Japanese Jazz Revisited

[T.D.]

25 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said:

Yeah, I have that on LP -- it's a trip! Expanded Yamashita Trio with butoh dancers -- would've been a sight to see.

If you like McPhee solo you'll enjoy this. It's beautiful.

Excellent that you own the Arashi LPs. Agreed that the live performance would have been incredible.

I went for the Takagi solo box. Couldn't sample any clips, but was persuaded by a few solo cafe performances I found on Youtube. Should arrive in a day or so.

[T.D.]

This one (Yamashita Trio + Schoof) got my attention, but not readily available so it's on the wish list.

[Rooster_Ties]

11 hours ago, T.D. said:

This one (Yamashita Trio + Schoof) got my attention, but not readily available so it's on the wish list.

From 1975. Fairly intense stuff…

 

[T.D.]

On 3/27/2023 at 8:22 PM, Late said:

...

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.

CD of this, Super Fuji FJSP-207, recently appeared at Cdjapan. Motivated me to put together an order.

Edited June 28, 2023 by T.D.

[T.D.]

This (Kikuchi / Togashi / Peacock) is really good.

[soulpope]

3 hours ago, T.D. said:

This (Kikuchi / Togashi / Peacock) is really good.

Fully agreed ....

[HutchFan]

On 6/17/2023 at 9:20 PM, T.D. said:

This one (Yamashita Trio + Schoof) got my attention, but not readily available so it's on the wish list.

 

On 6/18/2023 at 9:19 AM, Rooster_Ties said:

From 1975. Fairly intense stuff…

That one's on my list too.

Yamashita's trio + Schoof.  Can't hardly miss with that lineup.  

Hopefully, Solid will re-reissue sometime.  In the meantime, it's YT.   

 

 

[T.D.]

Has anyone heard any of the Togashi-(Yuji) Takahashi duo recordings? There's Twilight (1977) plus live recordings from 1988, 1989 (which adds Haruna Miyake) and 1995. Curious about these, have only managed to listen to part of Twilight, which isn't too convincing. Would ordinarily order one or two sight unseen, but have some doubts concerning the electronics (synthesizer).

[clifford_thornton]

I like Twilight a lot but don't think of it as a jazz or free jazz recording.

[T.D.]

4 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said:

I like Twilight a lot but don't think of it as a jazz or free jazz recording.

Thanks. The jazz/free jazz label doesn't bother me, I think a lot of later Togashi recordings don't fit neatly into those bins. For instance, I'm likely to purchase A Day of the Sun (with Isao Suzuki) which might be subject to the same qualifier.

[Niko]

5 minutes ago, T.D. said:

Thanks. The jazz/free jazz label doesn't bother me, I think a lot of later Togashi recordings don't fit neatly into those bins. For instance, I'm likely to purchase A Day of the Sun (with Isao Suzuki) which might be subject to the same qualifier.

Have to play Day of the Sun again but a dim memory says that when having to choose between Easy Listening and Free Jazz I wouldn't put it into the Free Jazz bin... It sure isn't bad at all

[clifford_thornton]

Right, that's a good one as well. Side two of Twilight is amazing in my opinion.

[T.D.]

45 minutes ago, Niko said:

Have to play Day of the Sun again but a dim memory says that when having to choose between Easy Listening and Free Jazz I wouldn't put it into the Free Jazz bin... It sure isn't bad at all

I (perhaps self-consciously) prefer to think of it as "contemplative", "spiritual" or the like...🤣

[Д.Д.]

17 hours ago, T.D. said:

Has anyone heard any of the Togashi-(Yuji) Takahashi duo recordings? There's Twilight (1977) plus live recordings from 1988, 1989 (which adds Haruna Miyake) and 1995. Curious about these, have only managed to listen to part of Twilight, which isn't too convincing. Would ordinarily order one or two sight unseen, but have some doubts concerning the electronics (synthesizer).

I had '88 and '95 duets. They have their moments, but mostly are extremely boring (and long, these are double CDs).

This one with that Lacy fella is OK: https://www.discogs.com/release/27079872-富樫雅彦-Steve-Lacy-高橋悠治-富樫雅彦-Steve-Lacy-高橋悠治 

I think THE keyboardist for Togashi is Satoh.   

Edited August 14, 2023 by Д.Д.

[T.D.]

1 hour ago, Д.Д. said:

I had '88 and '95 duets. They have their moments, but mostly are extremely boring (and long, these are double CDs).

This one with that Lacy fella is OK: https://www.discogs.com/release/27079872-富樫雅彦-Steve-Lacy-高橋悠治-富樫雅彦-Steve-Lacy-高橋悠治 

I think THE keyboardist for Togashi is Satoh.   

