Funky, fuzzy, and outta site – a really wonderful set of extended psychedelic jazz numbers from twin tenorists Takeru Muraoka and Takao Uematsu! The set's billed as a live tenor "battle" on the cover – but it's hardly the sort of record that you'd hear from American players in this mode – no bebop jams, and instead some great soul and funk-influenced lines on the horns, served up over rhythm from a trio that features electric piano, electric bass, and drums from the mighty Motohiko Hino! There's a nice degree of fuzz on the saxes at times (are they using some effects pedals?) – and the long tunes really open up with a wicked groove that feels like some lost US jazz funk album from the early 70s. Titles include "Happy Birth", "Listen Here", "Hot Sunday", and "CC Rider". (Jazz, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet masterpiece of 70s AOR from Japan – served up by Tatsuro Yamashita, who was easily one of the most soulful male singers on the scene in the years before city pop! The record's got a jazzy vibe that's great, and which really fits the R&B-inspired midtempo rhythms – almost as if Wayne Henderson had a hand in putting the whole thing together, similar to some of his late 70s productions for Fantasy Records – but with some occasional 80s touches that also hint at changes to come in the next decade. Vocals are all in Japanese, but the record's got a very universal appeal – and titles include "Rainy Walk", "Funky Flushin", "Hot Shot", "Touch Me Lightly", "Yellow Cab", "Nightwing", and "Full Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Japanese club music from the disco years onward – but a set that's got a very universal appeal in the rhythms! The vocals are mostly in Japanese, but the arrangements, production, and instrumentation here resonate strongly with the best that New York or Philly had to offer during the disco generation – a well-done blend of funky grooves with some slightly larger instrumentation, all of which sends home the soulful vocals in a way that hardly makes you notice they're not singing in English! All of the tracks here are from rare albums – similar to the Wamono Jazz compilations – and titles include "Birth Of The Odyssey" by Godiego, "This Is Hot" by Ikue Sakakibsara, "I Will Give You Samba" by Soul Media, "Woman In A Man's World" by Hatsumi Shibata, "Disco Great Tokyo" by Pink Parachute, "Krishna" by Yumi Murata, "Ame Wa Knife No Ya Sa" by Yoshito Machida & Godiego, and "Purple Shadow" by Hatsumi Shibata. (Funky Compilations, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album