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“These nine examples, taken from rare albums only ever released in Japan, exude the authentic excitement of those days. Most impressive of all is the rhythmic energy on show. Relaxed swing doesn’t come into it; the drummers are relentless. They’re supported by some immaculate bass playing too, and you can hear it properly, thanks to Japanese technology. The wilder soloists do tend to go on a bit in the longer numbers but the performances never sag, because of those amazing drummers. It’s music of its time, of course, but better late than never.” – The Guardian

“‘J Jazz’ includes obscure and sought after rarities like the bass-driven power jazz of Koichi Matsukaze’s ‘Earth Mother’, the holy grail rarity of Aizawa Tohru Quartet’s ‘Dead Letter’ and the loping majesty of Takeo Moriyama’s ‘North Wind’. This collection takes the listener into deep spiritual jazz, post-modal impressionism and fierce dance-floor fusion with material from artists and composers whose names are generally only known to committed collectors of Japanese jazz. Fumio Karashima, Mitsuaki Katayama, Takeo Moriyama and Kiyoshi Sugimoto are among the names featured on an album aiming to shed a little light on the shadowy world of Japanese jazz clubs, tucked away in the neon backstreets. This music demands a wider audience and BBE are excited to deliver a landmark compilation, lifting the veil on this wonderful and mysterious area of the global jazz catalogue.” – BBE Music

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