Japanese — LPs 
A special section of Japanese language records -- city pop, J-pop, and other styles unique to the culture of Japan!
Columbia (label)
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(Items 1 – 21 of 21)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1969. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $24.99 54.99
The drums are definitely exciting here – really tight rhythms that drive most of these cuts into a funky frenzy – even if the groove is more based on American soul of the late 60s than the African rock promised in the title! Most of the tunes are covers, but remade here as really hip ... (Jazz, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Mieko Hirota —
In My Feeling ... LP Columbia (Japan), 1977. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
One of the more soulful albums ever cut by Japanese vocalist Mieko Hirota – a set that mixes her warmly raspy style with some equally warm electric backings – all with a vibe that's a bit like Esther Phillips' albums for Kudu Records! Arrangements are by Hiromasa Suzuki and Kiyoshi ... (Vocalists, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited RSD issue from 2022, with obi and insert. Cover has light ringwear.)
Kimiko Kasai with Herbie Hancock —
Butterfly ... LP Columbia/Be With (UK), 1979. New Copy (reissue)... $36.99 39.99
A legendary pairing of talents – as Japanese jazz singer Kimiko Kasai works alongside Herbie Hancock – in a setting that's very much on the soul side of the spectrum! Both Herbie and Kimiko started out with a straighter jazz sound in their early years – but by the end of the 70s, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Yoko Maeno —
Twilight (2024 Record Store Day Release) ... LP Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1982. New Copy ... $39.99 49.99
A jazzy bit of city soul from Yoko Maeno – a singer who's got a style that's partly like some of her Japanese contemporaries, and partly in a breathier mode – maybe a bit in territory that's like Jane Birkin and some other French singers of the 70s! The tunes have a nicely slinky vibe ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Nice Japanese pressing – with obi!)
Columbia/Soave (Italy), 1977. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 32.99
Back in the 70s, there were plenty of records that mixed together the Japanese shamisen with more contemporary sounds – but of them all, this set might well be one of the wildest – as it features two side-long tracks that mix the acoustic strings of the ancient instrument with a mix of ... (Out Sound, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1976. New Copy (reissue)... $39.99 49.99
Really cool work on shakuhachi – and a set that's way more than just the ballads you might expect from the title! Japanese reed player Kifu Mitsuhashi definitely uses some older modes here, and begins the set as such – but as the record moves on, more contemporary instrumentation comes ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Special Japan Record Day Release – with obi!)
Kifu Mitsuhashi with Yamaya Kiyoshi —
Shakuhachi – Ballads Of The Village ... LP Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1976. New Copy (reissue)... $39.99 49.99
A great blend of funky jazz and wooden flute – the Japanese shakuhachi reed instrument, blown by Kifu Mitsuhashi here – then mixed with some larger backings that almost have a CTI Records sort of groove! The approach is similar to some of the best 70s projects from Hozan Yamamoto ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Special Japan Record Day Release – with obi!)
Hiroshi Miyagawa —
Farewell Space Battleship Yamato – Warriors of Love Drama Edition ... LP Columbia (Japan), 1978. Near Mint- 2LP ... Out Of Stock
Way more than just another anime soundtrack – as this set features dialog from the film too! LP, Vinyl record album
Toshiyuki Miyama —
Tuchi No Oto-Nihon Densetsu No Naka ... LP Columbia/Cobra Rose (South Korea), 1973. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... Out Of Stock
A damn funky little album – even if we can't read any of the titles or notes on the cover! The whole thing's completely in Japanese – leaving our English-skilled eyes at a loss – but our ears are more than happy with the sounds coming out of the disc – some incredible funk ... (Jazz, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Toshiyuki Miyama & His New Herd —
Nio & Pigeon (Niou To Hato) (green vinyl pressing) ... LP Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1972. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $42.99 48.99
Toshiyuki Miyama really makes the New Herd cook with this cool 70s session – a smoker of a large group date, and one with a great mix of funky rhythms and complicated instrumentation! The set's got a feel that's as exotic as its cover, yet comes across with a solid, soulful punch throughout ... (Jazz, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Nice Japanese pressing – with obi!)
