A wonderful little record from pianist Joanne Brackeen – unlike anything the artist ever recorded, as it's just a set of duets with guitarist Ryo Kawasaki, who brings in some really beautiful elements to the mix! Ryo plays an acoustic nylon string guitar, but with a dexterity that most other players would use on electric – and the balance of his instrument with Brackeen's piano is sublime – full of colors and imaginative tones, but also a fair degree of rhythmic impulses too – which guide the duo in ways that are completely refreshing throughout! And yes, Ryo could be slick on other records, but he's definitely not here – and instead finds a special space alongside those choppy blocks of sound that Joanne plays so well. Titles include a great reading of Kawasaki's "Trinkets & Things" – plus "Shadowbrook Air", "Spring Of Things", "Fair Weather", "Whim Within", and "Winnie & Woodstock". LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic from Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – a sweet batch of Japanese fusion tracks, with lots of nice work on guitar, keyboards, and reeds! Like a lot of Ryo's other albums from the time, the record blends together jazzy riffing with some smoother R&B touches – but still manages to keep things nice and hard overall, especially on the best tracks – a vibe that's more CTI than some of the later Japanese fusion of the 70s! The lineup includes Sam Morrison on tenor and soprano sax, Andy Laverne on piano and keyboards, and Phil Clendininn on a bit of extra Arp – and titles include the great slow funk number "On The Dot", plus "Montevideo", "Good Night John", and "El Diablo". CD

One of the few American releases by this legendary Japanese fusion artist – and a pretty funky little record as well! Ryo Kawasaki plays lead guitar and the very cool "string synthesizer" on the set – making for a sweet mix of electric grooves that has some really great spacey touches! Tracks have a core funky base at the bottom – grooving in a mode that's tight, but never too slick – and which allows just the right amount of space to make the album work in equal parts electric jazz and funky fusion. The whole thing's great, and tracks include the great sample cut "Bamboo Child", the nice break cut "Raisins", plus other nice groovers like "East Side Boogie", and "El Toro". CD

One of the few American releases by this legendary Japanese fusion artist – and a pretty funky little record as well! Ryo Kawasaki plays lead guitar and the very cool "string synthesizer" on the set – making for a sweet mix of electric grooves that has some really great spacey touches! Tracks have a core funky base at the bottom – grooving in a mode that's tight, but never too slick – and which allows just the right amount of space to make the album work in equal parts electric jazz and funky fusion. The whole thing's great, and tracks include the great sample cut "Bamboo Child", the nice break cut "Raisins", plus other nice groovers like "East Side Boogie", and "El Toro". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early work from guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – a set that's got a leaner, meaner feel than some of his more polished later work – at a level that really lets Kawasaki shine throughout! The vibe is maybe a bit like CTI, but looser and more free – with wonderful colors and tones from Kawasaki as he finds his way on the album through a surprising range of styles – with great accompaniment from keyboardist Phil Clenninn, who plays Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and even some noisier Arp at times! The group also features Herb Bushler on bass, Buddy Williams on drums, Abdullah on percussion, and a young Steve Turre on shells – and titles include "Bridge Moon", "Bridge Sun", "Angana", and "Joni". CD

One of the wildest sets ever recorded by Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – and that's saying a lot, given some of his other work! The vibe here is fusion, but with a definite 80s spacey twist that's hinted at by the cover – as Kawasaki handles most of the instruments himself, mixing his cool guitar lines with keyboards, rhythm patterns, and other elements – all in a wonderful wave of sound, almost similar to some of the Japanese electronic instrumental work of the time, but still very jazz-oriented overall! Titles include a nice reading of "Concierto De Aranjuez" – plus "Cancion Del Fuego Fatuo", "Introduction From Schelomo", "A Felicidade", "Marilyn", "Mercy Of The Dragon", "Hawaiian Caravan", and "Twilight Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Gil plays Jimi? Sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off pretty darn great – and it helps you forgive him for trying to convince the kids that he's not as old as his grey hair might make you think! As always with Evans, the key to the album is a beautiful balance between the strength of the players and vision of the arrangements – a hip mix of musicians who include Billy Harper on tenor and flute, Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, and both Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie on guitars! Arrangements are great too – handled by Tom Malone, Warren Smith, and Howard Johnson – all of whom make the album way more than just an instrumental reading of Jimi Hendrix tunes – and instead a great platform for improvisation that uses tunes that include "Up From The Skies", "Foxy Lady", "Gypsy Eyes", "Voodoo Chile", "Angel", "Crosstown Traffic", and "Castles Made of Sand". Plus, the CD features 4 bonus alternate tracks – not on the original album! CD

