If the cover image of a
Akira Miyazawa fishing in a trout stream wasn't already enough to make us love this one, the music on the disc certainly is – as the album's a real shining jewel in the Japanese jazz scene of the 60s, the kind of record that really set a whole new standard for the players involved!
Miyazawa's got a tone here that's really incredible – an approach to the alto that's a bit like Lou Donaldson during his bop years for Blue Note, but which is also recorded here with a great sense of space that echoes out wonderfully – even when
Akira's just doing a little. The group is relatively large, but all focused around
Miyazawa's horn – and other players include
Sadao Watanabe on flute and Masahiko Sato on piano. Titles include the great originals "Yamame" and "Fly Casting", plus "Out OF Nowhere", "Like Sonny", and "Le Crespuscule Enbaume".
(Out of print, includes obi.)