"A high fidelity guide to the enchantment that awaits you in Japan, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore" – brought to you by Japan Air Lines. LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing jazz from Japan – a tremendous introduction to the 70s scene in Tokyo if you've never heard this music at all – and a package that also includes a fair bit of rare tracks, even if you're not a newcomer! The Japanese love of American jazz is no secret – and the music was spread widely there by American forces after WWII – but during the 70s, something really special happened, and the scene found a voice that was all its own – exploding with new energy to create sounds that were soulful, spiritual, and powerfully poetic! By the end of the 70s, Japanese fusion would get more global exposure – but most of the tracks here are acoustic, save for Fender Rhodes lines – and feature completely inventive, imaginative sounds – often set to grooves that are modal and spiritual too. A fantastic collection throughout – with tracks that include "Blind Man" by Shintaro Quintet, "White Fire" by Takao Uematsu, "Aya's Samba" by Eiji Nakayama, "Earth Mother" by Koichi Matsukaze, "Dead Letter" by Tohru Aizawa, "Kaze" by Takeo Moriyama, "Long Neal" by Kiyoshi Sugimoto, "Unknown Point" by Mitsuaki Katayama, and "Little Island" by Fumio Karashima. 3LP set features bonus tracks – "Sea Breeze" by George Otsuka and "Ode To Workman" by Terumasa Hino and Reggie Workman. LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing jazz from Japan – a tremendous introduction to the 70s scene in Tokyo if you've never heard this music at all – and a package that also includes a fair bit of rare tracks, even if you're not a newcomer! The Japanese love of American jazz is no secret – and the music was spread widely there by American forces after WWII – but during the 70s, something really special happened, and the scene found a voice that was all its own – exploding with new energy to create sounds that were soulful, spiritual, and powerfully poetic! By the end of the 70s, Japanese fusion would get more global exposure – but most of the tracks here are acoustic, save for Fender Rhodes lines – and feature completely inventive, imaginative sounds – often set to grooves that are modal and spiritual too. A fantastic collection throughout – with tracks that include "Blind Man" by Shintaro Quintet, "White Fire" by Takao Uematsu, "Aya's Samba" by Eiji Nakayama, "Earth Mother" by Koichi Matsukaze, "Dead Letter" by Tohru Aizawa, "Kaze" by Takeo Moriyama, "Long Neal" by Kiyoshi Sugimoto, "Unknown Point" by Mitsuaki Katayama, and "Little Island" by Fumio Karashima. 3LP set features bonus tracks – "Sea Breeze" by George Otsuka and "Ode To Workman" by Terumasa Hino and Reggie Workman. LP, Vinyl record album

A great piano trio set from the start of the 60s – performed by a Japanese player we know little about! Hachidai Nakamura isn't a name that we remember from many other records, but on this beautifully-titled record he steps forth with a command of the keys that's really wonderful – a sound that's got a mix of soulfulness and sensitivity that reminds us a fair bit of Red Garland on Prestige, but which also seems to get a bit more kick here from the bolder lines of Hachiro Kurita on bass and Jimmy Takeuchi on drums. Titles are all in Japanese, but most seem to be originals – and Hachidai's got a sharp-edged way of stating his intentions on the tunes, then leaping into the groove with a freer sort of solo. CD presents the original album, beautifully remastered – with stereo and mono takes of all titles! LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet funky fusion from the Japanese scene at the end of the 70s – work that's all from the mighty Electric Bird label, an imprint who were as important to Japan as CTI/Kudu were in the US! As with that famous pairing of labels, Electric Bird helped artists find a new groove with a sweet electric mode – still very jazz-based, but with just the right influences from soul and funk as well – which helped some players hit a very cool vibe – including a few of American artists too, as Electric Bird were always one for cross-pollination between the scenes! There's an especially strong emphasis on keyboard lines – and titles include "Summer Time" by Yasuaki Shimizu, "Night Life" by Ronnie Foster, "Living In A City" by Toshiyuki Honda, "In The Sky" by Shunzo Ohno, "Let's Get Together" by Mikio Masuda, "Night Breeze" by Bobby Lyle, and "Space Traveler" by Katsutoshi Morizono. LP, Vinyl record album

A fishy little record from saxophonist Akira Miyazawa – but a great one too, and an indication that he was probably one of the greatest modernists on the Japanese scene of the time! The set's built around four long tracks – all played with a main focus on the tenor, handled here in a boldly confident, spiritually searching way that reminds us a fair bit of early Archie Shepp at his best. Akira's prone to angular tones, but never too much so – and although he's often concerned with carving lines out of sound and space, there's always a strong sense of soul and swing here – one that really keeps the record flowing! Other instrumentation includes piano, bass, drums, and a bit of percussion – and tracks include "Bull Trout", "Brown Trout", "Rainbow Trout", and "Ayu". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant pairing of talents – Brazilian trumpeter Marcio Montarroyos and the soulful Stone Alliance group of the 70s – coming together here in Rio with extra help from Hermeto Pascoal on reeds, and added work from Brazilian musicians David Slon, Dom Bira, and Erasto De Holanda Vasconcelos! The style is tighter and harder than the usual Brazilian jazz of the time – a bit fusiony at points, but always with a richer vibe that's almost more in a 70s Latin jazz mode – maybe because of the strong bottom end from the trio of Gene Perla on bass, Don Alias on drums, and the mighty Steve Grossman on reeds! It's an especially nice treat to hear Grossman in this setting – a nice change from usual, but one that he really illuminates with his soulful lines – and titles include "Hey Bicho Vamos Nessa", "Risa", "The Greeting", "On The Foot Peg", "A Child Is Born" and "Libra Rising". LP, Vinyl record album

Sharp sounds from guitarist Jim Hall – a record that's filled with all the cool, complicated lines the musician could muster on his instrument – yet a record that also manages to swing a bit too! The sound here is a great evolution from the sound of Hall's music in the 50s – even more modern at most moments, with unique phrasing that shows just how much Jim continued to grow over the decades – delivered at a level that's very fresh, and without a debt to any other guitarist on the planet! Part of the album's unique feel comes from the large amount of original Hall compositions – interpreted by Jim with a trio that also features Don Thompson on piano and bass and Terry Clarke on drums – on titles that include "Kyoto Bells", "Echo", "Without Words", "Light", "Something For Now", and "Two Special People". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible pairing of two of the most important modern jazz talents of the 50s – trumpeter Clifford Brown and altoist Gigi Gryce – whose sense of structure on these tunes really gives Brownie a whole new space in which to shine! Gryce really seems to get at the mixture of sweetness and bite that Clifford can deliver when he's at his best – which comes through brilliantly in his solos, which are then matched by these raspy, soulful lines from Gryce on his alto. The group's a French one – and swing, but really let the American horn players take the lead – with Henri Renaud on piano, Jimmy Gourley on guitar, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Jean Louis Viale on drums. Tracks include "Baby", "Minority", "Salute To The Band Box" and "Strictly Romantic". LP, Vinyl record album