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Takeru Muraoka, a saxophonist who played an active part in a group that symbolized the times, including Hideo Shiraki Quintet, Terumasa Hino Quartet, Count Buffaloes led by Akira Ishikawa, and Freedom Unity. He pursued a cutting-edge musicality while in the mainstream and led the Japanese jazz scene. As a sideman, he wields a number of works, while leaving leaders such as Takeru and Ride and Tie, who have a strong presence in the era as if to wedge. – Jazz Music Archives

Eight 1978 leader songs by saxophonist Takeru Muraoka, who was also active in the count buffaloes and freedom unity led by Hideo Shiraki quintet, Terumasa Hino quartet, and Akira Ishikawa, are from the Deep Jazz Reality series supervised by Yusuke Ogawa of Koenji record shop Universounds. Recurrence ♪ Innovative groove feeling, emotional melody, sharp sound image. A masterpiece in which all songs are listened to, incorporating the electric elements of fusion disco boogie. – Library Records

A quintessential work of Japanese big band jazz recorded by the New Herd, headed by one of Japan’s foremost jazz musicians, Toshiyuki Miyama. It is a further concretized continuation of Miyama’s exploration of ‘Wa (Japanese) jazz’ that drove his previous record, ‘Nio and Pigeon’. By intentionally eschewing the use of traditional instruments and sticking to the basic elements of jazz, this masterpiece achieves a unique realization of ‘Japanese jazz’ solely through the arrangement/instrumentation vibes that vary with the theme. Using musical expressions ranging from free jazz to jazz-rock, the record’s tracks come together to form a suite that embodies the poetic sentiments of traditional Japanese folk tales in a magnificent and breathtaking manner. – Light In The Attic

Four Units is:
Akira Miyazawa: tenor sax, flute
Masahiko Satoh: piano
Yasuo Arakawa: bass
Masahiko Togashi drums

Recorded at Teichiku Kaikan No. 1 Studio, Tokyo, April 2 and 25, 1969.

Originally released in 1969 on Union Records/Teichiku (UPS-2008-J).

Limited to 1000 copies.

 Makoto Terashita’s 1st album. ‘Samoa’ written with the image of giraffe running on the prairie, ‘Daiyosaku’ inspired by McCoy Tyner, ‘Tell me an Old Story, Grand Daddy’ and other songs that exude exoticism and nostalgia, which can be called the true value of Terashita, line up. – Light In The Attic

Tracklisting:
SAMOA
Take the Coltrane
Dai Hosaku (Great Harvest)
Tell Me An Old Story, Grand Papa
Ruby My Dear 

 Formed in 2017, the collective’s debut album ‘Sonkei’, released 27th September via Albert’s Favourites, fuses ’60s deep and spiritual jazz with experimental electronica. The album follows the release of their critically acclaimed debut EP ‘First Meeting’, released earlier this year.

The super-group takes their name from Rōnin, the masterless samurai of a time gone by. Deadly master swordsmen who, without lords to serve, roamed Japan offering their skills wherever needed. As the need for their swordsmanship declined, they became master artisans making textiles, crafting poetry, painting and writing books.

It’s a fascinating evolution that has a parallel to each member in the Rōnin Arkestra collective - master musicians from different bands and clans coming together to create a vagabond band of like-minded musicians - weaving the stories of their lives into a collective sound. “The members of Rōnin Arkestra are some of my favorite musicians anywhere and the way we all come together in battle formation with so much heart and soul is making magic,” says de Clive Lowe – Bandcamp

 Le Très Jazz Club present the first reissue of George Otsuka Quintet's Physical Structure, originally released in 1976. Reissued for the first time outside of Japan, Physical Structure by Japanese drummer George Otsuka is an amazing jazz-fusion album, featuring Fumio Karashima on the piano, electric piano, synth, and Fender Rhodes and Shozo Sasaki on tenor and soprano sax. Check the surprising and sublime cover of "Naima" which alone justifies getting this record. Also features Mitsuako Furuno (bass) and Norio Ohno (percussion). Recorded on February 11, 1976. Le Très Jazz Club keeps on exploring Japanese jazz and the Three Blind Mice catalog with this reissue. - Forced Exposure