Stardust is a rare live recording that reunites three pioneers from the dawn of Japanese jazz: Masayuki Takayanagi (guitar), Ryozo Sugiura (vibraphone), and Hideto Kanai (bass), captured at Yokohama’s Stork Piano Lounge in December 1979. Unlike the intense, driven performances Takayanagi was known for in his “New Direction” and “Second Concept” projects, this session offers a relaxed, intimate atmosphere-full of warmth, camaraderie, and spontaneous musical dialogue. Listeners can even catch the musicians’ voices and laughter, bringing to life the genuine connection between these long-time collaborators.
Takayanagi’s guitar tone retains the solid, weighty feel of his cool jazz work, but here he often shifts to a softer, acoustic sound when supporting Sugiura or Kanai’s solos-most notably in the gentle arpeggios behind the bass solo on “The Girl from Ipanema,” a rare glimpse of his understated lyricism. The album is steeped in history: all three musicians began their careers in the early 1950s, when jazz in Japan was closely linked to the entertainment industry and the American-occupied club scene in Yokohama and Yokosuka. While there’s no record of them performing together in those clubs, they did famously share the stage at a legendary 1954 jam session at the Mocambo club in Yokohama. Their paths would cross again in the formative “New Direction Quartet” and at Ginza’s “Friday Jazz Corner,” where Kanai played a pivotal role in shaping the Japanese jazz scene.
Takayanagi’s deep respect for Sugiura is well-documented; he once wrote, “Sugiura possesses a touch so fierce that one critic-failing to grasp the essence of percussion-mockingly called him a blacksmith. Yet he also has the sensitivity to draw out resonances that resemble electronic tones through improvisation.” This session is a testament to their enduring friendship and shared musical roots.
Stardust stands as an invaluable document of Japanese jazz history, capturing three masters in a rare moment of relaxed creativity and mutual respect-a must for collectors and fans alike.
