New Stream In Jazz Vol. 9 ~ Boogie Funk & Disco Beats

Compilation series dedicated to the golden era of the japanese jazz scene through the years 60's-70's. Following the volume 3, this volume celebrates the jazz groove into the boogie sphere, highly tinted of slapping bass, disco rhythms & funky beats, including thirteen tracks recorded between 1974-1980 featuring Kimiko Kasai, Jiro Inagaki, Kiyoshi Sugimoto, Toshiyuki Miyama, The Soul Media, Ryo Kawasaki, Teruo Nakamura, Mieko Hirota, Ryo Kawasaki, Akira Ishikawa, Toshiyuki Honda, Shunzo Ohno, The Count Buffalos, Hiroshi Fukumura & Sadao Watanabe. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Takehiro Honda Trio - The Trio

Year : 1970
Label : Trio Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Hard Bop, Modal

Recorded with sound engineer Okihiko Sugano, the second solo album of Takehiro Honda with his new jazz trio featuring drummer Fumio Watanabe & bassist Yoshio Suzuki. "Chin" Suzuki was his regular bassist from 1969 to 1972, recording no less of five albums whose his debut album and 1972 best japanese jazz recording award "This Is Honda". Titles include "This Guy's In Love With You" composed by Bacharach, the Jazz standard "Fall In Love Too Easily" and three original compositions by Honda : the modal "Hakai To Jojyo", "CMT & T" and "Emergency", probably inspired by the Tony Williams' song who later will play with Honda.

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Masabumi Kikuchi Sextet - Matrix

Year : 2015/1969
Label : Deep Jazz Reality/Victor
Serie : Modern Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Post Bop, Contemporary Jazz, Modal, Spiritual

Recorded in 1969, best known under the 1977 US reissue by Catalyst Records, "Matrix" is the first album as a leader of Masabumi Kikuchi featuring Tetsuo Fushimi & Hideyuki Kikuchi (if one ignores the album duet with Terumasa Hino in 1968). "Matrix" is obviously a masterpiece, released after significant experience years as sideman, close to various Jazz masters, Masabumi conceived it, reciprocally, on the saxophone overtones occurred by Hideyuki Kikuchi alongside Akio Nishimura on tenor. Titles include great variations of jazz standards rearranged with brio by Kikuchi, such as the modal "On A Green Dolphin Street" (based on the 1958 Miles Davis version) or the bossa nova classic "Black Orpheus" composed by Luiz Bonfa, the title track composed by Chick Corea, the Jazz Rock to baroque accents "If I Said The Sky Was Falling" (composed for the TV drama "Matte Masu Wa" by Sadao Watanabe). The album also contains two own Kikuchi's compositions, the ballad "Little Aby" (reminiscent of John Coltrane) and "In Fourth Way".

MUSICIANS : Masabumi Kikuchi - piano - Tetsuo Fushimi - trumpet - Hideyuki Kikuchi - alto saxophone - Akio Nishimura - tenor saxophone - Hironori Takiya - bass - Takahiro Suzuki - drums

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Giuliano Sorgini E I Visconti - Under Pompelmo

Year : 2015/1971
Label : Cinedelic Records/Dischi Montecarlo
Genre : Jazz, Prog Rock, Funk/Soul, Stage & Screen
Style : Jazz Rock, Music Library, Psychedelic

Legendary Milanese killer groove album, reminiscent of the swinging London from the late sixties, reissued by italian label Cinedelic and originally released in 1973 on Montecarlo. Giuliano Sorgini is an italian composer and pianist in music for TV programs (Scappo Per Cantare), B-movies (Non Si Deve Profanare Il Sonno Dei Morti) and various documentaries produced for RAI (Gli Animali...Che Simpatia ; Pauline, Il Cavallo Sapiente). "Under Pompelmo" contains some elements from a typical soundscape and background music for films, including acid organ & fuzz guitar with pop overtones (Echos From Canyon, To Rebound), Funk/Soul (Wandering Man), psychedelic rock (When I See You) and the hypnotic title track, a jam session approaching 17 minutes. All tracks conducted & arranged by Giuliano Sorgini (p, org) featuring Marcello Caruti Atonelli (eb), Luigi Massari & Massimo Tonson Latour (eg), Franco Romagniello (ds).

