Incredible work from the Japanese scene of the end of the 60s – a record that mixes together traditional instrumentation, bossa rhythms, and groovier jazz touches – all in a sublime blend that would have been a feather in the cap of A&M or Verve Records at the time! The work here is really unique – bits of koto and shakuhachi amidst the fuller, soaring backings of the New Herd of Toshiyuki Miyama – who themselves are supported by some extra Latin percussion! The mix of modes is wonderful – a strong bossa undercurrent that keeps the whole thing gliding along nicely – thanks in part also to a great array of tunes from Brazil, Europe, and the US. Titles include "Constant Rain", "Mas Que Nada", "Sunny", "Il Bacio", "Un Homme Et Une Femme", "Vivre Pour Vivre", and "Agua De Beber". (Jazz, Japanese) CD

Haunting music from Japanese singer Maki Asakawa – every bit as smoky and soulful as you might guess from her image on the cover! These tracks are mostly sung in Japanese, but draw a very strong inspiration from American torch sounds of the 40s and 50s – a moody, late nite approach that's got a very universal appeal, even if you can't understand the language – and which is filled with an undeniable sense of melancholy right from the first note! The style is partly jazz, but also moves into some groovier modes of the period too – traces of psych at some points, mod European-styled arrangements at others, and even a few funky currents that come off surprisingly well. The package is wonderful – a great introduction to Maki's most classic music, featuring a well-chosen array of tracks, and nice liner notes by Alan Cummings. Titles include "Blue Spirit Blues", "Govinda", "Nemuru No Ga Kowai", "Uramado", "Kamome", "Gogo", "Hikkoshi", "Konna Funi Sugite Iku No Nara", "Yuki Ga Furu", and "Zenkamono Na Christmas". LP, Vinyl record album

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". (Jazz, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album

A totally wonderful little record that's every bit as sexy as you might guess from the cover – and which also has some of the groovy French elements you might expect from the title! The set's got this slinky, erotic vibe that's almost in Serge Gainsbourg territory – save for the fact that the tunes are mostly instrumental, and Monica Lassen seems mostly on the set to moan, giggle, and make other expressions of pleasure as the set goes on – a bit like the presence of a woman on a sexy French record at the end of the 60s! The music is very cool, too – somewhere in a space between late 60s European soundtrack modes and bossa nova – with lots of cool organ lines, soulful sax, captivating rhythms, and cool effects that further underscore the sound of the set – on titles that include "Dalliance In Wave", "On Rollin Yacht", "A Lodge Of Joy", "Embrace Ment", "Path For Two", and "Che Vuole Quesat Musica Stasere". (Vocalists, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's definitely all woman – thanks to the sexy sounds of Monica Lassen on vocals! The singer works at a wordless level here – breezily scatting alongside these slinky, jazzy lines from The Sounds – a Japanese group who've clearly drunk deep from the well of bossa nova and European soundtrack influences of the 60s – and find a way to create their own small combo variation of those styles! The music has bits of organ, guitar, flute, and even what feels like electronics at points – and Monica's often more than content to step back, and let the group groove, then come in for a sigh, a moan, or a lighter vocalized passage. Titles are as sexy as the image on the cover – and include "Three Woman", "Love Touch", "Whimper", "Incitation", and "Happiness" – plus the long "Tie In/Double Bed/Enjoy Time". (Vocalists, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album of the legendary pianist Masahiko Sato – a musician who's got a way with a piano that's unlike anyone else we can think of – almost creating these sinister moments at times, which are balanced by occasional moments of warmth, amidst a very groundbreaking sense of freedom! At this point in his career, Sato is so different than American or European avant pianists – and there's a clarity to the performance here that really demonstrates his unique approach – supported by superb work from Yasuo Arakawa on bass and Masahiko Togashi on drums – both players who have these deeper, organic qualities that balance the sharper edges of the piano. All titles are originals – save for an unusual version of "Michelle" – and tracks include "Der Zweig Von Salzburg", "Palladium", and "Closing". (Jazz, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual album from the Japanese scene of the 80s – a set that was unissued at the time, but which is right in line with the other groundbreaking music of Yazuaki Shimizu! At some level, there's echoes of the instrumental experiments of Ryuichi Sakamoto going on here – but at another level, there's a feel that's colder, and more stark – almost like some of the cold wave elements of the European scene – which, when blended with a few occasional warmer aspects of the record, really makes for a sound that's wonderful! All tracks are instrumental, although it does feel like there's some processed vocals in the blend – and titles include "Ore No Umi", "Shiasate", "Peruvian Pink", "Ashita", "Asate", and "Kagerofu". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant set of spare duets between Japanese percussionist Masahiko Togashi and saxophonist Mototeru Takagi – both stretching out on an album-length performance that stands up to anything the European Free jazz scene was offering at the time! Togashi is amazing on the kit – very fast and deft, but with a great ear for more subtle moments along the way – a performance that's matched with this really searing quality from Takagi when he's let loose, but balanced with some spare subtle sounds at other moments, including a bit of flute. The sound is incredibly dark – and Togashi plays a range of percussion instruments, including vibes, timpani, marimba, and tubular bells! (Jazz, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album

The sweet image really gets at the wonderful sound of this record – a Japanese pop gem from the end of the 60s, and one that seems to mix together elements of bossa nova and European grooves – all in this way that really fits the way that the male and female vocals come together! The singers unite at points, separate at others – and they sound wonderfully dreamy amidst the well-penned arrangements that make the album a treasure throughout – especially if you dig innocent soft pop, ala Free Design! Lyrics are all in Japanese – and songs translate as "Beautiful Misunderstanding", "A Wonderful Bus Trip", "Suddenly One Day", "Lover's Talk", and "Beautiful Garden In My Memory". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great record from the Japanese scene of the 70s – one that seems to borrow a lot from the French pop styles of the late 60s – as you might guess from the group's name! Toi Et Moi are one guy singer, one gal – blending their Japanese vocals beautifully, with elements that move between lighter bossa elements and some fuller, more upbeat backings – a blend that makes the album a treasure through and through, and which gives it the same ability to transcend the boundaries of language as some of our favorite European work of the time! Lyrics are all in Japanese, and titles translate as "Love Token In A Spring", "June Bride", "Village In The Valley", "Ballad Of Rainbow & Snow", and "Beautiful Summer". LP, Vinyl record album

A really lovely little record from Japan – one that's got some slight elements of bossa nova in the backings, but also some European elements too – with a moody vibe that's really wonderful, and very much in keeping from the image on the cover! There's a strong current of melancholy that really makes the whole set shine – and the light vocals of Kazumi Yasui are somewhere in the late 60s territory of Nico and Astrud Gilberto, and almost given some Verve-like backings on the record from Kawachi Kunio, Makoto Kawaguchi, and others! Vocals and song titles are all in Japanese, but the record's got this universal appeal that's very different than so many other records of this type from the time. LP, Vinyl record album