V.A. - J Jazz Volume 4: Deep Modern Jazz from Japan the Nippon Columbia Label 1968-1981 (2023) [Hi-Res]

With J Jazz volume 4, the BBE J Jazz Bullet Train continues its journey traversing the expansive landscape of modern Japanese jazz. Volume 4 is the latest in the universally praised compilation series exploring the best, rarest and most innovative jazz to emerge from the Far East. Please take your seats for a first-class ticket to J Jazz central.

This latest station stop off is with the famed Nippon Columbia label, one of the biggest labels in Japan, whose jazz output embraces every possible style imaginable. Focussing on the key years 1968-1981, J Jazz volume 4 sees compilers Tony Higgins and Mike Peden dig even deeper into their record collections and pull-out tracks that span styles ranging from solo to big band, jazz classical interpretations and heavy jazz rock, to febrile post-bop, white hot samba fusion, and modal psychedelic wig-outs.

J Jazz volume 4 features icons such as drum master Takeo Moriyama, keyboard magi Hiromasa Suzuki, Fumio Itabashi, and Masahiko Satoh, and guitar wizards Kazumi Watanabe and Kiyoshi Sugimoto, alongside big band maestros and innovators Nobuo Hara and his Sharps and Flats, and Toshiyuki Miyama’s New Herd. Thunderous basslines nestle alongside glistening runs of electric piano, bubbling synths and air-tight drumming as the heavy psychedelic modal blues of Jiro Inagaki flows with the infectious samba grooves of Takashi Mizuhashi featuring Herbie Hancock; Shigeharu Mukai’s fusion funk epics take the music to another level and Mikio Masuda’s driving keyboard rhythms brings the heat to an incendiary dancefloor zone.

With 7,000 words of extensive sleeve notes, J Jazz vol 4 comes in a triple 180g vinyl set inside a deluxe gatefold sleeve with obi strip plus a 4 page insert. The double CD features two bonus tracks not on the vinyl edition. Mastered at the Grammy-nominated Carvery Studio by Frank Merritt, this latest collection is a worthy successor to the preceding three volumes that have set the bar so high.

J Jazz is curated for BBE Music by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Takeo Moriyama - Exchange (11:55)
1.02 - Jiro Inagaki and His Soul Media - The Ground for Peace (7:47)
1.03 - Nobuo Hara and His Sharps & Flats, and Hozan Yamamoto - Chakkiri-Bushi (5:35)
1.04 - Tomoki Takahashi - Trial Road (8:27)
1.05 - Masahiko Satoh - A Muddy Muffin (5:06)
1.06 - Takashi Mizuhashi & Herbie Hancock - Samba de negrito (10:32)
1.07 - Hiromasa Suzuki - Scramble (7:41)
1.08 - Nobuo Hara And His Sharps & Flats - Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (4:58)
1.09 - Shigeharu Mukai - Toppu (15:17)
1.10 - Toshiyuki Miyama & His New Herd - Ougi Denjushiki (A Ceremony to Give Instruction the Secret) - Yokai Kappa Konnichi Izukoni Sumunari (Where Does Kappa Live Now?) (2:58)
1.11 - Kiyoshi Sugimoto - Jones Street (13:12)
1.12 - Mikio Masuda - Mickey's Samba (4:47)
1.13 - Hiromasa Suzuki & Jiro Inagaki and Big Soul Media - By the Red Stream (10:36)
1.14 - Kazumi Watanabe & Mickie Yoshino - Kaleidoscope (Edit) (9:35)
1.15 - Shigeharu Mukai - A Head Wind (20:53)
1.16 - Fumio Itabashi - Macumba (13:55)