An issue that definitely delivers on its promise of great hard bop records – as it offers up a visual discography of classic albums in the format – plenty of Blue Note gems, plus some overlooked records too – all with images of the covers in black and white, details in English, and reviews in Japanese! The issue has a short but beautiful color section at the start – then runs through its long hardbop feature, along with additional articles on key players in Japanese – plus other jazz columns and reviews, again in Japanese – but illustrated with black and white images throughout. 240 pages, squarebound, with black and white and color images. Book

This special issue of Jazz Critique looks at two key tenor players of the postwar years – Blue Note legend Hank Mobley, and the great Dexter Gordon, who moved from early fame on the LA scene to a key career stretch overseas! The issue offers up discographies of both players – with dozens of important sessions, both as leaders and sidemen – complete with images of the covers and details of the records in English – and lots more text in Japanese, which you can likely read using Google translate. There's lots more images throughout the issue – a color section at the start, and lots more enticing ones throughout the well-stuffed 208 pages within! Book

A very unusual issue of this long-running jazz magazine – one that offers up a special selection of 100 key albums that boast a two-horn quintet – that is, a five piece group with a trumpet and a sax player in the lineup! As with other issues, this one begins with a full color section that features full color thumbnails of all the albums featured, then moves into a black and white section that offers up more details – including players, labels, dates, titles, and other information in English – plus a short review in Japanese, which you can read using Google translate on your phone. The artists range nicely – albums run from 50s classics on Blue Note through 70s Japanese masterpieces, to some more contemporary albums – and there's also other features and reviews too – in a book-style package, 200 pages, with black and white images throughout. Book

BB King is a blues musician with a much richer story than most – one that's captured here in very vivid detail by the author, as he mixes together a wealth of historical research with quotations from interviews and other materials too – all of which really makes the long journey of BB King come alive, as he shifts from roots in the south to the Memphis scene, then California, then superstardom that made him one of the biggest blues figures of the 20th Century! There's a great flow to the book – down to earth details that really make you feel like you're following King on his rise to fame – yet the big section at notes also indicates that the author wasn't just throwing stories out there without any support, and did plenty to weave the whole thing together with an eye for the facts. Softcover edition is 481 pages, with some black and white images. Book

The cover image features a classic quartet date from trumpeter Blue Mitchell – and the issue looks at important records in a similar format – all of which feature either a saxophonist, trumpeter, or trombonist with a rhythm trio for backing! The issue follows the Jazz Critique mode and has a discography of nearly 100 albums – with album cover art and other text in English, and longer reviews on Japanese – all as part of this issue that has other Japanese articles on jazz topics both past and present, all graced with very nice black and white photos! 200 pages, book-style format, and a great layout and design. Book