J-Jazz (Japanese Jazz)

I had the chance to discuss with Le Très Jazz Club and BBE people this morning at Paris Loves Vinyl record fair.

LTJ have 8 records planned this year and maybe another 5 for RSD 2020. They made a few deals with Aketa's Disk, Union Records and Trio Records so I can imagine a lot of great music is coming :) They said they'll release one record in March, and then one or two every two months (not counting RSD releases). Fuzati, label curator, was playing some records when I left.

Concerning BBE. The guy I met (he was a co-worker of Jean-Claude, If Music label/shop owner) told me the next release due to February is going to be delayed by a month due to quality issues. Then they plan to release another 3 records before the end of the year but he didn't gave me any further information.

What I bought? Almost nothing...

Toshio Matsuura - Presents HEX (you may know him for his album Loveplaydance featuring Tom Skinner, Yussef Dayes, Mansur Brown, Nubya Garcia and Yazz Ahmed)
Naoito ‎– DotA
Antoine Berjeaut & Makaya McCraven ‎– Moving Cities

I forgot to say. If you plan to buy these BBE J-Jazz compilations and reissues, hurry up. They are sold out on the first compilation and the three first reissue and almost sold out on the second compilation. If you want one and find one, you know what to do. Sorry for the FOMO.
 
Both the comps are outstanding, and most of the albums are great too. But I’m not trying to encourage people to buy something they don’t need.
I forgot to say. If you plan to buy these BBE J-Jazz compilations and reissues, hurry up. They are sold out on the first compilation and the three first reissue and almost sold out on the second compilation. If you want one and find one, you know what to do. Sorry for the FOMO.
 
Not sure if you guys are aware of Radio Garden? Its an app/website similar to google earth, but with thousands of radio stations plotted, which begin to stream when you hover over them. I have discovered some FANTASTIC stations this way (Russian Jazz radio, Korean College Jazz etc). My new favourite is Jazz Sakura from Tokyo, Japan. J-Jazz classics and the occasional live session.

Listen to Jazz Sakura from Tokyo live on Radio Garden
 
I forgot to say. If you plan to buy these BBE J-Jazz compilations and reissues, hurry up. They are sold out on the first compilation and the three first reissue and almost sold out on the second compilation. If you want one and find one, you know what to do. Sorry for the FOMO.
This is great news. I love the title selection for LTJ but they need to find a different pressing plant. I have bought three of them and two were very noisy to the point of distraction. In contrast, all the BBE titles have been top notch.

If some of the Union titles are on deck, I would love to see George Utsuka Quintet's - Sea Breeze!
 
This is great news. I love the title selection for LTJ but they need to find a different pressing plant. I have bought three of them and two were very noisy to the point of distraction. In contrast, all the BBE titles have been top notch.

If some of the Union titles are on deck, I would love to see George Utsuka Quintet's - Sea Breeze!

We talked about their pressing plant and they told me they press everything (LTJC, LTGC, Wewantsounds, etc...) at GZ. They seemed to be happy with them.
 
I had the chance to discuss with Le Très Jazz Club and BBE people this morning at Paris Loves Vinyl record fair.

LTJ have 8 records planned this year and maybe another 5 for RSD 2020. They made a few deals with Aketa's Disk, Union Records and Trio Records so I can imagine a lot of great music is coming :) They said they'll release one record in March, and then one or two every two months (not counting RSD releases). Fuzati, label curator, was playing some records when I left.

Concerning BBE. The guy I met (he was a co-worker of Jean-Claude, If Music label/shop owner) told me the next release due to February is going to be delayed by a month due to quality issues. Then they plan to release another 3 records before the end of the year but he didn't gave me any further information.

What I bought? Almost nothing...

Toshio Matsuura - Presents HEX (you may know him for his album Loveplaydance featuring Tom Skinner, Yussef Dayes, Mansur Brown, Nubya Garcia and Yazz Ahmed)
Naoito ‎– DotA
Antoine Berjeaut & Makaya McCraven ‎– Moving Cities

Did you happen to ask LTJ about what source they use for their vinyl?
 
Looks like Ryo Fukui in New York and Letter From Slow Boat are being reissued on the same day.

Mellow Dream and Scenery too.

I need to give the new York album a listen, definitely going to grab 'favorite tune' and then ill probably have to settle for getting just one of those two, either new York or slow boat

I'll grab Mellow Dream and My Favorite Tune :) I'll only be missing Akira Ishikawa's Electrum in the Project Re:Vinyl serie.
 
I am listening to RM Jazz Legacy right now and I love what I am hearing. They seem to be an all-star band (read their bio, they all have a long story in J-Jazz) and have release two albums so far (both available on Spotify). Highly recommended!


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Cross post from the Fresh Grabs thread. Junko Onishi last album was first released on CD and then on two records. I received the Electric Side last week and, finally, the Acoustic Side this morning. I was lucky enough to grab the last Electric Side from Amazon but had to pay a bit more to complete with the Acoustic Side that I ordered through HMV Japan. Takumi Moriya (RM Jazz Legacy member, read above) and Perfect Yasai Pluck are two Amazon deliveries. Espoir is not available from Spotify so I bough it blind, there are Labi Siffre, Rihanna, Bob Marley or Rolling Stones jazz covers. Perfect Yasai Pluck are ex BLU SWING members, their music is a mix of hip-hop, rock soul and jazz. The two songs you can find on Youtube sounded good so I add their first, and only, album to my order :)

Junko Onishi presents The Sextet ‎– XII Acoustic Side (Spotify here)
Takumi Moriya ‎– Espoir (Youtube here)
Perfect Yasai Pluck ‎– Kimyo Holiday (Youtube here)

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