Brazilian Tapestry Vol. 4

Volume 4 of the compilation series dedicated to the essential sound of the Brazil '60 & '70, including Latin grooves, MPB, Psychedelic music & Tropicália featuring Lalo Schifrin, Maria Bethânia, Tom Zé, Caetano Veloso, Bossa Três, Raulzinho, Edú Lobo, Á Tribo, Joyce, Guilherme Coutinho, Zito Righi & many more... All tracks compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Spicy Reggae Island

Tropical Jazz, Funk & Caribbean flavors compilation coming from Jamaica to Japan by France & USA. A reading of Reggae by the masters of Jazz including various Caribbean artists incorporating Jazz & Soul in Reggae music. It features Eumir Deodato, Herbie Hancock, Sadao Watanabe, Ahmad Jamal, Idris Muhammad, Ernest Ranglin, Monty Alexander, Rico Rodriguez & many others. All tracks released between 1973-1980, compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

George Otsuka Quintet - Sea Breeze

Year : 1971
Label : Union/Teichiku Records
Serie : Young Generation Music
Genre : Jazz
Style : Hard Bop, Modal, Jazz Funk

Masterpiece of Hard Bop/Modal Jazz by George Otsuka Quintet featuring Hideo Ichikawa, Takashi Mizuhashi, Takao Uematsu. The young Shunzo Ohno completes the formation and demonstrates, at just 22 years, that he's one of best japanese jazz trumpeter from his generation. George plays with his regular pianist, since 1965, in charge of all compositions (except The Beatles' song), to the point of wondering whether "Sea Breeze" would not rather a Ichikawa's project. "Sea Breeze" includes various jazz styles, with cool & mellow atmosphere, centered around the Fender rhodes, associated to funk/soul rhythms (Potato Chips), Hard Bop (Jumping Cats), Modal (Fool On The Hill), gospel & spiritual  jazz (Cannibal). 

MUSICIANS : George Otsuka - drums - Hideo Ichikawa - electric piano -  Takashi Mizuhashi - bass - Takao Uematsu - tenor, soprano saxophone - Shunzo Ohno - trumpet, flugelhorn

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Maki Asakawa - Asakawa Maki No Sekai (Maki)

Year : 1970
Label : Express
Genre : Jazz, Folk Rock, Latin Jazz
Style : Pop, Bossa Nova, Avant-Garde

Maki Asakawa was an iconic japanese jazz and blues songstress, lyricist and composer, cantor of japanese counter culture, who recorded over 30 albums between 1970-2010, her first decade being marked by american psychedelia & folk rock music. "Asakawa Maki No Sekai" (The World Of Maki), is an approach of various musical genres mastered by this versatile artist, as well Pop, Jazz, Latin, as Folk & Rock 'N' Roll music. Supported by experienced musicians such as Masaru Imada, Jiro Inagaki & Yokouchi Shoji, she associates compositions of the Jazz arranger  Kozaburo Yamaki to the lyrics of the iconic avant-garde poet, Shuji Terayama. This first Maki's testimony consists in studio & live recordings ranging from Jazz to Bossa Nova, by Acid Folk & Psychedelic Rock, including also some japanese modern folk vocal overtones (Enka). All tracks composed & arranged by Kozaburo Yamaki except "Kamome" by Osamu Kitayama, the New Orleans traditional "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" and "Tombe La Neige" by Adamo.

