan; in 1985 they would record as a piano duo at the Pit Inn. A Tribute To Mal Waldron comes five years earlier, recorded at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg on 17 and 1…

Masaru Imada's debut album, "Maki," is where it all began. Known as one of Japan's most influential pianists, Imada's career has spanned seven decades, from hard bop to fusion, with over 30 albums under his belt. "Maki" captures the essence of his po…

From his first full-length album ‘Minima Moralia’ (“Excellent” 8.1 Pitchfork) in 2006, through the subsequent 70+ albums that followed, Chihei Hatakeyama has created a mighty canon of work. Having collaborated with the likes of Ai Kuwabara, Hiroki Ch…

ECM debut of the Shinya Fukumori Trio: Shinya Fukumori (drums), Matthieu Bordenave (tenor saxophone), Walter Lang (piano). Fukumori originals and Japanese Shōwa-era songs, recorded March 2017 at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines; produced by…

Solo piano recital by Masabumi Kikuchi: nine improvisations, Bonfá's Manhã de Carnaval and his own Little Abi. Recorded live on 26 October 2012 at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Recital Hall, his last solo concert; mixed in Oslo and produced by Manfred Eicher.