Review: Isao Suzuki, Masahiko Togashi, Hideo Ichikawa, Akira Shiomoto – Approach (BBE Music)

After the mighty Digger's Dozen compilation by DJ Muro, BBE return to the apparently never ending treasure trove of the Tony Higgins / Mike Pedon finds for re-issue on the highly-acclaimed J-Jazz Masterclass Series.

This time we've gone all the way back to 1986 for the album called 'Approach'.  Mostly as a trio, as indicated by the cover artwork, Hideo Ichikawa (piano), Isao Suzuki (b) and Masahiko Togashi (percussion/drums) are joined on two tracks by Akira Shiomoto on guitar. 

Such a shame Suzuki passed away last year aged 89 so as not to see the re-issue  but can he feel the vibrations of his bass wherever he may be?  This guy spent many years in the U.S. playing with the likes of Ron Carter, Paul Desmond, Ella Fitzgerald, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, and many more.

You can hear such influences in the Bob James like 'Otari' which Suzuki dominates with Ichikawa in an 80s 'SOAP' theme style.  This is in total contrast to their 'free' jazz of 'Tornado' as a duo of Ichikawa and Togashi.

At the other extreme, before Afro-minimal jazz house was thought off, the 11 minutes of 'East Words' is not long enough and frustratingly gets a faded out at the end.  'Long Straight Road' is similar but with Ichikawa and Suzuki duelling ontop of Togashi; again another track faded out short.

The opener 'Make Trip' is more 'traditonal' J-Jazz jazzdance with Akira doing his "Larry Coryell"  after a gentle introduction so it doesn't really prepare you for the variety of the album; 'Mysterious' is just that, the bass is bowed and sounds like there's an A. Christie/P.G. Wodehouse 30s dectective going on with Akira on gentle bossa groove duty - odd and mesmerising at the same time. 

For those that follow Mike 'bacoso' Pedon, you'll know that he recently appeared at the launch of 'Come Sunday' at the Café Artum, Hockley, Birmingham with a vinyl only jazz session (I hope he played 'East Words') so it's really good that this music is reaching ears outside of the usual 'jazzdance' enclaves. 

For an album with only 6 tracks, this sure packs a punch and you'll find that your favourite track changes on every listen; it's just fantastic and so hard to believe it was recorded in 1986 as its timeless.

Artist: Isao Suzuki, Masahiko Togashi, Hideo Ichikawa, Akira Shiomoto

Title: Approach

Release date: 10th March, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE710 LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Yasuhiro Kohno + One - Song Of Island (BBE Music)

You may recall that the title track to 'Song Of Island' appeared on the BBE J-Jazz compilation Volume 3: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1969 - 1983 and in a collection of such "heavy... bop", this track was the odd-80s recording, sounding like the 60/70s with a  "touch of the spiritual". 

Pianist, leader of the trio + 1, Yasuhiro Kohno has the love and feel of a Hancock/Corea/Tyner as he controls the thrust of 'Song of Island' for nearly 11 minutes with the '+1' of Masahiro Kanno on vibes doing his best Milt Jackson/Gary Burton that you'd never know 1. this was an all Japanese line-up and 2. Recorded live on August 28th and 29th 1985 at "Live House Again" - no overdubs/no re-takes/just 'live'. 

A one off track you might think? Not on this album! All five tracks are pretty lengthy which is really great news in this case. If you thought you'd already heard enough versions of 'Love For Sale' that you'd never need to hear another in your life, stick with this as it swings with attitude (as someone might have said) and I'll say it, best version of the standard I'm ever likely to hear. And the perfect follow-on to the softer 'Time For Peace' before we get into the other two original compositions, 'Mr Nilson' (a little avant-modal blues walk at 13 minutes) and the best in the set, jazzdance head and feet at the ready, 'Village Festival' (12 minutes). 

Originally a private pressing (so rare as!), it's re-issued with original/translated sleeve notes plus a new Tony Higgins interview as well. Fans are already saying 'Corker ain't it !!' and it must be up there for re-issue of the year. Thank you everyone involved in making this happen, from original label ASCAP to BBE and the J-Jazz conception dynamic duo of Mike Peden and Higgins; you'll never be able to see Yasuhiro Kohno +1 at their 1985 peak ever again so this is the next best thing and yet another essential in the J-Jazz series - go Yasuhiro GO! 

Artist: Yasuhiro Kohno + One

Title: Song of Island

Release date : 18th November, 2022

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE665

Format: LP / CD / Digital

Review: Masaru Imada Trio + 1 - Planets (BBE MUSIC)

If you ever wondered what it's like to be trendier than Shuya Okino, Yoshihiro Okino or Gilles Peterson, well walk a mile in Tony Higgins and Mike Peden's shoes (perhaps that should be 1960's to 1980's sandals) as this pair are still prooving that there's no end of obscure/brilliant/privately pressed jazz albums that nobody else has heard off for decades. 

Of course, the key to the success of these two currating the BBE's J-Jazz series of re-issues is that they are "brilliant" as rarity itself is no silver bullet for success. 

It also helps in the case of the latest in the series is that this 1977 recording of the Masaru Imada trio (Masaru leading on piano which 'Blueroad' is worth buying the album for alone) with Tetsujiro Obara (d) and Kunimitsu Inaba (b) together with the '+1' of Yuji Imamura on percussion. It's these four that perform the tour de fab with the extended version, being nearly 17 minutes long, of 'Sea's Pasture' which is as spiritual Japanese modal peace garden in a storm as you can get. Destinations of timeless calm it is not but there's a 'radio edit' as a bonus track that's equally perfect and a great accompliment to the mellower and beautiful title track, 'Planets'. 

So much more than a one track album, and get those jazz shuffle sandals out as I'll take the blueroad.

Artist: Masaru Imada Trio + 1 

Title: Planets

Release Date : 28th October, 2022

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE664

Format : LP/CD/Digital