MUSICIANS : Maki Asakawa - vocal - Masaru Imada - organ, piano - Masanaga Harada - bass - Kohsuke Ichihara - flute, saxophone - Jiro Inagaki - saxophone, flute - Yokouchi Shoji & Kozaburo Yamaki - guitar - Chico Kikuchi - drums

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Toshiko Akiyoshi Quintet - Toshiko At Top Of The Gate

Year : 1968
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Takt Jazz Series
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Hard Bop, Modal, Bossa Nova

Recording live by the best known japanese jazz pianist, Toshiko Akiyoshi (spotted by Oscar Peterson in 1952), performed during a concert at the Top Of the Gate, a famous jazz club of the Village Gate Theater located in Greenwich Village, New York City. Toshiko Akiyoshi Quintet is based on first class musicians, among the best renowned such as Kenny Dorham or Ron Carter from Second Great Miles Davis Quintet (1964-1968), all playing in the Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers way, including Hard Bop arrangements and samba rhythms (How Insensitive, Morning Of The Carnival). The first side contains only Toshiko's songs, while the second is devoted to jazz standards & covers plus original, "Elegy". "Toshiko At Top Of The Gate" features among the Sleep Walker's influences, "Phrygian Waterfall" was included in their Jazz compilation "Shibuya Jazz Classics" supervised for Nippon Columbia.

MUSICIANS : Toshiko Akiyoshi - piano - Ron Carter - bass - Kenny Dorham - trumpet - Lew Tabackin - saxophone - Mickey Rocker - drums

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Toshiaki Yokota, Primitive Community ~ Primitive Community

 

Year : 2013/1971

Label : Think! Records/Toshiba
Genre : Jazz, Folk
Style : Jazz Rock  

"Primitive Community" (Genshi Kyodotai) is a collective especially formed for a mystical project out from the Yoshiaki Yokota's mind. In the same way of his previous project "Flute Adventure" by The Beat Generation, ranging from Free Jazz to Rock by Folk, it consists of a sophisticated avant-garde fusion, a kind of theatrical play speaking in ethnic music with African inspirations including psychedelia, hypnotic tribal percussions, fuzz guitar & acid organ. Titles include only originals compositions arranged by Yokota plus one cover of The Beatles ("Flying"). It features Toshiaki Yokota (indian, alto & bass flute), Shunzo Ohno (trumpet), Yusuke Hoguchi (Hammond organ), Kimio Koizumi (eb), Kimio Mizutani (eg), Chito Kawachi (ds), Tadaomi Anai, Larry Sunaga & Yoshinori Nohmi on percussions.

Shunzo Ohno - Something's Coming

Year : 1975
Label : EW
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Fusion

Miles Davis' most inspired album by trumpeter Shunzo Ohno, his first recording outside Japan featuring Masabumi Kikuchi & the giant jazz drummer Roy Haynes. Indeed, "Something's Coming" is one of the finest tribute to the Miles Davis's fusion era (as evidenced the title-track), occured between 1968-1974 (also called Electric Miles period) including iconic albums "Miles In The Sky" & "Get Up With It". So it is not surprising to see Ohno evolved alongside both Cedric Lawson & Reggie Lucas, both were sidemen for Miles during this emblematic period. Titles include only compositions by Shunzo Ohno, recorded at Basement recording studio, New York.

MUSICIANS : Shunzo Ohno - trumpet -  Masabumi Kikuchi - organ - Cedric Lawson - keyboards - Don Pate - bass - Reggie Lucas - guitar - Roy Haynes - drums

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New Stream In Jazz Vol. 8 ~ The Golden Age Of Japanese Jazz

Compilation series dedicated to the golden era of the japanese jazz scene through the years 60's-70's. This volume includes thirteen tracks ranging from Soul Jazz to Hard Bop by Jazz Funk styles, all recorded between 1967 and 1977, featuring Eddie Daniels, Toshiaki Yokota, Shoji Yokouchi, Jiro Inagaki, the Tokyo Cuban Boys, Kazuo Yashiro Trio, Takeshi Inomata, George Otsuka Quintet, Hiroshi Matsumoto, Hideo Ichikawa Quartet, Terumasa Hino, Norio Maeda, Hiroshi Suzuki and Kunihiko Sugano. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Be Hard Bop for Mascarade Records ~ Sunday Roast # 4 by Be Hard Bop

Be Hard Bop's show for Mascarade Records, fourth chapter of the Sunday Roast broadcast on mixcloud Sunday, November, 15, 2015. From Brazil, USA to Japan by Africa, discover this amazing selection of International Funk Music including rare soul grooves recorded between 1964-1974, featuring Roberto Carlos, Eddie Boe, Jimmy Takeuchi, Spanky Wilson, Peter King, Gilberto Gil, The Isley Brothers, Gal Costa & many more...

