Jazz from Japan, part 6
three album picks!
It’s been quite some time since I posted a few Japanese jazz titles here (apparently my last one was in March??), so wanted to release another installment of this series highlighting a few great album picks! Time has flown by this second quarter of the year!
Kazunori Takeda - Gentle November (1979)
A laid back, sensuous session of ballads from tenor Kazunori Takeda. This album is part of my evening wind-down rotation since it’s such an easy one to turn on and let play start to finish. While it’s difficult to choose ‘favorite tracks’ from ballad albums like this, I tend to prefer the B-side, featuring four original compositions from Takeda. There’s always a certain magic to an artist playing their own songs that just isn’t there with covers.
Kunihiko Sugano - Portrait - The World of Kunihiko Sugano (1974)
On this album, Sugano performs solo on piano, featuring a selection of mostly-classic standards to explore. Sugano’s playing at times reminds me of Tsuyoshi Yamamoto — probably one of the most widely recognized pianists on the Japanese jazz scene. Kunihiko is able to play these in a way that makes them feel complete without the need for a backing band.
Also of note is the recording quality. Audio Lab record did a superb job with the recording and mastering of this album, really capturing the piano perfectly as well as the decay in the room. Played on a nice system, it feels like you’re in the room with him. No specific track recommendations here, so just dive in!
Conosuke Saijo - Manhattan Showcase (1980)
Somehow my picks this time around seem to focus on standards and ballads, but that’s ok! Here’s another album filled with beloved standards played by Conosuke Saijo on tenor sax and the rest of his backing quartet. There is a nice mix here of slower ballads and a little more upbeat tracks that make for a varied listen without going off the rails. One of my favorite moments is near the very end of the album with the conversational tenor and drum solos.
This album was also wonderfully recorded with excellent stereo imaging that is a delight on a good pair of headphones or a nice system, so I definitely recommend giving it a listen that way!
If you are familiar with these albums (or if you are just listening), what are your favorite moments?
All three are really interesting - I feel very grateful that you compile this work regularly and introduce (in my case) to me these intriguing artists.
Thank you ! What a great series of posts !