One of the few American releases by this legendary Japanese fusion artist – and a pretty funky little record as well! Ryo Kawasaki plays lead guitar and the very cool "string synthesizer" on the set – making for a sweet mix of electric grooves that has some really great spacey touches! Tracks have a core funky base at the bottom – grooving in a mode that's tight, but never too slick – and which allows just the right amount of space to make the album work in equal parts electric jazz and funky fusion. The whole thing's great, and tracks include the great sample cut "Bamboo Child", the nice break cut "Raisins", plus other nice groovers like "East Side Boogie", and "El Toro". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the wildest sets ever recorded by Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – and that's saying a lot, given some of his other work! The vibe here is fusion, but with a definite 80s spacey twist that's hinted at by the cover – as Kawasaki handles most of the instruments himself, mixing his cool guitar lines with keyboards, rhythm patterns, and other elements – all in a wonderful wave of sound, almost similar to some of the Japanese electronic instrumental work of the time, but still very jazz-oriented overall! Titles include a nice reading of "Concierto De Aranjuez" – plus "Cancion Del Fuego Fatuo", "Introduction From Schelomo", "A Felicidade", "Marilyn", "Mercy Of The Dragon", "Hawaiian Caravan", and "Twilight Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic from Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – a sweet batch of Japanese fusion tracks, with lots of nice work on guitar, keyboards, and reeds! Like a lot of Ryo's other albums from the time, the record blends together jazzy riffing with some smoother R&B touches – but still manages to keep things nice and hard overall, especially on the best tracks – a vibe that's more CTI than some of the later Japanese fusion of the 70s! The lineup includes Sam Morrison on tenor and soprano sax, Andy Laverne on piano and keyboards, and Phil Clendininn on a bit of extra Arp – and titles include the great slow funk number "On The Dot", plus "Montevideo", "Good Night John", and "El Diablo". CD

Excellent early work from guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – a set that's got a leaner, meaner feel than some of his more polished later work – at a level that really lets Kawasaki shine throughout! The vibe is maybe a bit like CTI, but looser and more free – with wonderful colors and tones from Kawasaki as he finds his way on the album through a surprising range of styles – with great accompaniment from keyboardist Phil Clenninn, who plays Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and even some noisier Arp at times! The group also features Herb Bushler on bass, Buddy Williams on drums, Abdullah on percussion, and a young Steve Turre on shells – and titles include "Bridge Moon", "Bridge Sun", "Angana", and "Joni". CD

One of the best albums ever from Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki – a set recorded with help from a hip array of American players who really help come up with a tight, soulful, electric groove! Kawasaki plays both electric and acoustic guitar – and as on other records, there's a strong dose of the organic that really sets his playing apart from other fusion artists of the time – a bit of exoticism, maybe, almost echoing some Japanese folk roots – but always focused more strongly into jazz-based territory. Artists on the set include Sam Morrison on flute and soprano sax, Larry Willis on Fender Rhodes, Alex Blake on bass, Badal Roy on tabla, and Steve Gorn on bamboo flute – and titles include the great track "Frostbite" – plus "Tane's Dream", "Bones", "Sombrero", "Sarabande", and "Suite In D". CD

Gil plays Jimi? Sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off pretty darn great – and it helps you forgive him for trying to convince the kids that he's not as old as his grey hair might make you think! As always with Evans, the key to the album is a beautiful balance between the strength of the players and vision of the arrangements – a hip mix of musicians who include Billy Harper on tenor and flute, Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, and both Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie on guitars! Arrangements are great too – handled by Tom Malone, Warren Smith, and Howard Johnson – all of whom make the album way more than just an instrumental reading of Jimi Hendrix tunes – and instead a great platform for improvisation that uses tunes that include "Up From The Skies", "Foxy Lady", "Gypsy Eyes", "Voodoo Chile", "Angel", "Crosstown Traffic", and "Castles Made of Sand". CD

A loving tribute to the late Charles Mingus – one that has a very different sound than the Mingus classics you might remember, thanks to inventive arrangements from Teo Macero! All tunes are originals by Teo, and they've got that shimmering large group style he first perfected in the 50s – updated here with contemporary keyboards from Mike Nock or Macero, and set to shifting horn patterns that are full of tone and color. Players include Pepper Adams, John Stubblefield, and Dave Liebman on saxes, Jon Faddis and Ted Curson on trumpets, Dave Valentin on flute, and Ryo Kawasaki on guitar – and titles include "Monk's Funk", "Open C", "Two Bits & A Piece", "Chill", and "Goodbye Mr Good Bass". LP, Vinyl record album