Giovanni Tommaso - Vivere A : Tokio Città Del Paradiso

Year : 2015/1972
Label : SONOR/RCA
Serie : Original Cast
Genre : Jazz, Funk/Soul
Style : Music Library, Stage & Screen, Jazz Rock

Giovanni Tommaso is an italian studio bass player, Jazz composer & arranger, who professionaly started in 1957. During the seventies, he was prolific in music library, collaborating to the Sandro Brugnolini & Stefano Torrossi productions and composing several background music for films and TV soundscapes. Giovanni Tommaso also played for various prestigious Jazz Masters such as Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon, Art Farmer or also Sonny Rollins for the Studio Uno show, broadcasted on RAI TV from 1961 to 1966. This rare iconic Italian library file from 1972 (finally reissued by SONOR), was entirely composed by Giovanni Tommaso for an italian documentary focused on the capital city of Japan, where it features uncredited musicians among pianist Antonello Vannucchi, drummer Gegè Munari & guitarist Silvano Chimenti. It includes some typical elements of folk music from Far East, mixed with psychedelic accents and played in the Jazz Rock style. It foreshadows the future sound of the Italian Progressive/Jazz Rock group '70, Perigeo, whose Giovanni was a main member.

Jiro Inagaki & His Soul Media, Tokyo Cuban Boys - Quad Dimension/Rock'N Latin

Year : 1971
Label : Nippon Columbia
Serie : Master Sonic Series
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Latin Rock

An umpteenth recording jazz rock session performed by Jiro inagaki & His Soul Media featuring Ryo Kawasaki, Takeshi Inomata, backed themselves by the most famous japanese Latin Big Band, the Tokyo Cuban Boys conducted by Tadaaki Misago. Arranged by famous jazz producer Takeo Ogawa, although less interesting than the "Head Rock" album, "Rock'N Latin" leaves however its mark by its originality, and remains a well-made jazz fusion album mixing rock 'n' roll with latin beats including acid organ and guitar distortion. Titles include killer variation of Latin jazz standard "Watermelon Man" by Herbie Hancock and various international pop/rock hits from The Beatles (Hey Jude) to Blood, Sweet And Tears (Spinning Wheel) by Fleetwood Mac (Black Magic Woman) & The Creedence (Proud Mary).

MUSICIANS : Tadaaki Misago - conductor - Jiro Inagaki - tenor saxophone - Ryo Kawasaki - guitar - Yasuo Arakawa - bass - Masaru Imada - organ - Takeshi Inomata - drums - Tetsuo Fushimi - trumpet - Tadayuki Harada - baritone saxophone - Shigeo Suzuki - alto saxophone - Takehisa Suzuki & Shunzo Ohno - trumpet - Takashi Imai & Shigemichi Domoto - trombone

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Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media - Wandering Birds

Year : 1971

Label : Nippon Columbia

Serie : Master Sonic Series

Genre : Jazz

Style : Jazz Rock

The Soul Media led by saxophonist Jiro Inagaki featuring rock songstress Sammy and special guest pianist Masahiko Sato, supported by a heavy horn section, in another japanese Jazz Rock act, including progressive rock and pyschedelic music. "Wandering Birds" expands the group with the introduction of new members, iconic actors of the japanese progessive and experimental rock scene from the seventies, guitarists Kimio Mizutani (in groups Sound Limited, The Beat Generation) & organist Hiro Yanagida (Shinki Chen & His Friends, April Fool). Titles include "Wandering Birds" feat. Sammy, the psychedelic trip "Parajika" & the funky track "On The Grass" both feat. Masahiko Sato.