A pretty great 70s album from Gil Evans – a set that's got some great use of electric instrumentation, and a mighty groove on the best cuts! The overall approach is different than the early modernist sound of Gil Evans, but still very striking – a 70s equivalent to Gil's famous 60s work – and as always with Evans, the players in the ensemble are impeccably well-chosen – as the lineup includes Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Billy Harper on tenor, Ryo Kawasaki on guitar, and a young Dave Sanborn handling the solos. Includes the odd spacey Tony Williams number "There Comes A Time", plus a cover of Hendrix's "Little Wing" – both of which have vocals by Peterson. Other tracks include "Aftermath Of The Fourth Movement Children Of The Fire", "Anita's Dance", and "Makes Her Move". CD

The first-ever western collection of work from Japanese jazz giant Jiro Inagaki – a great saxophonist in his own right, and a real master of the groove with his Soul Media band! The double-length set is overflowing with gems from the golden age of Jiro and that group – tunes that effortlessly mix together acoustic and electric elements, with occasional nods to Japanese cultural styles – all at a level that's every bit as groovy as European work from the MPS/Saba generation! Jiro blows tenor, soprano, and flute on the tracks – and other players include the great Norio Maeda on organ, Hiromasa Suzuki on electric piano, and Ryo Kawasaki on guitar – on titles that include "Wandering Birds", "That's How I Feel", "Sniper's Snooze", "Head Rock", "Breeze", "Twenty One", "By The Red Stream", "Back Off Boogaloo", "Theme", "Express", "Barock", and "Painted Paradise". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a staid sort of cover, one that hides all the great funky energy underneath – as the set's a killer album from Japanese drummer Takeshi Inomata, working here with his Sound Ltd group in a wonderful blend of jazz, funk, and psychedelic mode! There's a fantastic swirling of elements going on here – including guitar from a young Ryo Kawasaki, plus trumpet from Shunzo Ohno, flute from Toshiako Yokota, and tenor from Takao Uematsu – as well as trombone from Takashi Imai, who handled the arrangements with Inomata and Norio Maeda. The record is a key evolution of the late 60s Japanese way of serving up new jazz takes on American hits – as the record is funky, yet filled with original material that really pushes the boundaries – on titles that include "It Better End Soon", "Sometimes In Winter", "South California Purples", "Tell All The People", "Tag 5 Tune", and "Pacific C55". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet session of Japanese fusion – one that features guitarist Hiroki Miyano working in the US with arrangements from Teo Macero! The sound here is bright and sunny – somewhat polished, but never too much so – in the best Japanese fusion styles of the time. And although we don't normally associate Macero with this sort of a record, his help on arrangements is really great here – bringing a nice sort of depth to the record that really surprised us. Other players include Ryo Kawasaki on guitar, Marcus Miller on bass, Dave Valentin on flute, Warren Bernhardt on Fender Rhodes, and Jorge Dalto on drums – and possibly best of all, singer Ilana Morillo joins the group on three tracks, singing in a cool wordless way that has some great traces of Brazilian fusion! Titles include "Manhattan Skyline", "Go Away From Summer", "Song Of Clouds", "Slow Down For Love", "Sunset City", and "Teo's Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty great little fusion set from saxophonist Sam Morrison – as slinky, sloping, and seductive as the title – and a record that might have been right at home on CTI! The album features all original tunes by Morrison – played with a very cool group that includes Al Foster on drums, Buster Williams on bass, Mike Wolf on Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano, and Ryo Kawasaki on guitar. Morrison shifts effortlessly between soprano, flute, and tenor – working in a mode that's choppy, but never too over the top – dancing along in a lyrical, soulful mode! Titles include "Wonder", "Dune", "Song Of Landa", and "I Knew It Right Away". CD

Chip Shelton on flutes – with Onaje Allan Gumbs on piano, Ryo Kawasaki on guitar, Lynn Seaton on bass, Greg Buford on drums, and Everald Borwn and Daoud David Williams on percussion. CD

