ISAO SUZUKI Vinyl & CDs

Review: Japanese jazz mastermind Isao Suzuki gets him and his quartet's 1975 album Blue Road reissued. Only initially released a month after making his stomper hit album Orang-Utan, Blue Road is a comparatively lesser-known number recorded live in May of that year in the Nihon Toshi Center Hall in Tokyo. A star cast of bassists, clarinetists, electric pianists and vocalists join Suzuki for an emotive trip through both the new piece 'Blue Road' and the former 'Orang-Utan' in quick succession, making this a beauteous feature-length jazz masterclass, moving through both propulsive and serene sections.

Review: Isao Suzuki produced Approach in 1986. It manages to be both stylish and sophisticated as well as experimental and brave in equal measure as it pairs the serene with the thunderous across six superb songs. For that reason, it is next in the BBE Music J Jazz Masterclass Series. The young and multi-talented Isao Suzuki was joined by drummer Masahiko Togashi, keys man Hideo Ichikawa and guitarist Akira Shiomoto to cook up these contemporary jazz cuts with bendy bass, intriguing melodies and intricate percussion all taking you deep into their own new world.

Review: A Day of the Sun is a spiritual jazz masterpiece full of poetry by two geniuses of the Japanese musical scene. Masahiko Togashi and Isao Suzuki: pivotal figures in jazz, with a unique talent and sensitivity that transcends conventional jazz forms and styles. In addition to being skilled performers they demonstrate extraordinary compositional talent that transcends their sensibilities and wisdom of more conventional jazz. A Day Of The Sun is based on Togashi's drums and percussion and Suzuki's bass, with occasional changes to cello and piano/synths, and is skillfully performed by just the two of them, creating a unique worldview; a performance that far exceeds expectations. The mystical melodies of the East, earthy percussion and the sensibilities of the two intertwine to create a unique groove, resulting in a universal masterpiece that will never fade away and connects with today's sound makers and DJs. Top sound quality from original master tapes. Includes four-sided insert with a very interesting interview at the time with the two musicians regarding the record.