stpaulbrowns
Well-Known Member
Use the thread to post about anything J-Jazz related - recommendations, reissues, live shows, etc.
An intro to J-Jazz
(Many thanks to @Skalap and @Selaws for this background)
Youtube Playlists
Start with these three fantastic Youtube playlists (mixed by Magical Mystery Mix!). Focused on the 70s but it's also the golden era of Japanese Jazz. Most of the J-Jazz legends are here too : Minoru Muraoka, Hiroshi Suzuki, Takeshi Inomata, Jiro Inagaki, Kosuke Mine, Masaru Imada, Akira Ishikawa, Hozan Yamamoto, Toshiaki Yokota, Takeo Moriyama, etc.
Compilations
J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan Vol 1&2 - both sound great with a lot of info about artists, records and J-Jazz. (Highly recommended!)
Two volumes dedicated to J-Jazz in the Spiritual Jazz Jazzman's series. The compilations were curated by Jazzman and Yusuke Ogawa. Again, tons of notes about J-Jazz. Finally, The Famous Sound of The Blind Mice Vol 1 (TBM is kind of the Japanese Blue Note). Sound is fantastic, maybe my best sounding record in my ± 2000 collection!
Reissue labels
Project Re:Vinyl / Deep Jazz Reality
Most complete J-Jazz series you'll find. Records are not cheap, but every release is a piece of art - from packaging to pressing and, most important, the music.
J Jazz Masterclass Series
Series from BBE dedicated to reissuing rare and long-deleted modern Japanese jazz albums. Curated by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden. Each release is presented in a full reproduction of the original artwork, with inserts and obi strip, plus new updated sleeve notes.
Studio Mule / Mule Musiq
These releases are superb (Kompakt is the main distributor). Packages are basic (good quality record in standard reproduction jacket) but the music is almost always top-notch.
Mr Bongo
Started as a small record shop underneath Daddy Kool’s Reggae Store on Berwick Street in London. Over the years, they reissued some of the finest Brazilian, Latin, reggae, African and Jazz artists.
Superfly Records
Located in Paris and specializes in rare and collectible vinyl records in Soul, Brazilian, African, Jazz and Latin music. Each reissue limited to 1,000 copies, pressed on high quality vinyl and sleeve is printed in Japan.
French reissue label mostly focused on J-Jazz. First 5 reissues were all picked from TBM discography and two others from Union Records. There is no OBI, this is not an Audiophile label but prices are super fair (± €20) and quality is overall very good.
Started series with two Ryo Fukui's records. Both are available in a limited edition of 2000 copies, half speed mastered and pressed on 180g vinyl with tip-on sleeve and obi. Both are also available in a standard edition.
Ryo Fukui – Scenery
Ryo Fukui – Mellow Dream
Three Blind Mice
Quite expensive, true audiophile records. There is an amazing box with three of the most important TBM records available. (Box contains Blow Up, Midnight Sugar, and Misty, all mastered by Tohru Kotetsu & Kevin Gray and Pressed at RTI.)
An intro to J-Jazz
(Many thanks to @Skalap and @Selaws for this background)
Youtube Playlists
Start with these three fantastic Youtube playlists (mixed by Magical Mystery Mix!). Focused on the 70s but it's also the golden era of Japanese Jazz. Most of the J-Jazz legends are here too : Minoru Muraoka, Hiroshi Suzuki, Takeshi Inomata, Jiro Inagaki, Kosuke Mine, Masaru Imada, Akira Ishikawa, Hozan Yamamoto, Toshiaki Yokota, Takeo Moriyama, etc.
Compilations
J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan Vol 1&2 - both sound great with a lot of info about artists, records and J-Jazz. (Highly recommended!)
Two volumes dedicated to J-Jazz in the Spiritual Jazz Jazzman's series. The compilations were curated by Jazzman and Yusuke Ogawa. Again, tons of notes about J-Jazz. Finally, The Famous Sound of The Blind Mice Vol 1 (TBM is kind of the Japanese Blue Note). Sound is fantastic, maybe my best sounding record in my ± 2000 collection!
Reissue labels
Project Re:Vinyl / Deep Jazz Reality
Most complete J-Jazz series you'll find. Records are not cheap, but every release is a piece of art - from packaging to pressing and, most important, the music.
J Jazz Masterclass Series
Series from BBE dedicated to reissuing rare and long-deleted modern Japanese jazz albums. Curated by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden. Each release is presented in a full reproduction of the original artwork, with inserts and obi strip, plus new updated sleeve notes.
Studio Mule / Mule Musiq
These releases are superb (Kompakt is the main distributor). Packages are basic (good quality record in standard reproduction jacket) but the music is almost always top-notch.
Mr Bongo
Started as a small record shop underneath Daddy Kool’s Reggae Store on Berwick Street in London. Over the years, they reissued some of the finest Brazilian, Latin, reggae, African and Jazz artists.
Superfly Records
Located in Paris and specializes in rare and collectible vinyl records in Soul, Brazilian, African, Jazz and Latin music. Each reissue limited to 1,000 copies, pressed on high quality vinyl and sleeve is printed in Japan.
Le Très Jazz ClubFrench reissue label mostly focused on J-Jazz. First 5 reissues were all picked from TBM discography and two others from Union Records. There is no OBI, this is not an Audiophile label but prices are super fair (± €20) and quality is overall very good.
We Release JazzStarted series with two Ryo Fukui's records. Both are available in a limited edition of 2000 copies, half speed mastered and pressed on 180g vinyl with tip-on sleeve and obi. Both are also available in a standard edition.
Ryo Fukui – Scenery
Ryo Fukui – Mellow Dream
Three Blind Mice
Quite expensive, true audiophile records. There is an amazing box with three of the most important TBM records available. (Box contains Blow Up, Midnight Sugar, and Misty, all mastered by Tohru Kotetsu & Kevin Gray and Pressed at RTI.)
Last edited:
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-7570300-1447675211-9757.jpeg.jpg)
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2727137-1545577108-7348.jpeg.jpg)
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-6940610-1600664996-4739.jpeg.jpg)
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-4058295-1513463214-7574.jpeg.jpg)
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2840529-1492969973-1618.jpeg.jpg)
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-3304564-1347128275-8629.jpeg.jpg)
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-15318663-1589657498-4341.jpeg.jpg)