Soulful fusion from the mighty Tarika Blue – a group who recorded for the Chiaroscuro label around the same time that James Mason gave the imprint his classic Rhythm Of Life album – recording here in a sound that's not only a bit like James, but which also features his guitar on a number of tracks! The group's way different than the standard fusion acts of the time – as they blend together spiritual currents that allow for breezier instrumentation – sounds that take off to the skies, while still grooving at the core – thanks to an excellent lineup that also includes guitar from Ryo Kawasaki and soprano sax from Justo Almario! The core of the group features Philip Clendeninn on Fender Rhodes and Arp, with bass from Barry Coleman and drums from Kevin Atkins – and the record's got some very James Mason-like vocals at some points, from singers Dolores Smith and Irene Datcher. Titles include "Jimi", "My Love Is So Free", "Love It", "Dreamflower", "Things Spring", "Truth Is The Key", and "Charlie". LP, Vinyl record album

A real revelation from pianist Cedar Walton – an unusual electric album from the 70s – quite a surprise, given the mostly-acoustic sound of most of Cedar's other records! The album's a killer, though – and has this fresh, full take on funky jazz for the time – not the usual CTI copycat mode, and instead this compelling hybrid of elements that includes lots of Fender Rhodes from Walton, sweet guitar likes from Ryo Kawasaki, and lots of rootsy percussion from Ray Mantilla and Omar Clay – two players who really make the album nice and earthy at the bottom. The rest of the group is wonderful, too – and includes tenor from Frank Foster, alto and baritone from Charles Davis, and trumpet from Roy Burrowes – all fresh players who open up a big can of soul for the set – on titles that include a classic break version of "Off Minor", plus "Blue Trane", "Soho", and "Road Island Red". LP, Vinyl record album

Two killers from Cedar Walton – back to back on a single CD! First up is Mobius – a real revelation from pianist Cedar Walton – an unusual electric album from the 70s – quite a surprise, given the mostly-acoustic sound of most of Cedar's other records! The album's a killer, though – and has this fresh, full take on funky jazz for the time – not the usual CTI copycat mode, and instead this compelling hybrid of elements that includes lots of Fender Rhodes from Walton, sweet guitar likes from Ryo Kawasaki, and lots of rootsy percussion from Ray Mantilla and Omar Clay – two players who really make the album nice and earthy at the bottom. The rest of the group is wonderful, too – and includes tenor from Frank Foster, alto and baritone from Charles Davis, and trumpet from Roy Burrowes – all fresh players who open up a big can of soul for the set – on titles that include a classic break version of "Off Minor", plus "Blue Trane", "Soho", and "Road Island Red". Beyond Mobius is a great electric set from Cedar Walton – and a set that moves beyond his previous Mobius album, in case you couldn't guess from the title! The style here is a bit more tightly arranged – with some backup vocals on a few cuts, which underscore the core jazzy elements from Walton on a range of keyboards and synth, Eddie Harris on tenor, and Blue Mitchell on trumpet – all grooved together with some tight guitar lines from Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree! Keyboards definitely get some great solo time in the spotlight, but the overall sound is quite strong too – a nice instrumental funk approach, save for the added chorus vocals in a few spots. Titles include the moogy "Beyond Mobius", a cover of "Low Rider", and the tracks "Jive Talkin", "The Girl With The Discotheque Eyes", and "Lonely Cathedral". CD

One of the best sets of jazzy grooves we've heard in ages! This one pushes way past the usual batch of funky hammond cuts and goes for a mighty soulful sound that encompases a wide range of styles and emotions. The overall groove is quite sophisticated, and Dr. Bob Jones has done a heck of a job in selecting cuts that have been favorites of the world groove scene for the past decade or so. Some of these cuts appeared on compilations years ago, but this is the first time they've been out legit, and for many other tracks, it's the first time that they've been included anywhere. There's 18 tracks in all, and titles include "Little B's Poem" by Dee Dee Bridgewater, "The Hipster" by Harold McNair, "Ridin High (parts 1 & 2)" by Bobby Cooke Quartet, "Babete" by Made In Brasil, "No Man No" by Bill Reddie, "Birimbau" by Os Maracatu, "Soulin With The Rivieras" by Julius Jones, "See You Later" by Joanne Grauer, "Panamanian Aire" by Byron Morris, "Stormy Jazzmin Part 2" by Stormy Jazzmin, "Baja Run" by Don Randi & Quest, "Better Than Anything" by Julie Kelly, "Trinkets & Trash" by Ryo Kawasaki, and "Seeds" by Sahib Shihab. Very nice, and chock full of goodies! CD