An early hardbop gem from Japanese trumpeter Terumasa Hino – quite different than you might think from his more famous work of the 70s – with a rolling, soulful groove that would almost be at home on 60s Blue Note! Given Hino's chosen instrument, we'd probably link this one best to some of the more creative late 60s sides from Lee Morgan – still with an ear for a hard-edge groove, but also stepping out a bit too – with work from Takeru Muraoka on tenor, Hiroshi Suzuiki on trombone, and Masabumi Kikuchi on piano. Cuts include a nice cover of Duke Pearson's "The Magilla", a groovy version of "Feelin' Good", and a trippy take on "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" – plus the tracks "And Satisfy" and "Mississippi Dip". Also features a bonus alternate take of "Trust Me Now". CD

A really great setting for the reed talents of the young Sadao Watanabe – as the music of Burt Bacharach and The Beatles give him a fresh showcase for his sound! The Bacharach material is handled a bit like Watanabe's take on bossa tunes – with fuller backings, but a strong focus on his lyrical solos – and the Beatles numbers are maybe a bit more groovy, especially as they include some surprising tracks from the later years of the group! Sadao plays both soprano sax and alto – and the instrumentation includes drums from Fumio Watanabe, trumpet from Terumasa Hino, and even a bit of organ and electric harpsichord from Kazuo Yashiro and Yoshio Suzuki! Titles include "Magical Mystery Tour", "I Am The Walrus", "Reach Out For Me", "Trains Boats & Planes", "The Look Of Love", and "Blue Jay Way". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best 60s albums ever from the legendary Toshiko Akioshi – a session recorded back in the US, with help from a quartet of American musicians! The album's got a strongly boppish feel overall – as Toshiko's piano comes into play with trumpet from Kenny Dorham, tenor and flute from Lew Tabackin, bass from Ron Carter, and drums from Mickey Roker – all working in a style that has a lot of dark corners and very subtle edges. Hints of Toshiko's later arranging styles creep into some of the tunes, but overall the work is relatively spontaneous and open – quite lyrical and points, especially on some of the original numbers that have some slightly Japanese themes alongside more conventional jazz progressions. Dorham's trumpet is obviously a great asset in a setting like this – and the record is one of his rarest appearances from the time. Titles include "The Night Song", "How Insensitive", "Phrygian Waterfall", "Let's Roll In Sake", and "Opus No Zero". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing "country" about this record – as Japanese guitarist Kiyoshi Sugimoto keeps things very hip and contemporary – working in a freely fluid style that also has a few funky touches as well! The group on the set is a quartet – with Kiyoshi's guitar amidst piano, bass, and drums – the last of which are played by Motohiko Hino with a nice little snap that brings a groove to the record, even when the tunes are long and open-ended. Sugimoto's got a richly chromatic way of playing the guitar that's really great – a sound that would have been very much at home on a Gary Burton album from the late 60s, but which comes across even better here in the wonderfully creative style of the session. Tracks are all longish, and titles include "D-51", "Limited Space", "Step Ahead", "The Apple", and "Country Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early album from Japanese drummer Masahiko Togashi, featuring a group that he co-led with trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki! The quintet's got a sound that's kind of a messed-up take on the Blue Note groove of the 60s – particularly the Lee Morgan rolling funky soul jazz sound of the middle part of the decade – and the record's got a unique tip that we really like a lot! Basically, the band starts out with a hardbop groove – but then will roll into solo moments that, while not entirely out, have a strange off-beat quality that's really fresh. Tetsu Sushimi is on trumpet – part of a trumpet/trombone frontline that weaves together nicely, along with some great piano work, and strong rhythm from Togashi. Titles include "Castle Cats", "Suzu No Uta", "Passion", and "Variation". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early album from Japanese drummer Masahiko Togashi, featuring a group that he co-led with trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki! The quintet's got a sound that's kind of a messed-up take on the Blue Note groove of the 60s – particularly the Lee Morgan rolling funky soul jazz sound of the middle part of the decade – and the record's got a unique tip that we really like a lot! Basically, the band starts out with a hardbop groove – but then will roll into solo moments that, while not entirely out, have a strange off-beat quality that's really fresh. Tetsu Sushimi is on trumpet – part of a trumpet/trombone frontline that weaves together nicely, along with some great piano work, and strong rhythm from Togashi. Titles include "Castle Cats", "Suzu No Uta", "Passion", and "Variation". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful bossa from the Japanese scene of the 60s – a live set from saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, cut during a run of excellent Brazilian inspired sessions at the time! The group on the set is a sextet with Masabumi Kikuchi on piano – and although a few tracks appear to have additional string backings, most of the instrumentation is from the core combo – recorded here on some slightly longer tracks than Watanabe's studio bossa from the same stretch. The format's not unfamiliar for the 60s, but comes off very nicely here – thanks to a really edgey tone in Sadao's horn, which makes the record a bit more unsettling than other mainstream bossa jazz sets. Titles include "Train Samba", "Doralici", "Meditation", "Song Of The Jet", "Mas Que Nada", and "Samba De Orfeo". CD