Thanks. I'd noticed they're double CDs. Will pass.

Availability (at cdjapan, or more rarely DG) has a lot to do with the albums I bring up, as much of the discography is hard to find. Anything w. Lacy is automatic, but the only one I managed to find so far is the Paris session #1, Song of Soil.

Have at least 3 recordings with Satoh: Palladium, Spiritual Nature and So What. Just noticed this later one is available:

https://www.discogs.com/release/11307496-Masahiko-Togashi-Masahiko-Satoh-Emerge-Live-At-Egg-Farm-2001-

Edited August 14, 2023 by T.D.

[Д.Д.]

1 hour ago, T.D. said:

Just noticed this later one is available:

https://www.discogs.com/release/11307496-Masahiko-Togashi-Masahiko-Satoh-Emerge-Live-At-Egg-Farm-2001-

i have this one, don't remember it that well other than that I liked it. Will revisit and report here. 

[clifford_thornton]

5 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

I had '88 and '95 duets. They have their moments, but mostly are extremely boring (and long, these are double CDs).

This one with that Lacy fella is OK: https://www.discogs.com/release/27079872-富樫雅彦-Steve-Lacy-高橋悠治-富樫雅彦-Steve-Lacy-高橋悠治 

I think THE keyboardist for Togashi is Satoh.   

There are some excellent piano-Togashi duos: those with Kako, Yamashita, and Beirach come to mind.

re: Y. Takahashi, Distant Voices (w/ Lacy & Kosugi) and the Satoh/Takahashi duo are both superb.

 

[Niko]

There's also Concerto with Masabumi Kikuchi which I like a lot (but I don't know the others except some with Satoh)

[clifford_thornton]

not "jazz" exactly, but this hard-to-find CD is getting the deluxe LP treatment. It's insane and fantastic.

https://masayukitakayanagi.bandcamp.com/album/mass-hysterism-in-another-situation

[T.D.]

1 hour ago, clifford_thornton said:

not "jazz" exactly, but this hard-to-find CD is getting the deluxe LP treatment. It's insane and fantastic.

https://masayukitakayanagi.bandcamp.com/album/mass-hysterism-in-another-situation

Thanks. The track on bandcamp is cool indeed.

I kinda shy away from having recordings like this around the house, as they encourage (further) doubts about my sanity. 🤣

I've been listening to some early Takayanagi as mostly a straight-ahead player, even Tristanoite. He sure evolved over the years.

[clifford_thornton]

Yes. Actually, Billy Bauer was part of his language even into later years -- definitely audible on the Cool Jojo & Lonely Woman (solo) LPs, and New Direction Unit covered "Subconscious-Lee."

[Д.Д.]

On 8/14/2023 at 1:56 PM, T.D. said:

Have at least 3 recordings with Satoh: Palladium, Spiritual Nature and So What. Just noticed this later one is available:

https://www.discogs.com/release/11307496-Masahiko-Togashi-Masahiko-Satoh-Emerge-Live-At-Egg-Farm-2001-

 

On 8/14/2023 at 3:19 PM, Д.Д. said:

i have this one, don't remember it that well other than that I liked it. Will revisit and report here. 

I listened to it today - it's OK, not great. Satoh is in a sort of piano lounge chatty jazzy bluesy mood, Togashi's playing does not fit. There is a short Togashi solo somewhere in the middle - I liked it the most. With this heartfelt endorsement, my CD (with obi!!!!!!!) is available for sale if anybody's interested.

[T.D.]

3 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

 

I listened to it today - it's OK, not great. Satoh is in a sort of piano lounge chatty jazzy bluesy mood, Togashi's playing does not fit. There is a short Togashi solo somewhere in the middle - I liked it the most. With this heartfelt endorsement, my CD (with obi!!!!!!!) is available for sale if anybody's interested.

Thanks. I already placed a cdjapan order and decided to roll the dice anyway. "OK" isn't so bad...if the recording turns out to be a lemon I might offer it on discogs.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

19 hours ago, clifford_thornton said:

not "jazz" exactly, but this hard-to-find CD is getting the deluxe LP treatment. It's insane and fantastic.

https://masayukitakayanagi.bandcamp.com/album/mass-hysterism-in-another-situation

I don't like this at all. Certainly nothing "musical" happening here. I could see them playing this 24/7 in a prisoner's cell to break them and get them to talk.

Edited for clarity.

Edited August 17, 2023 by bresna

[Niko]

1 hour ago, bresna said:

What the fuck is that?!?! I could see them playing this 24/7 in a prisoner's cell to break them and get them to talk.

and then you have this here from the same artist around the same time (is this what "Second Concept" refers to?)