Columbia/Mondo Groove (Italy), 1981. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 29.99
Lovely work from Eri Ohno – one of the deeper voiced singers in the city pop generation, and an artist who's able to work here with a nice mix of soulful styles! The record's got some leaner backings than other projects of this nature – really just a small combo, pictured with Eri on ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Akira Ozawa with Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media —
Greece Ni Tsuite Kakareta Hon ... LP Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1973. New Copy (reissue)... Out Of Stock
Bassist Akira Okazawa works here with a leaner version of the Soul Media group of reedman Jiro Inagaki – a sweet little set that has Jiro on tenor, soprano, and flute – and some mighty nice work on organ from Norio Maeda! Akira sings on many numbers, in both English and Japanese, in ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Great Japanese pressing – with obi!)
Hiromasa Suzuki —
Sea Triton ... LP Columbia (Japan), 1977. Near Mint- Gatefold ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
A great anime soundtrack from Hiromasa Suzuki – sometimes a jazz artist, but sounding great here for the project! (Soundtracks, Japanese) LP, Vinyl record album
(In a very cool gatefold cover with booklet – includes obi!)
Towa Tei —
Touch ... LP Columbia (Japan), 2023. New Copy ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
Really wonderful work from Towa Tei – an artist who's lost none of the charms that first made us fall in love with him when he was a member of Deee Lite! As with his earlier solo material, this set's got a wonderful combination of sounds, samples, and styles – that quality that has ... (New Grooves, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Great Japanese pressing – with obi!)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1971. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $42.99 52.99
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 ... (Jazz, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Heavy Japanese pressing – with obi!)
Columbia/Lawson (Japan), 1974. New Copy (reissue)... $39.99 48.99
There's plenty of funky steps here, thanks to a lean 70s fusion groove – served up by a Japanese combo who are heavy on keyboards and guitar! There's almost a CTI-like vibe to the record at times, especially as the rhythms are nice and spacious, and avoid any of the full-on fusion modes that ... (Jazz, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Great Japanese pressing – with obi!)
Columbia (Japan), New Copy ... About July 10, 2024
... LP, Vinyl record album
Denon/Lawson (Japan), 1976. New Copy (reissue)... $39.99 49.99
A really cool record from the Japanese scene of the 70s – one that mixes traditional instrumentation with some high fidelity recording styles – then adds in just the right dash of contemporary elements too! The set's not as all-out funky as others like it from the time, but does rise ... read more LP, Vinyl record album
Toshiko Yonekawa, Kiyoshi Yamaya, & Contemporary Sound Orchestra —
Tapestry – Koto & The Occident Country ... LP Columbia/Cinedelic (Italy), 1976. New Copy (reissue)... Temporarily Out Of Stock
An incredibly cool use of the koto – that stringed Japanese instrument that got some great reworking in the 70s, thanks to hip records like this! The instrument is set up here amidst some sophisticated larger arrangements – in a way that almost takes off from some of the Dorothy Ashby ... (Jazz, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition pressing, with obi!)
Toshiko Yonekawa, Kiyoshi Yamaya, & Contemporary Sound Orchestra —
Tapestry – Koto & The Occident Hillside ... LP Columbia/Cinedelic (Italy), 1976. New Copy (reissue)... Temporarily Out Of Stock
A deceptively groovy record – one that, like the other two in this hip series, hides some very cool sounds behind a relatively unassuming cover! Toshiko Yonekawa plays the Japanese koto, but the setting here is very different than the spare, folksy mode of earlier koto records – as ... (Jazz, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
Toshiko Yonekawa, Kiyoshi Yamaya, & Contemporary Sound Orchestra —
Tapestry – Koto & The Occident Sea ... LP Columbia/Cinedelic (Italy), 1976. New Copy (reissue)... Temporarily Out Of Stock
One of the coolest Japanese albums of the 70s to blend classic instrumentation and contemporary elements – a record that's got plenty of the koto promised in the title, but which also serves up the music with a wonderfully rich vibe throughout! The style is more in sophisticated soundtrack ... (Jazz, Japanese) read more LP, Vinyl record album
(Items 1 – 21 of 21)
