East Wind Reissue

[Eric]

Any feedback on purchases? I interested in the funky/fusiony subset of these releases ...

Thanks

[SMB1968]

Any feedback on purchases? I interested in the funky/fusiony subset of these releases ...

Thanks

Here's three of those I picked up and can recommend.

Kosuke Mine/Solid

Shunzo Ohno/Something's Coming

Mikio Masuda/Trace [Low-Priced Edition][Low-Priced Edition

[Eric]

Any feedback on purchases? I interested in the funky/fusiony subset of these releases ...

Thanks

Here's three of those I picked up and can recommend.

Kosuke Mine/Solid

Shunzo Ohno/Something's Coming

Mikio Masuda/Trace [Low-Priced Edition][Low-Priced Edition

Have a couple on the way, thanks.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Eric

[erwbol]

There's not much on Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio at Allmusic, but this overview of the recordings of the lineup with Carter & Williams on Do The Math was really helpful.

I just ordered At the Village Vanguard Vol.1 & 2, and KJLH, along with Cedar Walton's Pit Inn.

[RiRiIII]

There's not much on Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio at Allmusic, but this overview of the recordings of the lineup with Carter & Williams on Do The Math was really helpful.

I just ordered At the Village Vanguard Vol.1 & 2, and KJLH, along with Cedar Walton's Pit Inn.

Thanks for the link.

"New Wine in Old Bottles" is also very good. I am playing it right now. McLean is in great form. Nice transition to "Round Midnight" theme. Recommended.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/new-wine-in-old-bottles-mw0000188133

What is KJLH?

Edited March 5, 2015 by Alexandros

[mjzee]

There's not much on Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio at Allmusic, but this overview of the recordings of the lineup with Carter & Williams on Do The Math was really helpful.

I just ordered At the Village Vanguard Vol.1 & 2, and KJLH, along with Cedar Walton's Pit Inn.

Thanks for the link.

"New Wine in Old Bottles" is also very good. I am playing it right now. McLean is in great form. Nice transition to "Round Midnight" theme. Recommended.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/new-wine-in-old-bottles-mw0000188133

What is KJLH?

Kindness, Joy, Love, Happiness

If anyone's interested in mp3 downloads, 4 of these Great Jazz Trio albums are available as the box set "Objects Appear Closer" from Amazon for $24.75. The 4 titles are KJLH, Direct From LA, Milestones, and The Great Tokyo Meeting. See: http://www.amazon.com/Objects-Appear-Closer-Great-Jazz/dp/B000W4KT8C

[erwbol]

$24.75 is a bit expensive for mp3s IMO. These East Wind reissues are a little over $8 a piece on CD.

My approach to mp3 is something you mightn't approve of, though. I download them through bittorrent to decide what to buy on CD and then erase them. Now listening to New Wine in Old Bottles.

[mjzee]

$24.75 is a bit expensive for mp3s IMO. These East Wind reissues are a little over $8 a piece on CD.

True, but shipping from Japan adds quite a bit.

I don't do bittorrent; too concerned about viruses.

[Eric]

$24.75 is a bit expensive for mp3s IMO. These East Wind reissues are a little over $8 a piece on CD.

True, but shipping from Japan adds quite a bit.

I don't do bittorrent; too concerned about viruses.

If you order multiple CDs (2-4, not 20-30 ) the total cost at CDJapan is really not too bad when the buy-in is only $8 per CD.

[barnaba.siegel]

Hello guys.

As a 70s fusion lover I'd done some "research" on East Wind re-releases . In general - albums with white background are acoustic and those with photos - electric (with some exceptions, like Terumasa Hino, who's mostly all acoustic). Second though - music from East Wind label is, on most cases, strongly inspired by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock or Lonnie Liston Smith... sometimes too strongly, but if you're into classic albums of those mentioned, mostly everthing from EW reissues will be fine for you.

From many interesting album here're the list of those, I'd recommend:

Shunzo Ohno - Antares, Quarter Moon, Somethin' Comin'.

Those are absolutely best jazz-rock albums from this label. Jazz trumpeter was cathing realy good ideas of US fusion, with Milesian "Somethin Comin'" to more colorful, rich and funky "Quarter Moon" and "Antares". You may also consider "Bubbles", which is a smooth, laid-back album, though sometimes a bit boring (so dull melodica solo in first "Bubbles").

Sadao Watanebe - Pamoja, Recital

Well, he didn't play jazz-rock per se, but he's absolutely top Japanese instrumentalist every his album is at least very, very fine. I love his sax style and the type of ethnical arrangements he often uses. I've taken "Pamoja" and "Recital", but resigned to tak "I'm Old Fashioned"

There also fresh Sony Japan releases, "Sadao Watanabe" and "Open Road", which are also fantastic!

Kohsuke Mine (or Kosuke Mine) - Sunshower, Solid

First one is a very... solid jazz-rock album with 4 satisfying cuts. Solid is a live gig, with on 20-minutes composition reminding "Get Up WIth It" and some tracks from "Bitches Brew"-"Big Fun" era. Second and third are more calm, but still it's good music. There is also acoustin "Out of Chaos" and it's ok, but it's a bit of a big rip-off from Coltrane's early 60s albums.

