Rabshakeh

Miyazawa is a name I know well. I think that he did play with the Japanese modernists, including Akiyoshi. Like you, I don't know much about his earlier records. Bull Trout's a real classic. Cheesecake covers are a universally recognised sign of jazz modernism.

That looks bang on. I hadn't heard of it. Thanks!

Reuben Fowler Featuring Tom Harrell, Stan Sulzmann, Jim Hart – Between Shadows Nice bit of Stan Sulzman on this one.

I was worried that everyone was getting too comfortable.

Thanks! Ginparis, I know. It's more the avant scene but before it gets avant garde. The Yagi I will check out. Interesting to see an early Monk tribute, before it became the fashion. The Nabe / Marianos are a great example of the sort of thing. I'm also a fan of Jazz & Bossa.

Love this one. The later records in the series are some of my favourites.

Just revisiting this great thread. Haino, Hino and Heino. Sad that nobody thought to throw in Heinrich Heine. Turning back to topic, does anyone have a feel for what the acknowledged "classics" of the Japanese jazz scene are for jazz that is not free / fusion / post bop? I.e., what are the most well regarded records in a bop / modernism idiom, between 1945-1968 or thereabout, corresponding to the likes of the Jazz Couriers records, the early Jutta Hipp sides or Barney Wilen's Tilt, in Europe? Whilst exploring, it seems obvious that there was a scene there that was pretty prolific, and which birthed the 'Big Names' of Akiyoshi and Watanabe among others, but it doesn't seem to attract the reissues like the later stuff. The J Jazz comps start with a 1969 start date. I don't know whether that is because it was all released on 10"s, because it was a little derivative, or because the covers don't look as cool. I see names like Shungo Sawada, Hideo Shiraki, George Otsuka and Takeshi Inomata pop up quite a lot. Does anyone know the records with which to start? Bossa records welcome. I have happy memories of living Japan and classic j-bossa being a common thing to encounter among certain kinds of middle aged guys.

I'm with you on this, if it helps.

RIP.

Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band – Swingin' For The Fences

Thank you.

Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter Five: In The Garden First listen. It will need a few more to really digest it.

It is catchier than WAP at least.

Which record was that one on originally?

I listened to the Natalie Cole GAS record for the first time today, after noting it's presence on historic jazz charts, and also seeing a reference to it elsewherel. How does that record fit the chronology? It is quite interesting how different it sounds to the Linda Ronstadt type records. Disney theme vocals with Vegas arrangements.

I'm surprised at the extent to which this 2019 record, with Brandon Ross and Melvin Gibbs, falls into this category: Harriet Tubman – The Terror End Of Beauty

What about the guilt? You're missing the crippling guilt. That's my favourite part.

The new one! How is it on first listen?

Hope you enjoy it. He's one of those names that seem to tower over contemporary jazz in some parts of the jazz listening world, but which you never hear mentioned here, or in most of the places that I visit online. Has Berne got a weekly gig at the moment? Where is that? I'll keep an eye out for Belisle-Chi. Any recommendations would be interesting. Not that I am likely to be seeing much in the near future, given an imminent new arrival in the family, but good to know for when I emerge. I feel like we are all hearing a lot less about Nate Wooley these days compared to 2-4 years ago. It's a shame, as I'm a fan.

Is it a Japan only thing? It looks like an inner sleeve. Interesting stuff. How is this one?

I didn’t say I liked him. Sorry for your trauma.

Thanks!

When I was a kid, Channel 4 in the UK used to show art house or foreign films on a Friday evening, chosen and introduced by the film critic Mark Kermode (still going). As a teenaged boy in a pre-internet era, these Friday night foreign and arthouse films were one of the few reliable sources of (ahem) "intellectual stimulation" that was available. You would have Kermode and his quiff talking for 15 minutes, inevitably something about how the film you were about to see recontextualised and reframed modes of alienation through its subversively marxist use of mise-en-scene, and then you'd finally get onto what you were watching for, which was sub-titles and generous pubic carpetry. Anyway, Vampyros Lesbos was typical of Kermode's highly intellectual choices (presumably the producers knew their audience). I remember watching it and being really impressed by the soundtrack (even if it failed to live up to its name when it came to the amount of full frontal 'mise-en-scene' shown). I'm going to track it down. Thanks for the reminder.

I've only discovered Michael Franks recently. I'm not a huge fan, but I really can't believe how much his stuff was ripped off by so many of those British Columbia indie bands that Pitchfork Media so desperately wanted to marry in the 00s, without anyone ever mentioning his name. That Kaputt album by Dan Bejar was a particular example.

I like the contrast. The first side is all expansive post bop workmanship. Then the second side starts with the Freemans kicking down the door and playing a song dedicated to Gene Ammons, that still manages to do more interesting things.