Freewheeling work from Japanese drummer George Otsuka – leading a trio here with pianist Hideo Ichikawa, a really great player who works with some of the soul jazz touches of American players of the 60s, but who also opens up with a more loosely expressive mode that points the way towards Japanese trio sessions of years to come! The album's got a nice balance of straight ahead and more exploratory modes – a bit like that of Steve Kuhn during the same stretch – but with a great sound that's definitely the group's own! The whole thing's great – very enigmatic and compelling – and titles include a 14 minute reading of "Green Dolphin Street", plus "Blues By Five", "Lament", and "Hot Cha". LP, Vinyl record album

Page three in the early chapter of drummer George Otsuka – and a record that has him stretching out even more than before! Back in the 60s, Otsuka was easily one of the most expressive leaders in Japan – an artist who held all the tightness that the scene had embraced earlier in the decade – yet who could really stretch out in ways that pointed towards Japanese piano trio freedom to come in the 70s! This album's a perfect example of the richness of Otsuka's skills – bold and modern some moments, yet swinging the next – lyrical at points, yet never sleepy – and always driven with this sense of majesty that few of his contemporaries on the scene could match. The group features sublime work on piano from Hideo Ichikawa and bass from Masaoki Terakawa – on titles that include "Sea View", "Breeze Brook & Birds", "Last Summer", and "The Things We Did Last Summer". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful bossa nova from 60s Japan – groundbreaking work from the young Sadao Watanabe! Like one of his obvious influences, Stan Getz, Watanabe had a great role in bringing the bossa nova out of Brazil – taking a music that had already been introduced to Japan a few years before, and giving it even wider exposure with his wonderfully soulful, jazz-based approach. And although there were earlier Japanese bossa albums, this one stands out as one of the true classics – the Getz/Gilberto set of 60s Japan, although without the vocals of that Verve date. Sadao plays both flute and alto sax, and backing is from a small combo that mixes in Brazilian-styled guitar and percussion next to the bass and drums. Watanabe's reeds have a raspy, off-kilter quality that's almost more human than most Brazilian jazz efforts of the time – and titles include versions of "Song Of The Jet", "Felicidade", "Reza", and "Morning Of The Carnival" – plus some nice originals like "America" and "Cupid's Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Haunting early work from Japanese reed legend Sadao Watanabe – an artist who makes the record way more than just a set of familiar ballads! True, the set's a bit more mellow than some of Watanabe's other work of the time – but his work on alto and flute really have this subtle sort of edge – a melancholy quality that's different than the way that American players of the period might have hit the music – and which shows just how much Watanabe and a few key players were transforming the style of the Japanese scene! Tracks are short, and the format is simple – but the record's got an understated elegance that's every bit the best side of Sadao in his early years. Titles include "Old Folks", "Spring Is Here", "My Foolish Heart", "They Say It's Wonderful", "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child", and "Once Upon A Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Sadao Watanbe's excellent late 60s bossa albums – beautifully rich, but mellow readings of bossa nova numbers – in a way that takes music that had already been introduced to Japan a few years earlier, and gives it even wider exposure with Sadao's wonderfully soulful, jazz-based approach! Sadao plays both flute and alto sax – and backing is from a small combo that mixes in Brazilian-styled guitar and percussion next to the piano from Masabumi Kikuchi and drums from Masahiko Togashi – who you'll know from other Japanese jazz of the time! Watanabe's reeds have a raspy, off-kilter quality that's almost more human than many Brazilian jazz efforts of the time – and titles include "O Grande Amor", "Felicidade", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Agua De Beber", "White Wave", "From Russia With Love" and "So Danca Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare recording from Charlie Mariano's "lost" years in Japan – an under-documented period of his career next to earlier American work and later 70s European fusion! At the time of the set, Charlie was living in Japan with (then) wife pianist Toshiko Akioshi – and opening up tremendously from a musical standpoint – exploring new sounds and new modes of expression that really took him a long way beyond the straighter jazz of his roots. This set has Charlie working with Japanese reedman Sadao Watanabe, in a session that features both players on alto sax, but also using folkloric flutes as well – mixing the crisper sax work with earthier, more organic tones that really make the album sound tremendous! This aspect of the record is featured on 2 long tracks – "God Has Mercy" and "Stone Garden Of Ryoanji" – both of which were written by Mariano, and which have a wonderful "jazz meets world" feel – nicely balanced by the more traditional jazz numbers "I Thought About You" and "Iberian Waltz", the latter of which is still a relatively exploratory Mariano number that runs for over 16 minutes! LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful early album from Sadao Watanabe – a Polydor session recorded before some of his better-known albums for Takt/Columbia, but done with a similar mix of soul jazz and bossa influences! Watanabe's horn has really sharpened up from his already-great earlier sides – and he's working with a sextet that also features trumpet and tenor alongside his own mix of alto sax and flute. The latter instrument is especially nice – used with a great deal of sensitivity at times, especially on some of the original compositions – and the album's a brilliant illustration of the great growth in Watanabe's music during the 60s – proof that the Japanese scene was ready to stretch away from any US or European influences. Titles include the originals "M&M", "Woman Talk", and "Lady Mako" – plus versions of Coltrane's "Naima" and Gary McFarland's "Train Samba" – and a cool modal take on "Chim Chim Cheree". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful early album from Sadao Watanabe – a Polydor session recorded before some of his better-known albums for Takt/Columbia, but done with a similar mix of soul jazz and bossa influences! Watanabe's horn has really sharpened up from his already-great earlier sides – and he's working with a sextet that also features trumpet and tenor alongside his own mix of alto sax and flute. The latter instrument is especially nice – used with a great deal of sensitivity at times, especially on some of the original compositions – and the album's a brilliant illustration of the great growth in Watanabe's music during the 60s – proof that the Japanese scene was ready to stretch away from any US or European influences. Titles include the originals "M&M", "Woman Talk", and "Lady Mako" – plus versions of Coltrane's "Naima" and Gary McFarland's "Train Samba" – and a cool modal take on "Chim Chim Cheree". CD

