Late

Thank you guys for the recommendations and tips! 👍

I was actually trying to imagine how Giuffre's sound would (or wouldn't) blend with Robinson's. I imagine, mid-60's, the music would be great. Oh! Prime Perry Robinson from 1978 can be heard here: You can listen to the whole album here. Highly recommended.

I was thinking about Perry Robinson today. For some reason I was creating an unlikely and imaginary quartet in my head: Robinson, Jimmy Giuffre, Steve Swallow, Pete LaRoca.

Good to know and much agreed. I listened to Capra Black just this afternoon. Yeah, the Bellaphon disc is really showing its age. I wonder why the Strata East Bandcamp page lists Virgil Jones though? Weird typo. All I can think is that Virgil Jones was in Harper's band when he made Black Saint. At any rate, Kevin Gray is doing the digital transfers of the Strata East stuff for Mack Avenue. I'm hopeful a CD will eventually emerge. There's one (upcoming) of Izipho Zam.

I'm excited for Capra Black to see a new reissue on compact disc—at least I assume we'll see a CD issue. The 1993 Bellaphon issue is alright, but a little tinny sounding. It's such a great album. Here's a question—on my compact disc (of Capra Black), it states that the trumpet player is Jimmy Owens. On the Strata East Bandcamp page, it says that the trumpet player on Capra Black is Virgil Jones. Uh?

I don't have that disc, but I'm sure other members here do. I listened to the ezz-thetics edition three times today. My ears are getting used to Brändli's transfer. I like it. That said, if one already has the music, then passing on the (relatively expensive) ezz-thetics issue allows for funds to go elsewhere—always a good thing. 👍

Hello All, Bumping this almost 17 year-old thread up. I'll be in Tokyo (first time) in a month, and thought I'd ask the board for any recommendations or suggestions regarding: • a good place to look for used jazz on compact disc; seems like everything on my wishlist would qualify as "used" • any particular bars that are jazz themed; the people I'll be with are only moderately interested in jazz (Shearing, Guaraldi) but are into exploring • any particular restaurants that are worth checking out (within generally reasonable budgetary limits) • any whiskey bars that are off the beaten path • transportation advice I'm very open to any traveler's tips. My friends have been before, but I'm a rookie to the whole scene. There won't be kids on this trip, so we can skip those type of attractions. Thanks!

Dusty Groove still has quite a few Muzak reissues at $8.99. A number are out-of-stock, but some are still available. Bill Holman's In A Jazz Orbit in particular sounds so much better in this new reissue. The Konitz Storyville 2-disc set as well.

I have the compact disc of Footloose! on a Japanese release (COCB 50603), and recently compared it to the new ezz-thetics release. I'd say the new ezz-thetics release is worth hearing. The sound on these recordings was never great. The music of course is near revolutionary at times. Some observations: • The editions I have do sound different. There isn't necessarily a "better" version. The Japanese edition has a wider stereo spread, more noticeable tape hiss, and warmer bass. The piano and drums are slightly recessed. • The ezz-thetics edition is narrower in its soundstage, almost mono sounding at times, and brings out the piano and drums. Brändli seems to have somehow shifted LaRoca's drums from the right channel to the center—but only for some tracks. • The ezz-thetics edition, because the drums are much clearer (while occasionally at the expense of Swallow's bass), really had me focus on how in sync Pete LaRoca was with what Bley was doing. In my mind, I always pair Paul Motian with Bley for this period. But these Savoy recordings, especially in this ezz-thetics edition, reveal how much of a listener LaRoca was. He's clearly into the music and not just keeping time. • I prefer the warmth of the bass in the Japanese edition. The ezz-thetics edition doesn't sound bad, just different for the bass—punchier, I guess. Hearing it with more clarity has made me consider whether Swallow had been listening to Charlie Haden around this time. I've never really noticed the Haden-isms in Swallow's playing. • I'm very familiar with the original 8 tracks of this album, and much less familiar with the additional 5 tracks and 2 alternates. For me, the ezz-thetics edition is valuable for the additional tracks, but they do break up the order of the original album. Not sure why Werner did that. Perhaps this was the original recording order? It's silly that the two alternates were left off when there was plenty of room to include them, but I actually think (though have no proof) that Werner listens to his own product, and wanted the listening experience to omit these tracks. • I doubt very much that Brändli's transfer is from the master tapes. I also doubt that this reissue was licensed from the appropriate estates. When Werner licenses stuff with approval (as he has with Desiree Ayler for all the Ayler reissues), he always prints that on the packaging. • Comparing the two editions I have has made me listen closer to the music. I've always liked these recordings, but now I'm thinking about how forward-thinking they must have been for the time. I'm a big Bill Evans fan, but Evans just can't compare to Bley as far as pushing the music out of the safety zone of the piano trio format. I think Scott LaFaro would've loved this album. Had he lived, I think he would've been open to performing with Bley. Whether Bley would've been receptive...I'm guessing yes, but who knows.

She hired Armando Korea to do some electronic keywork I hear.

👍 My first exposure to Aketagawa. The record that comes right after this one is also good. His piano is almost microtonal. 😁 Crouch informed me that he only listened to Miles Davis up to Phyllis D. Killy Man Jar-Oh.