MUSICIANS : Sammy & Sawada Yasushi - vocal - Jiro Inagaki - tenor & soprano saxophone, flute - Tsunehide Matsuki & Kimio Mizutani - guitar - Masahiko Sato - moog synthesizer - Hiro Yanagida - organ - Hideaki Takebe - bass - Kiyoshi Tanaka - drums

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The Blackbyrds - The Blackbyrds

Year : 1974
Label : Fantasy
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

The debut album of an american rhythm section produced by Larry Mizell, formed & supervised by Donald Byrd for six students of music department from the Howard University, playing Jazz Funk fusion. It's a typical Mizell Brothers production, a music conceived for dancefloor based on Funk/Soul arrangements, as was done for for the Donald Byrd & Bobbi Humphrey (Fancy Dancer) albums, recorded during the seventies. Most of the tracks include original compositions of Donald Byrd such as "Do It, Fluid" or "Funky Junkie", Larry Mizell's contribution with "Life Styles" and Allan Barnes with "Summer Love".

MUSICIANS : Allan Barnes - soprano & tenor saxophone - Kevin Toney & Orville Saunders - keyboards, melodica, synthesizer - Steve Johnson - sax, flute - Joe Hall & David Williams - bass - Keith Killgo - drums - Oscar Brashear - trumpet, flugelhorn - Ray Armando & Perk Jacobs - percussion

Björk Guðmundsdóttir & Tríó Guðmundar Ingólfssonar - Gling-Gló

Year : 1990

Label : Smekkleysa

Genre : Jazz

Style : Contempory Jazz

"Gling-Gló" is the only album of this jazz trio featuring the most iconic Icelandic singer, Björk, lead by the pianist Guðmundar Ingólfsson with drummer Guðmundur Steingrímsson (both from Jazzvaka band) and bassist Þórður Högnason. Produced & mixed by Tómas Magnús Tómasson from the rock band Stuðmenn, it was released under the Smekkleysa label (Sigur Rós & Björk albums issues) and  recorded while Björk was a member of The Sugarcubes. Gling-Gló consists of fourteen songs only in islandic tongue, including Scandinavian themes as the title track (the English equivalent of "Ding Dong"), "Það Sést Ekki Sætari Mey" based on "You Can't Get A Man with A Gun" composed by Irving Berlin for the 1946 Broadway musical comedy, "Annie Get Your Gun".

We've Got The JAZZ Vol. 5 ~ Jazz (We've Got)

The great meeting between Jazz & Hip-Hop by oldschool rappers & various artists from the independent Hip-Hop scene from US to Europe by Japan. It features Jurassic 5, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Insight, Substantial, DJ CAM Quartet, A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Philly & Perquisite, De La Soul, Glue, Blackalicious & many more. All tracks released between 1991- 2009, compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Various - Trio By Trio + 1

Year : 1970
Label : Victor
Genre : Jazz
Style : Free Jazz, Contempory Jazz, Hard Bop

Recommended by the Swing Journal, the legendary Japanese jazz magazine from 1947 to 2010, "Trio By Trio + 1" is a japanese jazz essential album recording live to the forefront of the japanese jazz including avant-garde Jazz with free forms. Performed and recorded at Yamaha Hall in Tokyo in 1970 by three rhythm sections led by the masters Yosuke Yamashita, Itaru Oki and Yuji Ohno, joined by jazz vocalist Kimiko Kasai, all met in an amazing concert. Titles include Free Jazz tracks performed by the Yosuke Yamashita (Dore) & Itaru Oki Trio (Conversation With Water), jazz standards "Autumn Leaves", "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" & "Get Out Of Town" by Yuji Ohno Trio, "Black Shadow Woman" & "Theme Of The Unkown People" by the meeting Yuji Ohno + Itaru Oki Trio feat. Kimiko Kasai.

MUSICIANS : Yosuke Yamashita & Yuji Ono - piano - Itaru Oki - trumpet - Seiichi Nakamura - saxophone - Takeo Moriyama, Hozumi Tanaka & Kazuyoshi Okayama - drums - Keiki Midorikawa & Takashi Mizuhashi - bass - Kimiko Kasai - vocal

DISC 1 : Yosuke Yamashita Trio - Dore / Yosuke Yamashita Trio - Mokurin ~ Gugan / Itaru Oki Trio - Flying Into The Space / Itaru Oki Trio - Conversation With Water