A real revelation from pianist Cedar Walton – an unusual electric album from the 70s – quite a surprise, given the mostly-acoustic sound of most of Cedar's other records! The album's a killer, though – and has this fresh, full take on funky jazz for the time – not the usual CTI copycat mode, and instead this compelling hybrid of elements that includes lots of Fender Rhodes from Walton, sweet guitar likes from Ryo Kawasaki, and lots of rootsy percussion from Ray Mantilla and Omar Clay – two players who really make the album nice and earthy at the bottom. The rest of the group is wonderful, too – and includes tenor from Frank Foster, alto and baritone from Charles Davis, and trumpet from Roy Burrowes – all fresh players who open up a big can of soul for the set – on titles that include a classic break version of "Off Minor", plus "Blue Trane", "Soho", and "Road Island Red". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty straight work from Ted Curson – recorded in the years 1978, 1979, and 1980 – featuring a number of groups, one of which features added trumpet work by Dizzy Reece! Curson's staying a bit more inside than on some of his other albums from the time – possibly because of the presence of Reece – but he still manages to hold his own, albeit with a bit less fire than before. The combos on the album make up for some interesting combinations that create strong modal grooves on the best tunes – and players include Ryo Kawasaki, Montego Joe, Jim McNeely, Sam Jones, and Roy Haynes. Titles include "Marjo", "Snake Johnson", "Pent Up House", "Walkin", "Lin's Garden", "Bass Conclave", and "All The Things You Are". CD

Gil plays Jimi? Sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off pretty darn great – and it helps you forgive him for trying to convince the kids that he's not as old as his grey hair might make you think! As always with Evans, the key to the album is a beautiful balance between the strength of the players and vision of the arrangements – a hip mix of musicians who include Billy Harper on tenor and flute, Marvin Hannibal Peterson on trumpet, and both Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie on guitars! Arrangements are great too – handled by Tom Malone, Warren Smith, and Howard Johnson – all of whom make the album way more than just an instrumental reading of Jimi Hendrix tunes – and instead a great platform for improvisation that uses tunes that include "Up From The Skies", "Foxy Lady", "Gypsy Eyes", "Voodoo Chile", "Angel", "Crosstown Traffic", and "Castles Made of Sand". CD

A pretty great little fusion set from saxophonist Sam Morrison – as slinky, sloping, and seductive as the title – and a record that might have been right at home on CTI! The album features all original tunes by Morrison – played with a very cool group that includes Al Foster on drums, Buster Williams on bass, Mike Wolf on Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano, and Ryo Kawasaki on guitar. Morrison shifts effortlessly between soprano, flute, and tenor – working in a mode that's choppy, but never too over the top – dancing along in a lyrical, soulful mode! Titles include "Wonder", "Dune", "Song Of Landa", and "I Knew It Right Away". CD

A treasure trove of Japanese jazz from the 70s – all originally issued by the groundbreaking East Wind label – not the first Japanese company to focus on jazz, but one who definitely helped move the scene a few steps forward with killer recordings like these! East Wind came in at a time when Japanese avant and fusion work was really picking up steam – and, combined with attention to earlier hardbop modes, the label was able to craft a fantastic catalog that allowed older and newer modes to resonate together strongly – usually with all-Japanese groups in the lineup, but sometimes also opening the door to American jazz musicians too – some of whom made some of their best records of the decade for East Wind! This well-done set focuses only on the Japanese artists recorded by the label – and features a special selection of tunes handled by Yusuke Ogawa, who did all the work for the Deep Jazz Reality series over the past 20 years or so. Titles include "Abundance" by Terumasa Hino, "Hip Dancin" by Isao Suzuki, "East Wind" by Masabumi Kikuchi, "Something's Coming" by Shunzo Ohno, "Minors Only" by Takehiro Honda, "Recollection" by Kosuke Mine, "Ring 4" by Masahiko Togashi, "Let's Get Together" by Mikio Masuda, "Episode" by Sadao Watanabe, "Green Dolphin Street" by Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, and "Montevideo" by Ryo Kawasaki. CD

A pretty great 70s album from Gil Evans – a set that's got some great use of electric instrumentation, and a mighty groove on the best cuts! The overall approach is different than the early modernist sound of Gil Evans, but still very striking – a 70s equivalent to Gil's famous 60s work – and as always with Evans, the players in the ensemble are impeccably well-chosen – as the lineup includes Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Billy Harper on tenor, Ryo Kawasaki on guitar, and a young Dave Sanborn handling the solos. Includes the odd spacey Tony Williams number "There Comes A Time", plus a cover of Hendrix's "Little Wing" – both of which have vocals by Peterson. Other tracks include "Aftermath Of The Fourth Movement Children Of The Fire", "Anita's Dance", and "Makes Her Move". 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". LP, Vinyl record album

Great set of hip-hop source sample tracks by the same folks who did the Strictly Breaks series. The vibe is moody and mellow, with tracks like "The Warnings" by David Axelrod, "On The Hill" by Oliver Sain, "Hogin Machine" by Les Baxter, "The Windmills Of Your Mind" by Dorothy Ashby, "Survival" by Annette Peacock, "Holding You, Loving You" by Don Blackman, and "Bamboo Child" by Ryo Kawasaki. 16 tracks in all, and all hip hop sample worthy. CD