👏

Yes. 😁 The one time I met Stanley Crouch, he shook my hand. It was the weirdest of grips. Wynton was there and gave Stanley a look.

Dusty Groove currently has this title for under $5. Required listening in a Jug-A-Thon.

👍 Thank for the heads-up. I have to poke around the internet to see if I can find sound samples. Every disc I have on NoBusiness (only six) I really enjoy. I'll probably pick up the Takagi on NoBusiness at some point. I still haven't spent enough time with the Sam Rivers on NoBusiness though, so should take my time. 🤭 Great picks. The Mizuno, I think, is iconic. The Yamashita is well-recorded, and just kills. The Aketagawas—it'll be interesting to hear your impressions. "Wonky" is right, but in the best of ways. The vocalizations, to me, aren't a distraction, but rather a reflection of his utter commitment to what he's doing (even if it sounds like at times he doesn't have a clue). Sometimes it's as if the piano sounds are an accompaniment to the man's chants and groans. Definitely not for everyone, but for me there's a certain hypnotic sense once a listener drops their defenses and just walks into the wave. One thing is true—he meant every note he played.

Will look into those. 👍 Johnny's Disk on Discogs.

那由佗現成 👉👍👈 Thank you for bringing this album to this thread's attention—great stuff!!

Just saw this on CD Japan's site: 15 Japanese Jazz Masterpieces reissued. Cardboard sleeves.

Nice! Would be interested in your impressions when you've had a chance to go through them. In December 2019, coinciding with the "beginning" of COVID, Deep Jazz Reality reissued over a dozen titles from Aketa's Disk. Excellent remastering. I picked up eight Aketagawa discs as well as the latest reissue of Takayanagi's Angry Waves. My favorite Aketagawa album is: Sometimes I think Aketagawa is the true heir (if such a thing exists and/or matters) to Monk's legacy. I also think Monk would've thought Aketagawa was absolutely bonkers—and then stayed to listen to his whole set. Aketagawa isn't at all the composer that Monk is, but their stubborn individuality makes them (in my mind) kinsmen. I can see Aketagawa adoring Monk, and Monk being cracked up by Aketagawa's playing. They both share the most idiosyncratic sense of humor and melody. I don't know the Johnny's Disk label. Will have to look into it.

A word of warning about Aketagawa—he prefers out-of-tune pianos, and his "singing" along with his solos...makes Keith Jarrett sound like...an actual singer. 🙃 An acquired taste to be sure.

Which albums? Do you have any Shoji Aketagawa? He's free, but not at all in the way that Yamashita is. As much as I like Yamashita, who I think is amazing, it's Aketagawa who I spin the most. But...they're two very different vibes. And since this is a Japanese Jazz thread, and since Yamashita has been mentioned, I just want to put this one out there as perhaps one of the earliest (1969) examples of the "free" Japanese scene. Strongly recommended: Akira Sakata is not on this one. Instead it's Yamashita's first horn player: Seiichi Nakamura. He holds his own, though perhaps not at the level of mastery that Sakata brings to the table. I didn't know that Light In The Attic reissued this one. (I have the Japanese reissue.) Sound is crunchy, but the vibe is amazing, especially given the circumstances the album was recorded under. The protest call that begins the album, even though I don't understand any of it, sets the mood perfectly. This album is on a level with Spiritual Unity and Machine Gun. That important, I'd say.

These are the Yamashita albums I'd like to see reissued. Both were on compact disc circa 2008. I missed the short window of opportunity. Frozen Days in particular is very strong. I think it's a better album than the two Yamashita albums linked to above. (Still, I'm glad to have them.) I hope Octave Lab keeps reissuing Japanese Jazz and 70's jazz. Another Japanese jazz album, from 1980, that I'd love to see reissued (there was a compact disc reissue out in 2015; once again, I missed the window) is Akira Sakata's Pochi: I haven't heard everything by Sakata, but this one has to rate as containing some of his very finest playing. The album is intense and shockingly beautiful. Hijacking welcome! 😁 Interesting read about that Victor album. 👌 Anyone pick up this 3-disc set from Dusty Groove (or elsewhere)? Curious to hear reviews... Or this one? 5 discs might be a bit much, but maybe not?

These are the three Niehaus CDs I own. All excellent, though I do think Niehaus's writing works best when a piano isn't present. The quintet and sextet work seems to get more music out of fewer horns. The octet work often (but not always) doubles parts, which effectively reduces the number of voices. That said, "You And The Night And The Music" is a great octet track—some wonderful weaving there. I also think that Shelly Manne really, really elevates any track he's on. He had an intuitive sense about writing like this.

The Jug-A-Thon transformed into a Lock-A-Thon. This one is so well-recorded. Rudy got the bass level just right. The music in total is fabulous: Weird thought—sometimes Lock reminds me of Eric Dolphy. Not the interval leaps, but the smearing of certain phrases (Lock's "cork" moments?) that are notes/not notes at the same time. I actually think a Dolphy/Lock frontline pairing, at least for one album, would've worked.