Isao Suzuki - Hip Dancin'

More electric-jazz than jazz-rock album. Very clever and well played, have an interesting, unusuall vibe.

Mikio Masuda - Mickey's Mouth

Mikio was a good keyboard players, but I think he was trying to copy American keyboardist too much. "Mickey's Mouth" is the only LP one I'd really enjoyed. "Corazon" has only 2-3 good tracks, but the rest is embarassing.

Kochi - Wishes

A one-album collective with Masabumi Kikuchi and a pack of Milesian musicians - Steve Grossman, Dave Liebman, Reggie Lucas, Mtume. And Anthony Jackson. Though the line-up is outstanding, the music is rather a spontaneous session with a goal of cathing spirit of 1973-75 Davis music. Another interesting LP, not a great one, but it's good to have it

Ryo Kawasaki - Prism, Eight Mile Road

Fine guitarist. I don't find his playing style as a memorable, but he played a healthy, mature fusion. "Prism" is probably better (as always - the earlier fusion, the better), with some guitar freak-outs. "Eight Mile Road" hits more funky-smooth style, but it's ok.

And from non-Japan musician:

Reggie Lucas - Survival Themes

Good cut from Miles Davis stable musician. Few good tracks plus 20-minutes experiments on guitar. Not a masterpiece, but interesting

Air Pocket - Fly On

This one is a BOMB! Short-living band consisting of big bunch of Fowler brothers (with Bruce & Tom, who played on Zappa's jazz-rock oriented albums). Many short composition, but each one is outstanding. Lot's of very fine horns, some guitar licks and crazy synth space sounds. This is a must have!

Sam Morrison - Dune

Morrison made a very brief career, so you may not recognise him. He played with last '75 line-up's of Miles Davis and probably because of this he get a chance to make some noise in Japan. This album is very solid, nice mix of jazz-rock and spiritual jazz (luckily without an obvious influences)

What about the rest? Frankly speaking - I didn't like it. Hubert Eaves's "Esoteric Funk" was really disappointing, most acoustic album (like Terumasa Hino's) not as original as I thought. Although I hope I helped a bit thos fusion-heads who where wondering what to chose

Cheers

Edited March 17, 2015 by barnaba.siegel

[RiRiIII]

Thanks!!

[erwbol]

Hello guys.

As a 70s fusion lover I'd done some "research" on East Wind re-releases . In general - albums with white background are acoustic and those with photos - electric (with some exceptions, like Terumasa Hino, who's mostly all acoustic). Second though - music from East Wind label is, on most cases, strongly inspired by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock or Lonnie Liston Smith... sometimes too strongly, but if you're into classic albums of those mentioned, mostly everthing from EW reissues will be fine for you.

Hello and welcome.

On the last two Great Jazz Trio albums included in this batch (with Eddie Gomez and Al Foster: Chapter II and Moreover) Hank Jones switches to an electric instrument for some tracks. On Chapter II Jones plays what I can only describe as 'the electric piano from hell.'

There's not much on Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio at Allmusic, but this overview of the recordings of the lineup with Carter & Williams on Do The Math was really helpful.

I just ordered At the Village Vanguard Vol.1 & 2, and KJLH, along with Cedar Walton's Pit Inn.

The East Wind albums arrived today. I'm very happy with these. I already look forward to ordering more Great Jazz Trio albums with the Jones, Carter, Williams line-up.

Edited March 17, 2015 by erwbol

[barnaba.siegel]

Misleadingly I thought that two albums by trumpeter Shunzo Ohno - "Anteres" and "Quarter Moon" - where from East Wind label. In fact it was a Electric Bird label. They also have recently quite vast batch of reissues, but I checked some performers (like guitarist Katsutoshi Morizono or keyboardist Toshiyuki Honda) but its mostly average smooth jazz with some platitude themes. Although the 2 aformentioned Shunzo Ohno albums are really fine, reminding me a lot of lat 70s Lonnie Liston Smith. There re even Marcus Miller and TM Stevens.

But I'm hugely disappointed by the lack of artworks. I always thought that any Japanese edition = best quality. I was surprised after finding that it has NO back cover or inner sleeve replicas at all.... and sad when I checked, that original albums has very nice photos of musicians from the sessions. In fact there are some vinyl-replica SHM-CD's and I believe those has every original graphic, but they're far too expensive as for just nice funky, smooth jazz.

[erwbol]

Most now OOP at CD Japan and even at hmv.co.jp.

[felser]

A friend of mine said he was able to order these from Dusty Groove.

[barnaba.siegel]

Browse Amazon's shops. I've seen some CD's (that are OOP in Japan) still available at fair price.

[erwbol]

I got lucky with Musicjapan, an amazon.co.uk third party seller that is also active on amazon.de. Shipping to the Netherlands is cheaper on the Uk site, though.

There were a couple of Great Jazz Trio albums (Carter Williams lineup) I had delayed picking up. I had expected these to be available for six months.

Edited June 9, 2015 by erwbol