A fantastic criss-crossing of modes – free jazz, funk, big band, and fusion – all styles that were blooming big on the Japanese scene of the 70s – wrapped up and reworked here into something new entirely! The set's a live one, and features extended performances from a range of great players who were key to the scene at the time – coming together here under the leadership of keyboardist Shumko Mizuno on the first half, and working with the New Herd of Toshiyuki Miyama on the second! Mizuno wrote all three tracks – and plays both keyboards and drums on the first – alongside a shifting lineup of players who include Seiichi Nakamura on tenor, Kenji Mori on alto, Hideto Kanai on bass, and Kazumi Watanabe on guitar! Titles include the avant "Dum", the sharper "Concentration", and the side-long jam "Jazz Orchestra 75 Part 2". CD

A really striking mix of straight jazz and avant moments – served up here by a Japanese ensemble who were definitely ahead of the curve for their generation! The record stands as one of a handful of excellent Japanese dates of this sort – music that really pushes the boundaries of the jazz orchestra format – maybe not in the way of an improvising orchestra, but with colors, tones, and instrumental passages that move in modes that are far past the modern jazz groups of this type from the 50s and 60s! The set features work by some great soloists – Terumasa Hino on trumpet, Kenji Mori on alto, Hideto Kanai on bass, Masayuki Takayanagi on guitar, Shuko Mizuno on organ, and Joe Mizuki on percussion – and although the whole thing works well as a whole, the second half breaks out into a few more swinging moments. CD