J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1970-1988 Vol. 5

This final volume features a selection of tracks that is as diverse as it is deep, reflecting the rich and varied Japanese jazz scene that spanned from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, a golden era of innovation and creativity. J Jazz volume 5 sees compilers Tony Higgins and Mike Peden dig ever deeper into their respective record collections to reveal tracks that encompass myriad styles including white hot jazz funk fusion from Toshiyuki Honda (Eastern Legacy) and Mikio Masuda (Sonic Barrier), super rare ethnic jazz crossover by Crystal Zone –
their one-off 45 promo release from 1971, Rai Rai, a deconstructed and abstract jazz classic by Yasuhiro Kohno with his solo piano rendition of My Favourite Things, and Mile and Half’s skin-tearing, shredding freak-out from their mega rare private press album. A track that is so relentless, it leaves the listener in need of oxygen and a Valium.

These hand-picked selections sit alongside other specially chosen numbers that embrace hard-driving samba (Seiichi Nakumura’s Judy’s Samba), epic head-nodding soul jazz (Masaru Imada’s World Line), psychedelic private press fusion (Aoyama Gakuin 101’s Fervor), angular post-bop tear-ups (Akia Miyazawa’s Nijimasu), intense and insistent fusion (Motohiko Hino’s Olive Step), serene cinematic pianism (Hideo Ichikawa’s On the Trade Wind) and tripped-out hallucinogenic tribal funky jazz (Masahiko Sato’s Garandoh’s Africa to Africa).

Most of the tracks on this collection are being reissued for the first time, many of them only available previously on extremely limited and mega-rare private press or independent releases. J Jazz volume 5 is a fitting end to a compilation series that helped create a new audience and appreciation of Japanese jazz.

Some of the albums the tracks are drawn from are featured in the large format book J Jazz: Modern and Free Jazz from Japan 1954-1988, by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, published by BBE Music in 2024.

With almost 7000 words of extensive sleeve notes, J Jazz volume 5 comes in a triple 180g vinyl set inside a deluxe gatefold sleeve with obi strip, and comes with a 4- page insert, with photographs from the renowned Tokyo Jazz Joints project. It is also available as a double CD and digital download.

Mastered at the Grammy-nominated Carvery Studio by Frank Merritt, this latest collection is a worthy successor to the preceding four volumes that set the bar so high. The J Jazz series is curated for BBE Music by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden.

DISC 1
A1 – Aoyama Gakuin 101 – Fervor
A2 – Hideo Ichikawa – On The Trade Wind
B1 – Toshiyuki Honda Burning Waves – Eastern Legacy
B2 – Masaru Imada – World Line

DISC 2
C1 – Crystal Zone – Rai Rai
C2 – Masahiko Sato Trio + Akira Miyazawa – Nijimasu Part 1 and 2
C3 – Hot Session – Run After
D1 – Seiichi Nakamura – Judy’s Samba
D2 – Yasuhiro Kohno – My Favorite Things

DISC 3
E1 – Akira Miyazawa, Norio Maeda, Masanaga Harada, Jimmy Takeuchi, Kenichi Sonoda, Dixie Kings, George Otsuka Quintet, Masahiko Sato’s Garandoh – (History of Jazz)
E2 – Mile and Half – Mile and Half
E3 – Mikio Masuda – Sonic Barrier
F1 – Tomoki Takahashi meets Elvin Jones – Another Soil
F2 –Motohiko Hino – Olive’s Step