ALBUM OF THE DAY
Various Artists, “J Jazz Volume 3: Deep Modern Jazz from Japan”
By John Morrison · February 25, 2021 Merch for this release:
Vinyl, Compact Disc (CD), Book/Magazine, 2 x Vinyl LP

Compiled by jazz aficionados Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, BBE’s J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan continues the work of celebrating the music of Japan’s rich jazz history. For the third installment of the series, Peden, Higgins, and the BBE crew continue to peel back even more musical layers, unearthing private pressings and rare cuts.

The album opens with Yasuhiro Kohno Trio + One’s ambitious composition “Song Of Island.” Kohno sets the stage with some furious and abstract playing, gliding up and down the keyboard with passion and intricate virtuosity before launching into the tune’s delightfully melodic main theme. Kohsuke Mine’s “Morning Tide” comes out swinging with hardcore bop soloing and interplay. Hideo Shiraki’s “Groovy Samba” and Hiroshi Murakami & Dancing Sphinx’s ecstatic jazz-funk groover “Phoebus” round it all out, adding to the wide stylistic range of the album. J Jazz Volume 3: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan is a gift to listeners, and further proof of the richness and diversity of Japanese jazz.

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