Review: Tatsuya Nakamura - Locus (J-Jazz Masterclass Series) (BBE Music)

Back in 1984, there was probably little interest inside or outside of Japan for what was seen as a jazz-rock album even though the band leader was drummer, Tatsuya Nakamura.

Now, nearly 40 years on, Nakamura's album 'Locus' is latest in the Tony Higgins/Mike Peden curated J-Jazz Masterclass Series to be re-issued on BBE Music.

Originally only four tracks, 'Ballad' and the previously unreleased shorter version of 'Ballad' as a bonus is more reflective of the album artwork than the actual title track that over the 12 minutes wanders from synth/electronic intro to full on Miles fusion rock-off including obligatory drum solo.

At times, you might think this is any of the Miles fusion supergroups especially where Airto Moreira and Chick Corea are present which says much for the group joining Nakamura (drums, percussion); there's Shinobu Fujimoto (trumpet), Jun Fukamachi (keys), Hedeto Kanai (electric bass), Kazumasa Akiyama (electric guitar) with more percussion by Tatsuji Yokoyama and Yuji Sakai.

'Wow' is more of a showcase for Fukamachi who, in addition to being a jazz-fusion composer, pianist/keyboards was a synthesizer pioneer and played with many of the US leaders in the 70s.

And talking of the 70s, in '79, Nakamura's debut album 'Where Is The Quarter?' contained a 5 minute track called, '¼ Samba' (with a different line-up) so by the time of the recording of 'Locus' the operandi (you could say) had progressed to '¼ Samba II' which made an re-appearance as the near 12 minute version on the compilation 'J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan (Volume 3)' a couple of years ago.

And if you do recall, it's monsterously mad sh*t jazz bonkers and needs to be any collection of anyone that loves jazz or J-jazz or even hates jazz; 'Ballard' is a well timed cool down after that!

Many thanks to Messrs Higgins and Peden for their combined dedication to this series and bringing to the BBE fan club music that would normally be totally unobtainable to us mere mortals.

My informants tell me that the J-Jazz team have a special announcement coming soon so consider me to be on the case and we'll bring it to you as soon as we can. In the meantime, 'Locus' awaits to thrill and entertain you.

Artist: Tatsuya Nakamura 

Title: Locus

Release date: 15th September, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE6 1XLP vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp .

Review: Takeo Moriyama - Live at Lovely (BBE Music - J-Jazz Series)

There's been many great performances unearthed by the J-Jazz team of Tony 'Jazz Dad' Higgins and Mike Peden, but how they'd loved to have been at Lovely to have heard the Takeo Moriyama Quartet live in December of 1990.

And we know that because BBE have (re)issued what was once a Japan only CD release (1991) as the latest in the J-Jazz series as a special remastered double vinyl edition with translated sleeve notes and new sleeve notes by Tony.

The five tracks log in at just over an hour but what an explosive gig it was with Moriyama (d), Toshihiko Inoue (ts), Hideaki Mochizuki (b) and Fumio Itabashi (p); Itabashi composed all the tracks apart from the standard, 'Hush-A-Bye'.

Needless to say that all these guys can play.  Moriyama has had albums released where he's played with jazz names as varied as Mal Waldron, Takehiro Honda and Peter Brötzmann so there's nothing he can't do style wise.

Appropriately in the week of the longest day, the album opens with 'Sunrise' which put some extra power post-bop into your solar panels; it's heavier that a Stonehedge stone circle: Itabashi drops some Keith Jarrett as Inoue goes off planet with some modal spiritualism.  It's fantastic and it's somewhat of a relief after 14 minutes there is some gentle tones of 'Watarase' which was originally recorded on Moriyama's 1981 album 'Smile' (when he had two sax players) and turned up on a Jazzman Spiritual Jazz compilation a few years ago.   This live version is twice as long and like a Wayne Shorter in Japan lotus blossom.

But what can you say about the 20 minutes masterpiece that is 'Exchange'?  Moriyama's got an mixture of Art Blakey swing/Bill Ward villain/Kyoto Drum Ensemble with a touch of Chick Corea's 'Spain' thrown in, all on speed at a free-style jazzdance; it'd play it in the dance tent.

Even 'Hush-A-Bye' which I'd normally not bother with is given a deeper depth as there's an urgent swing going on for 10 minutes as they all take a bow.

This release which is somewhat encapsulated with the cover photograph; Takeo and drums that are half in light and half dark with a bit of a facial grimace on just before he's about to explode which is a bit like the track they finish off with, 'Good bye'.  And whilst we're never going to see December 1990 again, we can all party like it's 1991 with this massive re-issue.

NOTE: NO DIGITAL FORMAT BANDCAMP

Artist: Takeo Moriyama

Title: Contrast

Release date: 23rd June, 2023

Label : BBE Music

Catalog Number : BBE671 LP  Order from Bandcamp