There's nothing deceptive about this quartet – as the group work here live, completely unfettered – with the kind of honest, open interaction that have made Snakeoil one of the greatest musical contributions from reedman Tim Berne! The lineup has a special sort of edge – no bass, and lots of interplay between Berne's alto and the clarinets of Oscar Noriega – reed lines that on their own would be enough, but which get exactly the kind of right support from the piano of Matt Michell and drums of Ches Smith – all four members often working together in these sonic clusters that really reflect their long-running understanding of each others strengths and talents! The tracks here are all nice and long – performed live at Firehouse – and titles include "OCDC", "Moornoats", "Perception", "Deception", "Seven", "Scanners", and "Hemphill". CD

Christoph Irniger on tenor saxophone, Rdave Gisler on guitar, Stefan Aeby on piano, Raffaele Bossard on bass, and Michael Stulz on drums. CD

Really beautiful solo piano work from Marie Kruttli – her first session of this type, and one that may well set a tone for other sessions of this nature in years to come! Marie's got this way of handling the keys of the piano with this resonantingly introspective quality – almost as if she's dipping her hand gently into the still water of a pond before exploring more – with all the many-fingered qualities such an image might imply. The approach is completely unique, and sends out ripples of sound, both dark and light – flowing out, coming back, and creating a listening experience that's complex, yet completely organic too. Titles include "Torrent To Lagoon", "Song", "Flow Of Irrational Thoughts", "The Hope Of Light & Shadow On Your Skin", "Exploration", and "Insomnia". CD

Saxophonist James Brandon Lewis just keeps getting deeper and deeper with each new release – very different than the artist who first emerged a number of records back, and one with a strong ability to explore the farther sides of the jazz spectrum! That's definitely the case here – as Lewis plays tenor at the head of a quartet with Aruan Ortiz on piano, Brad Jones on bass, and Chad Taylor on drums – a lineup who are more than fluid enough to move with the ideas that flow effortlessly both from the compositional pen of the leader, and his well-crafted, very personal lines on tenor sax! The tunes vary in length, which further deepens the individuality of the set – and titles include "Helix", "Per 1", "Breaking Code", "An Anguish Departed", "Loverly", "Molecular", "Cesaire", and "A Lotus Speaks". CD

