Reissues
Opa! Brasil
*Limited Edition* Dive into the groovy sounds of pianist Kunihiko Sugano with this album, where he skillfully maneuvers the Fender Rhodes to produce a blend of sharpness reminiscent of an acoustic piano. The bossa nova flavor promised in the title is delivered with a post-bossa twist, akin to the bossa jazz trio style of the 60s but updated. Think of it as a 70s take on the genre, akin to the works of Tamba Trio and Milton Banana but arguably even better. Sugano's dynamic approach is complemente…
Black Orpheus: Date In Daté
*Limited Edition* Album released in 1977 by Japanese jazz pianist Kunihiko Sugano, who started playing in a trio with Isao Suzuki and George Otsuka in the early 1960s and recorded the classic album Blow Up with the aforementioned two and Takashi Mizuhashi on Three Blind Mice in 1973. Recorded live in Date City, Hokkaido in 1976 as a trio with Osamu Kawakami and Hiroshi Murakami. The air from the venue was recorded to give a realistic impression, and standard numbers such as Luiz Bomfa's A1, whic…
Live!
*Limited Edition* Immerse yourself in the charm of a Japanese piano trio session, elevated by the rhythmic enchantment of conga player Yohichi Ogawa. The trio, featuring Kunihiko Sugano on piano, Eizoh Honda on bass, and Teruhiko Takada on drums, takes on a sweet and dynamic quality. Ogawa's conga rhythms add a distinctive flair, injecting energy into Sugano's music—a blend of lyrical imagination, gentle swing, and freewheeling vitality. With extended tracks this session is a delightful explorat…
Solo
*Limited Edition* Pianist Kunihiko Sugano unveils a collection of solo pieces, featuring shorter tracks than his trio albums of the time but brimming with emotion. Sugano's gentle and expansive piano touch, reminiscent of Bill Evans, is complemented by a unique phrasing that suggests an approach to the acoustic instrument akin to an electric one. The notes unfold with a measured attack and a lingering sustain. Sugano's distinctive style shines here offering a beautiful and individual musical jou…
The Days Of Wine And Roses
*Limited Edition* Pianist Kunihiko Sugano shines in this early album, captured in a relaxed live setting at a small Japanese club. With a conga added to his usual trio, Sugano introduces each number with introspective lyricism before the trio kicks in, showcasing majestic and soulful solos. A classic in the 70s Japanese piano style, the ensemble includes Izao Suzuki on bass, Shinji Mori on drums, and Yoichi Ogawa on congas.
Totsugeki Kamikaze Tokkotai
*Limited Edition* Delve into the intensity of saxophonist Kazumi Odagiri's rare trio session on Aketa's Disk label. Odagiri's fiery solos, accompanied by bassist Koichi Yamazaki and drummer Kenichi Kaneyama, create a dynamic interplay. Tracks include a vibrant take on Freddie Hubbard's "Intrepid Fox," as well as interpretations of "Invitation," "Striped Slacks," and "When Sunny Gets Blue." This searing session epitomizes the label's rare and freewheeling spirit.
Smile
*Limited Edition* Hiroshi Hatsuyama's presence is invaluable in Japan's jazz vibraphone scene. His ability is evident in his achievements alone, as he has brilliantly colored the works of musicians such as Shoyuki Akutagawa, Koichi Matsukaze, Yoriyuki Harada, and Fumio Itabashi, all of whom have been difficult to dislodge from the scene. This is his first album. This is his first album, and it is a delightful work, sometimes bluesy, sometimes swingy, and filled with beautiful sounds. The "melanc…
Live: First Flight
Delight in Hiroshi Fukumura's live brilliance, where his unusual approach to the instrument shines. This quartet, featuring Hiroshi Tamura on piano, Tsutomu Okada on bass, and Shinji Mori on drums, delivers open, flowing tracks reminiscent of Japanese piano trios. Fukumura's solos, crafted like trumpet lines, boast a gritty yet lyrical power, this live session captures the essence of Fukumura's unique artistry and musical strides.
My Greatest Revenge: Flamenco Recordings, 1904-1938
Death Is Not The End presents a collection of haunted, brooding flamenco recordings taken from the early 1900s through to the late 1930s.