DISC 2 : Yuji Ohno Trio - Autumn Leaves / Yuji Ohno Trio, Kimiko Kasai - I Can't Give You Anything But Love / Yuji Ohno Trio, Kimiko Kasai - Get Out Of Town / Yuji Ohno Trio - Kenny's Moods / Itaru Oki Trio, Yuji Ohno Trio, Kimiko Kasai - Black Shadow Woman / Itaru Oki Trio, Yuji Ohno Trio, Kimiko Kasai - Theme Of The Unkown People

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Ramsey Lewis - Mother Nature's Son

Year : 1968
Label : Chess/Cadet Records
Genre : Jazz, Electronic
Style : Jazz Funk, Pop

As the cover album "The Other Side Of Abbey Road" by George Benson, Ramsey Lewis revisits another great Beatles' act, the "White album", supported by strings ensemble and conducted by Charles Stepney featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. "Mother Nature's Son" includes ten songs extracted from the famous double album whose the "Back In The USSR" and "Blackbird" hit singles. The tracks are introduced with some experimental electronic effects produced by the moog synthesizer including jazz improvisations, pop rhythms and Funk/Soul accents. All tracks arranged by Charles Stepney.

Daniel Janin - Dinha Mantha's Power

Year : 1974
Label : PSI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Big Band, Funk/Soul, Jazz Funk

"Dinha Mantha's Power" is the most famous album to the Funk/Soul accent and probably the best of French band leader Daniel Janin, including the soulful song "Sand And Rain" featuring american jazz songstress Nancy Holloway. Daniel Janin is a vibrationist, arranger, band leader & composer for various TV shows, who was big band conductor for the Bruno Coquatrix's Olympia Hall in Paris from 1961 to 1964, and worked with various artists from the french variety such as Jacques Brel, Gilbert Bécaud or Dalida. A part of his work has often been sampled by several Hip-Hop artists as the songs "Black Night", "Fat Fat Fellow" or more recently "Trumpet Flower" by Nujabes on the Samurai Champloo original soundtrack. "Sand & Rain" was selected by Mickaël Darmon for the  KIF label's compilation, "Mélodie En Soul Sol : Paris '70".

Raulzinho - Impacto 8 ~ International Hot

 

Year : 1968

Label : Equipe

Genre : Jazz, Funk/Soul, Latin
Style : Soul Jazz, Boogaloo, Bossa Nova

Amazing Samba Funk/Soul album by Raul De Souza alias Raulzinho, under the name Impacto 8 group featuring brazilian singer Betinho, drummer Robertinho Silva & saxophonist Oberdan from famous Som Imaginário & Banda Black Rio bands. Raulzinho is a jazz trombonist coming from Rio De Janeiro, one of the greatest player of his generation who started as professional alongside the legendary guitarist Baden Powell and evolved in Sérgio Mendes & Bossa Rio. Since the seventies, he is a session musician in demand playing for american jazz fusion group "Caldera" and others international artists such as A. C. Jobim, Airto Moreira, Hermeto Pascoal, Sonny Rollins, Cal Tjader, Jimmy Smith and Sarah Vaughan. In 1975, with "Colors" (produced by Airto Moreira), he embraces an international career, signing on Milestone & Capitol Records and released two albums produced by George Duke, "Sweet Lucy" and "Don't Ask My Neighbors" (1977-1978). Titles include the club killer "Two Beat Manchild (Mundo Louco)", western pop hits "Spinning Wheel", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", the James Brown funk "I've Got The Feelin'", the jazz standards "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" and "Cantalope Island". 

La Musica E Un Messaggio

The lovely days of the electronic beats featuring main actors of Trip Hop scene including famous British Ninja Tune label. It features Mr Scruff, Blockhead, DJ Shadow, Dan The Automator, Madlib, Fat Jon & the japanese beatmakers Fantastic Plastic Machine, U.F.O. (United Future Organization) & DJ Ryow from ShinSight Trio. All tracks released between 1996-2009, compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

