Landmark compilation of artists and composers whose names are generally only known to committed collectors of Japanese jazz. This triple vinyl set documents the vibrant soundtrack of Japan’s jazz cafe culture, an elusive network of enclaves tucked away in urban sidestreets with little in the way of signage or advertising of any kind. During World War II, Jazz music was banned by the wartime authorities of Japan, and during the allied forces’ subsequent occupation, jazz was reinserted into Japanese culture just as it was on the cusp of the bebop explosion, playing a major role in Japan’s cultural reconstruction. This compilation collects the finest examples of Japan’s unique interpretation of the music between 1969 and 1984, highlighting the progression from an early copycat style to a thriving period of progressive innovation and experimentation. None of these recordings have ever been released outside of Japan until now, and were previously only available on the original private press LPs which could easily amount to several thousand dollars spent for just a handful of these tracks. J-Jazz aficionados Tony Higgins and Mike Peden illustrate Japan’s calculated mastery of any flavor of jazz you could imagine; check out the lush, long-winded modal sorcery of Tohru Aizawa Quartet’s “Dead Letter,”  Takao Uematsu’s ultra-funky “White Fire,” Shintaro Quintet’s cool and swinging “A Blind Man,” or Terumasa Hino’s fusion ballad “Ode To Workman,” a hypnotizing tribute to one of jazz’s hardest working bass players. This vinyl edition includes two tracks not on the CD or digital editions: Takeo Moriyama Quartet’s “North Wind” and George Otsuka Quintet’s “Sea Breeze.” 12 tracks altogether, pressed on six sides of vinyl and housed in a dazzling gatefold with extensive liner notes, artist photos and original album art compiled by Higgins and Peden. Highly recommended.

• triple vinyl pressing
• deluxe gatefold sleeve
• full color printed insert
• obi strip
• artist bios, photos + extensive liner notes
• vinyl edition includes 2 exclusive tracks
• music label: BBE 2018

reviewed by sunrise mart 03/2018