An album that feels even more spiritual and soulful than anything we've heard before from tenorist James Brandon Lewis – and that's really saying a lot, given the records he's given us before! There's a lean, open energy to the record – a laidback group that features some especially nice drum work from Chad Taylor, who we always love in such a setting – alongside Aruan Ortiz on piano and Brad Jones on bass – all players who clearly recognize that Lewis needs plenty of space to stretch out, and make these magical notes on his instrument – voicing things in a way that's wonderfully fresh – never too far out, but always with an edge – a great reminder that in the right hands, the tenor continues to be one of the strongest modes of individual expression in jazz. Titles include "A Lotus Speaks", "Of First Importance", "Helix", "An Anguish Departed", "Cesaire", and "Neosho". CD

An intimate set of duets between these two top-shelf improvisers – both of whom work together in the Snakeoil band of Tim Berne, but who sound even better here in more airy, open territory! Berne blows alto, Mitchell handles piano, and the results are wonderful – introspective, but very human and open too – never too "arch" to let a moment of feeling or two into the mix – as the pair have a way of expanding the space between them with just a few simple turns of phrase or moments of action! Titles include "Middle Seat Blues/Chicken Salad Blues", "Motian Sickness", "Rolled Oats/Curls", "Oddly Enough/Squidz", "Rose Colored Missive", "Purdy", and "Number 2". CD

We love saxophonist David Murray in many settings, but one of our favorites is often a more stripped-down mode – which, with the right approach, lets Murray really open up and show us some of the more rhythmic sides of his playing! That's definitely the case here, as Murray blows tenor and bass clarinet with Brad Jones on bass and Hamid Drake on drums – both great players for such a session, especially Drake – who seems to bring as much melody to his drum work as David brings rhythm to his horns! The whole thing's a great reminder of how wonderful Murray can still be when he's got the right showcase – and the set's filled with long original titles that include "Necktar", "Anita Et Annita", "Rainbows For Julia", "Switchin In The Kitchen", "Am Gone Get Some", and "Seriana Promethea". CD

A set that does a fantastic job of blending Cuban roots and modern jazz – but at a level that's completely unlike any other project of this nature! Aruan Ortiz doesn't just take direct inspiration from Cuban music – and instead, he clearly drinks deep, absorbs the right aspects, then puts them back on the planet with a fresh new sound that's all his own – often blocky and rhythmic, and given superb drive here from the bass of Brad Jones and drums of John Betsch – but free sometimes too, with a very open vibe that's completely wonderful, and richly expressive! Titles include "Los Tres Golpes", "Like A Changui", "Canto De Tambores Y Caracoles", "Memorias Del Monte", and "En Forma De Guajira". CD

A record that moves far beyond familiar piano trio format – so much so, that it's probably wrong to even call it a piano trio record at all – as the keyboard work of Alexander Hawkins is equally wrapped around the bass of Neil Charles and drums of Stephen Davis, as all three rise and soar together on these freewheeling waves of sound! Hawkins plays a bit of keyboards at times, and all three musicians add in percussion as well – and throughout the set, there's a very fresh vibe that has all three players linked together in sound and spirit, on titles that include "Puzzle Canon", "Rupture", "Rapture", "Counterpoint Celestial", "Canon Celestial", and "Unlimited Growth Increases The Divide". CD

Tom Rainey on drums, Ingrid Laubrock on saxophone and Mary Halvorson on guitar. CD

Oliver Lake on alto and sopranino saxophone, Reggie Workman on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums! CD

Sarah Buechi on vocals – accompanied by Franz Hellmuller on guitar and Rafael Jerjen on bass. CD

Christoph Irniger on tenor sax, Stefan Aeby on piano, Dave Gisler on guitar, Raffaele Bossard on bass, and Michi Stulz on drums. CD

Sublime solo bass work from Joelle Leandre – and a set that's brimming over with the sorts of qualities that first made us fall in love with her music so many decades ago! Leandre's an improviser, and she can play quite freely – but she also never seems to lose a sense of warmth that holds her music together – this special sort of spirit that always makes us feel that, especially in the world of solo bass, Leandre's maybe got more heart and soul than others in her field – linking free improvisation with an inherent sense of tunefulness, yet never in a way that ever feels song-based or precomposed. The set features five selections, all improvised at a performance in Zurich in 2022. CD