We've Got The JAZZ Vol. 4 ~ One More Time

One more time, the great meeting between Jazz, Hip-Hop & Soul, performed by Jazz Funk bands & worldwide DJs coming from US to Europe by Japan. This volume highlights funky organ, jazzy samples & groovy beats, featuring The Poets of Rhythm, Chris Joss, 6ix Toys, Soil & Pimp Sessions, The Roots, 45 A.K.A. SWING-O, The RH Factor, Soulive, Talib Kweli & more... All tracks complied & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Agent Double-O-Soul ~ An Anthology Of Music Library

24 musical masterpieces extracted from the late sixties to early seventies, recorded for various screen movies, TV shows, advertising or others commercial programs. Mostly were released under famous music library labels including British KPM, French Montparnasse 2000, or Télémusic catalogues. This compilation of amazing cinematic grooves featuring Alan Hawkshaw, John Schroeder, Janko Nilovic, Vladimir Cosma, Alan Moorhouse, Sandro Brugnolini & many more... Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Joe Henderson - In Japan

Year : 1973/1971
Label : Milestone Records/Victor

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz

Style : Hard Bop, Post Bop, Bossa Nova

Originally released as "Henderson's Habiliment" on Victor in 1971, "In Japan" is a live recording performed at the Junk Club, Tokyo, by american saxophonist Joe Henderson featuring pianist Hideo Ichikawa, bassist Kunimitsu Inaba & drummer Motohiko Hino. Titles include jazz standards from Thelonious Monk (Round Midnight) & Kenny Dorham (Blue Bossa), Henderson's original compositions "Junk Blues" and the variation of his "In 'N' Out" song called "Out 'N' In" that replaces "Black Narcissus" on the original release.

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New Stream In Jazz Vol. 7 ~ Playing Bossa Nova, Jazz & Samba Again !

Compilation series dedicated to the golden era of the japanese jazz scene through the years 60's-70's. Following the Volume 2, this compilation bringing together other titles ranging from Bossa Nova to Jazz Samba styles including Jazz standards & Brazilian classics of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Jorge Ben, João Gilberto & Edu Lobo. It features Konosuke Saijo, Sadao Watanabe, Shungo Sawada, Takeshi Inomata, Yuji Ohno, Akira Ishikawa, George Kawaguchi, Keitaro Miho, Hozan Yamamoto & Toshiaki Yokota. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Helen Merrill - Bossa Nova In Tokyo

Year : 1967
Label : Victor
Genre : Latin Jazz
Style : Bossa Nova

The third album recorded in Japan by Helen Merrill with the Sadao Watanabe Quintet featuring Masabumi Kikuchi (p), Isao Suzuki (b), Masahiko Togashi (ds),  Sadanori Nakamure (g) & Hideo Miyata (per), conducted and arranged Norio Maeda. Helen Merrill revisits the greatest hits of Bossa Nova among others, original compositions from the forerunner Antonio Carlos Jobim ("So Danço Samba", "How Insensitive", "Agua Di Beber"), just as some Japanese popular Pop songs ("Yume Wa Yoru Hiraku", "Shinjite Itai") & Jazz standards ("Fly Me To The Moon", "The Shadow Of Your Smile"). 

Helen Merrill - Helen Merrill Sings The Beatles

Year : 1970
Label : Victor
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock

Settled in Japan from 1966 to 1972, Helen Merrill recorded various albums whose this "Helen Merrill Sings The Beatles", her only one jazz rock album including japanese musicians among pianist Masahiko Sato, bassist Yasuo Arakawa, drummer Takeshi Inomata, The Singers Three (backing vocal) & others. Often compared to Billie Holiday for his voice, Helen Merrill is the last great lady of jazz still alive. Admired in Japan, she was among the first western artist to sing in the japanese tongue. Since 1954, she has recorded over 40 albums whose seven of which with various japanese musicians including Hozan Yamamoto ("Sings Folk" in 1963), Sadao Watanabe ("Bossa Nova In Tokyo" in 1967), Motohiko Hino ("Sposin'" in 1971) or Akira Miyazawa ("Plaisir d'Amour" in 1969). All tracks arranged by Masahiko Satoh.

