UEMATSU, TAKAO QUARTET/QUINTET – Debut (Three Blind Mice ‎– 3 / LP-1970)

Label: Three Blind Mice ‎– TBM-3

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album / Country: Japan / Released: 1970

Style: Post Bop, Contemporary Jazz

Recorded 19 Nov. 1970 at Nippon Hoso (1st Studio), Tokyo, Japan.

Art Direction – Ben Nishizawa

Engineer [Recording Engineer] – Yoshihiko Kannari

Producer – Takeshi Fujii

Matrix / Runout: (Side 1 Runout Stamped): a 949 T

Matrix / Runout: (Side 2 Runout Stamped): a 950

side 1:

A1 - Inside Parts  (T. Uematsu) ................................................................................ 11:09

A2 - Stella By Starlight  (V. Young) ............................................................................ 9:31

side 2:

B1 - T.I.  (Y. Suzuki) ................................................................................................... 8:46

B2 - Sleep, My Love  (Y. Suzuki) ............................................................................... 7:48

Personnel:

Takao Uematsu – tenor saxophone

Sadayasu Fujii – electric piano [fender piano]

Yoshio Suzuki – bass

George Otsuka – drums, percussion

Takashi Imai – trombone (B1, B2)

This is where it all started... The legendary independent jazz label Three Blind Mice was established in 1970, with a clear mission of introducing true talents without consideration for commercialism...

A great debut from Japanese tenorist Takao Uematsu – a player who blows here with a wonderful sense of tone right from the start – almost an inherent sense of spiritualism that he still manages bring to tunes with a straight ahead swing! The approach is a bit like Archie Shepp in that cool stretch when he was stepping away from the outside – and Uematsu's clearly a player who knows the far reaches, but often just hints at them in his music – while moving through these long-blown lines spurred on by a really wonderful group! The combo features excellent Fender Rhodes from Sadayasu Fujii – who stretches out on the long tracks on the set – plus trombone from Takashi Imai, bass from Yoshio Suzuki, and drums from George Otsuka. Titles include "TI", "Sleep My Love", "Stella By Starlight", and "Inside Parts".    (Dusty Groove, Inc.)

It has stood the test of time, and even today, sounds fresh, exciting and just plain brilliant.

If you find it, buy this album!

SADAO WATANABE VS TERUMASA HINO (Rec.1969/1970 - Canyon/LP-1980)

Label: Canyon – C20R0034 C

Format: Vinyl, LP / Country: Japan / Released: 1980

Style: Contemporary Jazz, Jazz Funk, Free Jazz

(A1, A2) Recorded in January 1969.

( B ) Recorded at Upsurge Studio, New York City, March 1970.

Engineer – Kennichi Handa (A1, A2)

Engineer – Tom Di Pietro ( B )

Remix, Edited By – Kennichi Handa

Cover Design – Mitsuru Yamada

Made By – Canyon Records, Inc.

Matrix / Runout: Side 1 C20R0034 C -A

Matrix / Runout: Side 2 C20R0034 C -B

A1 - Sadao Watanabe Quartet – Pastoral ................................................................ 15:00

A2 - Sadao Watanabe Quartet – Round Trip [Coming] ............................................ 10:11

           Sadao Watanabe – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute

           Yoshiaki Masuo – guitar

           Yoshio Suzuki – acoustic bass, electric bass

           Hirotami Tsunoda – drums, percussion

           guest: Kazuo Yashiro – electric piano, piano

B  -  Terumasa Hino – Journey To Air 1 ................................................................... 24:20

           Terumasa Hino – flugelhorn, trumpet 

           Steve Grossman – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute 

           Pete Yellin – alto saxophone, flute  

           Gary Pribec – alto saxophone   

           David Liebman – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone  

           Olu Dara – trumpet 

           Mike Garson – piano, electric piano

           Dave Holland – bass, Fender bass

           Lanny Fields – bass, contrabass 

           Teruo Nakamura – bass, contrabass 

           Motohiko Hino – drums, handclaps

           Bobby Moses – drums

It is the 80's planning LP, that coupled the past performances of Japanese jazz pioneer saxophonist Sadao Watanabe and Japan's leading jazz trumpet player Terumasa Hino. Sadao Watanabe in quartet formation, contents that compared the recording work by Terumasa Hino '70 recording work with combo formation.

Japan's jazz where idyllic atmosphere drifts like the title as "Pastoral". "PASTORAL" which became the first album of '69 CBS Sony transferring as organized by Sadao Watanabe, Yoshiaki Masuo , Yoshio Suzuki and Hiro Tsunoda, famous song "Pastoral" which told the opening of the new era, and there is also incredibly goodJazz Funk number "Round Trip [Coming] ".

Terumasa Hino, with the chosen company, saxophone players Steve Grossman, David Liebman, genius trumpeter Ola Dara, pianist Mike Garson, three bassists including Dave Holland, two drummers Motohiko Hino and Bobby Moses will lead us through 24-minute deep free jazz "Journey To Air 1" recorded at Upsurge Studio in New York. (See LP: Group Everything Everything Everything ‎– Hino's "Journey To Air" - Love Records ‎– TP-103).

Very intriguing music. Highly recommended.

If you find it, buy this album!