Jazz /
Cat
Reissue of Hiroshi Suzuki’s glorious jazz-fusion-funk Holy Grail Cat. Cat was recorded in October 1975 at at Nippon Columbia Studio, while Hiroshi Suzuki was visiting his home country of Japan after moving to Las Vegas in 1971 to play with Buddy Rich and perfect his craft. Back on his old stomping grounds, the man known as Neko (Cat) immediately reunited with his dear friends for an epic two day session of groove magic. The chemistry was still intact. The skills and style had grown. The result, …
Smile
Tip! *Japan import with Obi Strip* In 1967, drummer Takeo Moriyama joined pianist Yosuke Yamashita’s group, later forming a legendary trio together with saxophonist Seiichi Nakamura in 1969. This group consisting of Moriyama, Yamashita, and Nakamura became known worldwide as one of Japan's leading free jazz combos. Moriyama left the group in 1975 and later returned to the scene in 1977 with the Flush Up live album, where he evolved and deepened his musicality in a more melodic and rhythmic direc…
High-Flying
Tip! *Japan import with Obi Strip* Hiromasa Suzuki is a legendary composer and arranger, and a key player who has been active in the Japanese music world, including jazz as well as movies, television and commercials. In the late ‘60s and mid-’70s, he was deeply involved in the works of Terumasa Hino, Akira Ishikawa and Jiro Inagaki in their most radical times. The album “High-Flying,” recorded in 1976, showed his innovativeness, which was always one step ahead of the times. This is an essential …
Wandering Birds
Tip! *Japan import with Obi Strip* This is the first and long-awaited vinyl reissue of this Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media jazz rock masterpiece! With vocals by Sammy and Yasushi Sawada. Backed by Masahiko Sato, Kimio Mizutani, Hiro Yanagida. Essential!
Head Rock
Tip! *Japan import with Obi Strip* From the opening tune “The Vamp” to the final “Head Rock”, this album is a dazzling jazz rock showcase with dreadnought songs that are filled with ideas and passion. This is a masterpiece that has an overwhelming presence in the history of jazz in Japan, as an heresy left on the prestigious jazz label Takt.
Stardust
Stardust is a rare live recording that reunites three pioneers from the dawn of Japanese jazz: Masayuki Takayanagi (guitar), Ryozo Sugiura (vibraphone), and Hideto Kanai (bass), captured at Yokohama’s Stork Piano Lounge in December 1979. Unlike the intense, driven performances Takayanagi was known for in his “New Direction” and “Second Concept” projects, this session offers a relaxed, intimate atmosphere-full of warmth, camaraderie, and spontaneous musical dialogue. Listeners can even catch the …
Holy Holly Holly
A vital document of late-period Japanese jazz innovation, Holy Holy captures Masayuki Takayanagi in a moment of creative transition. Recorded live on December 8, 1985, at Aketa no Mise, this session features Takayanagi’s razor-sharp guitar in dialogue with two double basses: Nobuyoshi Ino and Toru Saitoh. The result is a soundscape of overwhelming depth and intensity, where the deep, undulating resonance of the twin basses intertwines with Takayanagi’s incisive lines.
On Holy Holy, the trio reim…
Memory Lane
Soul Media, led by Jiro Inagaki, played a part in the development of jazz rock in Japan. This work, "Memory Lane" recorded in 1980, was the final work under the same name. Inagaki said about this work, "We tried to create this work while predicting the fate of fusion music" and it is true that the sound is completely different from ordinary fusion. The mellow and emotional "Memory Lane" the stormy and refreshing "I Will Give You Samba" and the groovy and edgy "Take My Hand". The sound that was c…
Funky Stuff
*2025 much needed repress!!* Fresh reissued magic of Funky Stuff, formerly a rare exquisite by jazzmaster Jiro Inagaki, originally released in 1975. An enduring, pioneering fusion of jazz, funk, soul and rock - the album features some of the best and most acclaimed Japanese musicians of the time, enlisting the talent-wares of Hiromasa Suzuki on keyboards, Akira Ishikawa on drums and Takeru Muraoka on sax.
In The Groove
*2025 much needed repress!!* Since it's formation in 1969, Soul Media had been advocating a fusion of jazz and rock. The next step along that line was this album, In the Groove, recorded in 1973. The sharpness of jazz is brought to the forefront, with rock melting in to give it an edge, and funk injected to imbue it with power and resilience. The result was a strong, sophisticated, and simply "cool music" that could not be categorized within existing genres such as jazz rock, jazz funk, or fusio…
Little Giant
Sharps and Flats, led by Nobuo Hara, has been a driving force in Japan's big band jazz scene with its diverse activities and distinctive musicality. Among the many works produced throughout their long career, 'Little Giant' stands out as one of their most iconic albums. Originally released in 1970 as part of Victor's Japanese Jazz series, this album is notable for the participation of renowned composers and arrangers such as Masao Yagi, Kiyoshi Yamaya, Norio Maeda, and Masahiko Sato. In addition…
Babylonia Wind
A deep and mysterious groove that makes you hesitate to give in to it. Kiyoshi Sugimoto is a guitarist who has sharply shot through the heart of the times. This is the highest point of his achievement.
Kiyoshi Sugimoto is a guitarist that Terumasa Hino longed for and Akira Ishikawa fell in love with. His cutting-edge and diverse sound has always been at the forefront of modern jazz and jazz rock, and has sharply shot through the heart of the times. There is no doubt that this work, "Babylonia Wi…
Drum Method
The raging drums scorch the times. Accompanied by a whirlwind of young talents, Takeshi Inomata proudly heralds the arrival of the golden age of jazz-rock. Takeshi Inomata, a drummer who led the jazz scene in Japan with his precise stick work and musicality that looked ahead to the times. At the end of the 1960s, he was influenced by brass rock, which was flourishing at the time, and formed Sound Limited.
"I want to fuse jazz and rock and bring together young musicians to do music with vitality,…
Kiso
"Kiso", "Asama", "Hakuba" and "Hida". He recalls the landscapes of his past and carefully weaves his feelings and emotions into the music. This work is one of the pinnacles that Akira Miyazawa has reached.
Trio By Trio + 1
Yosuke Yamashita, Itaru Oki, Yuji Ohno, and Kimiko Kasai. An astonishing jazz workshop with a never-before-seen encounter. Japanese jazz was so sharp and original.
Debut
This is the first album by Takao Uematsu, who played in the George Otsuka Group. His blackness of blowing, spirit and technique, which are directly descended from Joe Henderson, set him apart from other Japanese players.
Step!
A memorable first album by the very accomplished yet restrained artist, Naosuke Miyamoto. Thrilling straight-ahead jazz with Takashi Furuya and other Kansai-based members!
Midnight Sugar
This is the monumental first album by Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, who later became one of the two major artists on the TBM label along with Isao Suzuki. A groovy and heartwarming popular disc by the Japanese piano trio
Green Caterpillar
Previous album, "Brow Up," which made it known to the jazz world, this is Isao Suzuki's second album. You can enjoy the interplay with the Watanabe Kazumi, ...etc. This is a masterpiece of one creature.
Magnificent Little Dudes Vol. 2
Chihei Hatakeyama, who has become a leading figure in the ambient/drone music scene in Japan, has now announced his second collaboration with jazz drummer Shun Ishiwaka. The two had been sharing the stage together in live performances since meeting on a radio show recording, and in May 2024 they released the first of a two-part series, "Magnificent Little Dudes Vol.1", and this is the second installment.This album includes the album's opening track, “M3,” featuring award-winning British cellist …