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Brazilian Tapestry Vol. 3

Still more Latin grooves from the Brazil '70 including Jazz Funk, Bossa Nova & MPB featuring Marilia Medalha, Eumir Deodato, Di Melo, Tom Zé, Airto Moreira, Walter Wanderley, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso & many more... All tracks recorded between 1967-1974, compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

New Stream In Jazz Vol. 6

Compilation series dedicated to the golden era of the japanese jazz scene through the years 60's-70's. This volume mixes Contemporary Jazz, Jazz Samba & Soul Jazz, featuring Terumasa Hino, Sadao Watanabe, Isao Suzuki, Kimiko Kasai & Gil Evans, Mieko Hirota with Billy Taylor Trio, Yoshio "Chin" Suzuki & many more... All tracks recorded between 1967-1973, compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

SUPERSOUND

This is Super Sound ! A collection of some incredible catchy beats and insane groovy sounds including heavy funk & crossover jazz, featuring Manu Dibango, The Fatback Band, Kool & The Gang, Betty Davis, Oliver Nelson, Earth Wind And Fire, Oneness Of Juju, O'Donel Levy, The Sisters Love, Incredible Bongo Band, Eric Burdon & War, Jimmy Castor Bunch and many more... All tracks recorded between 1968-1976, compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop​.

Yuji Ohno - The Boss & His Piano ~ Selected Works 1967 - 1975

Dedicated to the legendary japanese jazz pianist, "The Boss & His Piano" includes essential studio & live recordings by Yuji Ohno as a sideman and under his own name. Best known as composer of various background music for films and animation series, Yuji Ohno played alongside the greatest japanese jazz musicians among trumpeter Terumasa Hino, the drummers Masahiko Togashi & Hideo Shiraki or guitarist Ryo Kawasaki from Gil Evans Orchestra. From 1970 to 1975, his regular jazz trio consists of drummer Kazuyoshi Okayama and the bassists Yoshio Ikeda, Takashi Mizuhashi. During the seventies, he was an arranger in demand who regularly collaborated with various japanese jazz songstress such as Mieko Hirota, Martha Miyake, Kimiko Kasai, Hatsumi Shibata, the american Ann Young and brazilian Sonia Rosa. All tracks recorded between 1967-1975, featuring Terumasa Hino, Kimiko Kasai, Yuji Ohno, Sonia Rosa, Ann Young, Itaru Oki, Hiroshi Suzuki, Masahiko Togashi. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Akira Ishikawa & The Gentures - Beat Pops / Drum Hits

Year : 1970
Label : Denon
Genre : Jazz, Rock
Style : Jazz Rock, Pop

Originally recorded in 1969, "Beat Pops / Drum Hits" is a cover album of international pop hits from the late sixties, performed by the first incarnation of the Count Buffalos conducted by jazz drummer Akira Ishikawa. Titles include various western popular songs such as "Sugar Sugar" by The Archies, "Come Together" by The Beatles, "Green River" by The Creedance, "Love Me Tonight" by Tom Jones, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley or the Rolling Stones' classic "Honky Tonk Women". Among others titles include a french song, "Aime Ceux Qui T'aiment" by Danièle Vidal, best known in Japan than in France under "Tenshi No Rakugaki" name. All tracks arranged by Masahiko Aoi.

MUSICIANS : Akira Ishikawa - drums - Takeshi Onodera - percussion - Hiromasa Suzuki - keyboards - Kiyoshi Sugimoto - guitar - Masaoki Terakawa & Isao Eto - bass - Takeru Muraoka - soprano saxophone - Hiroshi Suzuki - trombone - Tetsuo Fushimi - trumpet

LISTEN SAMPLE

New Stream In Jazz Vol. 5

Compilation series dedicated to the golden era of the japanese jazz scene through the years 60's-70's. Following the volume 1, the volume 5 bringing together other titles ranging from Soul Jazz to Hard Bop by Post Bop style, including various jazz standards and original compositions by Kazuo Yashiro, Yuji Ohno, Norio Maeda, Hiroshi Suzuki, Takehiro Honda, Shungo Sawada & Takeru Muraoka, Jake H. Conception, Nobuo Hara & His Sharps & Flats, Akira Ishikawa, Takeshi Inomata, Keitaro Miho, The Freedom Unity. All tracks released between 1969-1972. Compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.