In the years following World War Two, Japan developed one of
the most insatiable, dynamic and diverse markets for jazz. For a crucial period
of little over a decade – from the late 1960s to the early 1980s – Japanese
jazz culture progressed at an astonishing rate, producing an extraordinary
array of artists, recordings and record labels that created some of the most
forward thinking and impressive jazz to be committed to tape. This amazing
journey is explored on ‘J Jazz’.
This compilation from BBE uncovers some of the most sought
after and rare material from this period and pulls together key artists who
shaped the post-war modern jazz scene in Japan.
‘J Jazz’ includes obscure and sought after rarities like the
bass-driven power jazz of Koichi Matsukaze’s ‘Earth Mother’, the holy grail
rarity of Aizawa Tohru Quartet’s ‘Dead Letter’ and the loping majesty of Takeo
Moriyama’s ‘North Wind’. This collection takes the listener into deep spiritual
jazz, post-modal impressionism and fierce dance-floor fusion with material from
artists and composers whose names are generally only known to committed
collectors of Japanese jazz. Fumio Karashima, Mitsuaki Katayama, Takeo Moriyama
and Kiyoshi Sugimoto are among the names featured on an album aiming to shed a
little light on the shadowy world of Japanese jazz clubs, tucked away in the
neon backstreets. This music demands a wider audience and BBE are excited to
deliver a landmark compilation, lifting the veil on this wonderful and
mysterious area of the global jazz catalogue.
None of the tracks featured on ‘J Jazz’ have ever received
an official release outside Japan before. The albums the tracks are taken from
are extremely hard to find and often fetch huge sums on the collector’s
circuit. Originally pressed in small numbers on independent and private labels
such as Union, Johnny’s Disk, Whynot, ALM and VAP, these tracks are now available
for everyone to enjoy.
Compiled by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, both long-time
collectors of Japanese jazz, ’J Jazz’ brings together the very best in modern
jazz from Japan, recorded during a critical period of musical and cultural
transition that saw composers and musicians not only assert a new artistic
identity but also create a lasting musical legacy.
The official release date is February 23, 2018.
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