George Lewis on trombone and synthesizer, Jeff Parker on electric guitar, Ulrich Muller on guitar, Miya Masaoka on koto, Siegfried Rossert on bass, Guillermo E Brown on drums, Kaffe Matthews on electronics, and DJ Mutamassik on turntables. CD

Lucas Niggli on drums and percussion and Matthias Loibner on hurdy-gurdy and electronics. CD

A hip Swedish jazz set from the early 70s – a set of warmly soulful numbers from the quintet of trombonist Bertil Strandberg – a player with some strong modal sensibilities! The group here features tenor, piano, bass, and drums – in addition to Bertil's trombone – and the album's got a sound that's a bit more laidback and righteous than other European jazz sessions of the time – a bit more like some American indie jazz session from the period, with a really nice balance of sounds. The frontline of trombone and tenor comes off wonderfully on the bolder cuts in the set – especially the tunes "Cirrus" and "Intakt" – which burst out beautifully, yet without ever going too far out! Other titles include "Glir", "Relik", "Cambodia", and "Elegi". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Oliver Lake on saxophones, Reggie Workman on bass, Andrew Cyrille on drums, and special guest Jason Moran on piano! CD

Conrad Bauer on trombone, Ulrich Gumpert on piano, Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky on alto saxophone, clarinet and flute, and Gunter Sommer on drums and percussion. CD

A fantastic collection of work from the overlooked Ego label – four rare albums, originally issued only overseas! First up is Dwellers On The High Plateau, by pianist Vince Benedetti – soaring, spiritual soul jazz! The set's built around the piano and compositions of Vince Benedetti – but it really kicks from some great rhythmic accompaniment from Billy Brooks on drums and Eric Peters on bass, both of whom spin out these warm, long, flowing grooves that seem to get more out of Benedetti's work than we've heard on other records. The album also features some great work on soprano and tenor sax from Andy Scherrer – blowing snakey lines that cut through the rhythms with a very nice edge. Titles include "Dwellers On The High Plateau", "Gone", "The Black Notes", and "The Call". Next up is The Last Call – one of the most obscure early albums from reedman Dave Liebman – a set that was recorded in the US, but only issued overseas! The album features Liebman in two different modes – the first a relatively free, surprisingly spiritual setting – as Dave blows tenor on two long tracks, with just the drums of Jeff Williams behind him. Other material is a bit more structured, with those angular lines that Liebman brought to some of his more famous work – a real precursor for a generation of saxophonists who were inspired by these sounds. On these cuts, Liebman plays tenor and soprano sax – and works with Mark Isham on trumpet, Michael Formanek on bass, and Mike Barsimento on drums. The piano-less group has a wonderful sound – lots of soundshaping between Liebman and Isham especially – and titles on the album include "Wind Blues", "The Last Call/First Visit", "Your Lady", "Thoughts Of Loss", and "Leprechaun". Next is Home Again, by the group changes – a combo that features very strong contributions from trumpeter Uli Beckerhoff, saxophonist Wolfgang Engstfeld, pianist Ed Kroger, bassist Peter Bockius, and drummer Peter Weiss! Like most of the best on the Ego label, there's a strong rhythm section here that really lets the soloists open up and do their thing – never going too far out at all, but crafting these warmly soulful lines, with a slight spiritual undercurrent – stretching out with a rich feeling, but a sound that's never forced or overdone. Titles include "Home Again", "Trees", "Samba Du Commerce", and "Blues For Ed". Changes follow again, with the album Some More Changes – a record with a sound that really represents the strongest modes of soulful jazz that developed in the 70s! These players all clearly have a knowledge of outside territory, but choose to remain closer in – yet always point towards the beyond with both their solos, and their wonderfully strong writing in the set – a bit like some of the best work on Muse Records in the 70s, such as albums by Woody Shaw or Kenny Barron! There's definitely a similar vibe to those records here – especially in the sense of cohesion that comes from the lineup – Uli Beckerhoff on trumpet, Wolfgang Engstfeld on soprano sax and tenor, Ed Kroger on piano, Detlef Beier on bass, and Peter Weiss on drums. All tracks are originals – and titles include "Kenny Make It", "Yaiza", "Akiko", "Hautkontakt", and "Last Chance". CD