Kestrel
2024 stock. Black Vinyl edition. Kestrel was a UK band that disbanded soon after releasing an unsung prog-rock gem of an album in 1975. Boasting an abundance of technical musicianship and inhabiting a space somewhere between golden-age prog and AOR, the band was defined by their sophisticated sense of melody and exquisite sonic balance. Unfortunately, and probably because they were so far ahead of their time, the album failed to chart and is remembered only amongst a small number of cult fans. G…
Love In Song
Helen Merrill's masterpiece, featuring arrangements by the genius Masahiko Sato, who adds new pop tunes to jazz standards. The album is composed of a very well-balanced selection of jazz standards, including Barbra Streisand's "Reminiscence," Paul McCartney's "Love in Song," and "I Remember Clifford," dedicated to Helen's golden partner, Clifford Brown.
Good Aderegechegn (Blindsided By Love)
*2023 stock. 100 copies limited edition* Ayalew Mesfin stands aside the likes of Mulatu Astake, Mahmoud Ahmed, Hailu Mergia and Alemayehu Eshete as a legend of 1970s Ethiopia. Mesfin’s music is some of the funkiest to arise from this unconquerable East African nation. Mesfin’s recording career, captured in nearly two dozen 7” singles and numerous reel-to-reel tapes, shows the strata of the most fertile decade in Ethiopia’s 20th century recording industry, when records were pressed constantly by …
The Woods Band
An underrated acid folk masterpiece brought to you by the classic couple Terry (guitar, mandolin, banjo) and Gay Woods (vocals), who formed the band after departing from the very influential british combo Steeleye Span. They recorded their debut album in 1971 on the small indie label Greenwich Gramophone Company. Think about the holy magic of the irish folk scene alongside some essential progressive rock scores.
C 364 - Antico E Moderno
Following our reissue of Silvano Chimenti's classic "Disco Music", we're happy to delve back into the Usignolo catalog with the reissue of C 364, one of the most iconic releases of the series, the incredible "Antico E Moderno" by Mario Molino. Bringing some of the most eccentric, chaotic and spaced out vibes you could hear in the mid 70's, Molino's mind bending arrangements are timeless classics, still standing the test of time and showing how he was way ahead of his time. Literally translating …
Round Midnight
Recorded over two days at the Sound Inn Studio, Tokyo in 1983. Fumio Karashima’s Round Midnight is a solid straight ahead session featuring the esteemed pianist at his prime. Featuring Ikuo Sakurai on bass, Motohiko Hino on drums and guest jazz-fusion guitarist Larry Coryell on Side B of the LP. Post bop, cool jazz with a touch of Latin-fusion courtesy of Coryell. Perfect listening for anyone looking for a well-rounded session of classic jazz standards. Fumio Karashima, born March 9, 1948 in Oit…
Moonflower
A 1978 piece composed by pianist Fumio Karashima with legendary drummer Elvin Jones. The trio with bassist Andy MacLeod will feature original songs and standards, including the title track. This is the work that gave Karashima an opportunity to become active on the world stage.
Piranha
Fumio Kashima, a famous pianist loved by Elvin Jones and Otsuka George. This first album was recreated by the trio of Suzuki Ino, Jimmy Hops. It has also been the first Japanese work of Whynot label, and it has a strong presence. A variety of famous songs and performances, such as Piranha and melancholic stormy "Little Island" are overflowing with vibrants.
To Ki Me Ki
"Wewantsounds is delighted to continue its series of reissues of Akiko Yano albums with the release of her third album, To Ki Me Ki, recorded in New York in 1978. The album is the follow-up to Iroha Ni Konpeitou, and features the same mix of Japanese pop with New York jazz funk, featuring such luminaries as Rick Marotta, Will Lee and David Spinozza. Programmer Hideki Matsutake also joins Akiko and Yellow Magic Orchestra on their international tour the following year. Together, Akiko and her musi…
Grasshopper Republic (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
*200 copies limited release* In the opening moments of Grasshopper Republic, composer and sound artist Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe (Candyman / Master / Telemarketers) soundtracks images of hands rubbing, counting, and exchanging thousands and thousands of Uganda banknotes are juxtaposed with a heap of grasshoppers escaping or overflowing from a hole in a woven basket. Underscoring this is a rising tide of crystalline tones that hover from the high frequencies of the right into the deafened space of …
Junk
"Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Brion Gysin's cult avant funk album produced in Paris by Ramuntcho Matta in the early '80s. The hugely influential Brion Gysin who, with his friend William Burroughs, was revered by the likes of David Bowie, Brian Jones, Laurie Anderson, Genesis P-Orridge, is accompanied here by Matta and French post punk stalwarts Yann Le Ker on bass (from the group Modern Guy) and Frederic Cousseau on drums (from Suicide Romeo) plus special guests including Don Cherry, Ell…