Hozan Yamamoto + Masabumi Kikuchi - Silver World

 One of those rare records that are defined as "hauntingly  beautiful." This record was laid down when I was twelve tears old. 45 years later, I find myself mesmerized. A wooden flute really? Isn't the night sky beautiful, the clouds, the stars...the music.


1. Prologue
2. Silver World
3. Stone Garden of the Ryoan Temple
4. A Heavy Shower
5. Sawanee
6. Epilogue

Hozan Yamamoto - bamboo flute
Masabumi Kikuchi - piano
Gary Peacock - bass
Hiroshi  Murikami - drums

recorded 10/15-20/70

yosuke yamashita / adelhard roidinger - inner space

 Another duo lp by Yamashita. Another excursion into the ozone. Amazing lp that rides the wave between cool and just a little weird. Perfect for a cool autumn night.



1. Country Walk
2. Tight Pants
3. Soft Waltz
4. Green Wave


Yosuke Yamashita - piano
Adelhard Roidinger - bass


recorded 6/24/77

Terumasa Hino Sextet - Fuji

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Here's a rare weeknight posting, but crisp fall weather is in the air, a large glass of bourbon and a sit out on the porch culminated with this lp.
 I came of age in the 70's, learned to dig jazz by the end of the decade. Bet yer ass I never heard this.
 Liner notes tell us the this 1975 lp was Hino's first US release as a leader. All the hipster's though were aware of him a couple of years earlier. Guess I missed out on that part. Probably bought a Yes lp instead.
 Just the same I love this lp that sounds very much of its time (little electric guitar, little electric piano) in a way I never appreciated back then. Then again, I'm pretty sure this record wasn't carried by my local hippie co-op records and tapes joint.


1. Be and Know
2. Reaction
3. Fuji
4. A Child Is Born

Terumasa Hino - trumpet
Takao Uematsua - tenor sax
Mikio Masuda - electric piano
Kiyoshi Sugimoto - guitar
Yoshio Ikeda - bass
Motohiko Hino - drums


Catalyst Records Cat-7901

Terumasa Hino - Taro's Mood

I'll step away from lps by our Japanese friends for awhile after this one, I promise. But there are so many damn good recordings, check out a couple of the blogs listed in the side bar, they really have it covered.

This is a particularly great one one that I haven't seen make an appearance elsewhere. Three workouts with the side long final track the real star.

1. Alone, Alone and Alone
2. Taro's Mood
3. Predawn

Terumasa Hino - trumpet
Mikio Masuda - piano
Yoshio Ikeda - bass
Motohiko Hino - drums
Yuji Imamura - conga

recorded live at jazzclub domicile, munich, germany.  7/29/73

vinyl rip

Togashi-Yamashita Duo - Kizashi

Another from the wonderful pianist Yosuke Yamashita, this time in a duo setting with masterful drummer Masahiko Togashi. Impressive stuff .
 The outstanding blog barabara sounds put this up a few years ago. I wish I had known that sooner, as I would have been listening to it the last couple of years. Don't know if it is still there, they have been sadly quiet for awhile.
 Still I landed a nice copy and I thought it was time to share some of the jazz I been digging so much lately with my friends.
 Dig these duets, kids. Yeah there's more solo drum than necessary but the whole damn thing is barely a couple of drinks long and the piano kicks ass. They pulled off a live version of this lp that I would love to hear.

1. Action
2. May green
3. Nostalgia
4. Feelin' Spring
5. Duo Dance
6. We Now Singing

Masahiko Togashi - percussion
Yosuke Yamashita - piano

recorded 4/15-17/80, Tokyo

vinyl rip

Yosuke Yamashita - solo piano

Time and weather influence your listening choices. It's true, just think about it. Anyway it's just before midnight, it's lightly raining after storming all evening. I'm on the back porch hanging mellow. Bourbon in hand, I'm totalling digging some solo piano which just seems perfect right now.

But I chose to not go down the backroads of america but to venture to the land of the rising sun. I been digging this jazz from japan for the last few years. The good stuff is hard to come by, the great stuff...ridiculous.

 Here's a couple of really good solo piano lps. These are a bit more laid back than Yamashita's trio stuff, but perfectly played for a night like this.

The lps are " Alone" and "Breathtake"

Alone
1. Flight Of The Autumn Leaves
2. Communication
3. Paraphrase
4. Closing Theme

recorded Toshicenter Hall, Tokyo, 3/14/74

Breathtake
1. Roihani
2. Echo
3. Mina's Second Theme
4. Breathtake
5. Entlam
6. It Will Be Forever
7. Turning Point

recorded Munich Union Studio 1975

Makoto Ozone - s/t

So this is the 1st lp by pianist Makoto Ozone.Seems an odd instrumental line up for an opening shot. It's a particularly quiet lp seeing as how the dude put out a couple of real swinging sides over the next decade or so.The inclusion of Gomez might lead to some Bill Evans comparisons, and you may be right. Not necessarily a bad place to start.

I kinda dig the line up but I really have to be in the right mood for it, not just a drop and play lp. I really don't see it offered much so I do what I can cats.

1. Crystal Love

2. I Need You Here

3. Flight

4. Endless Seasons Part 1

5. Endless Seasons Part 2

6. Improvisation

Makoto Ozone - piano
Gary Burton - vibraphone
Eddie Gomez - bass

Columbia BFC 39624
recorded 1984