Monday, March 17, 2014

Ain't It Funky Now ? ~ The Deepest Soul Expressions Of Jazz



The deepest Jazz grooves when Jazzmen speak to the Soulmen in sixteen tracks featuring some of the best performers from the crossover Jazz/Funk scene including Bernard Purdie, Idris Muhammad, Freddie Hubbard, Eumir Deodato, Billy Cobham, Harvey Mason, Roy Ayers & many more... All tracks recorded between 1969-1975, compiled & mixed by Be Hard Bop.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Masabumi Kikuchi - Poo-Sun


Year : 1970
Label : Philips
Genre : Jazz
Style : Fusion, Contemporary Jazz

One of the finest Japanese Jazz Fusion album ever recorded by jazz pianist. Influenced by Mc Coy Tyner, Masabumi Kikuchi started as professional in the late 50's, was sideman for Sadao Watanabe during the sixties, and played alongside Terumasa HinoToshiko Akiyoshi, the jazz giants Elvin Jones, Gil Evans, Sonny Rollins or Miles Davis on stage. As the Terumasa Hino's Hi-Nology, "Poo-Sun" adopts the "Electric Miles" approach, the beginnings of electrification in jazz from "Miles In The Sky" (1968). Kikuchi formed a great sextet-combo based Kohsuke Mine, Motohiko Hino & Yoshio Ikeda. Titles include the representative Kikuchi style "Dancing Mist", the tribute to Elvin Jones (E.J.), the iconci jazz ballad "Yellow Carcass In The Blue" and the jazz rock "Puzzle Ring" followed by the short piano piece, "My Companion". All tracks composed and arranged by Masabumi Kikuchi excepted "Puzzle Ring" by Masahiro Kikuchi.

MUSICIANS : Masabumi Kikuchi - piano, electric piano - Hideo Ichikawa - organ, electric piano - Kohsuke Mine - soprano, alto saxophone - Yoshio Ikeda - bass - Motohiko Hino & Hiroshi Murakami - drums  Keiji Kishida - percussion


Takehiro Honda Trio - This Is Honda


Year : 1972
Label : Trio Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Post Bop, Hard Bop

Best Jazz recording award of the Swing Journal for the year 1972, the masterpiece recommended by the japanese jazz magazine from the prolific pianist, Takehiro Honda, who will sign seven others albums on Trio Records between 1969 & 1972. It's the second album by the Takehiro Honda Trio with the same formation featuring bassist Yoshio "Chin" Suzuki and Sadao's brother  Fumio Watanabe on drums, all supported by famous japanese sound engineer, Okihiko Sugano who also worked on several Sadao Watanabe's recordings during the seventies. Titles include popular song "You Don't Know What Love Is"  from "Keep 'Em Flying" 1941 movie, jazz standards as "Bye Bye Blackbird" and Thelonius Monk's classic "Round About Midnight". All tracks arranged by Takehiro Honda & recorded at Iino Hall, Tokyo, mixed by Okihiko Sugano.

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The Eleventh House With Larry Coryell - Introducing The Eleventh House


Year : 1974
Label: Vanguard
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Jazz Funk, Fusion

Debut album introducing the new band of Larry Coryell, the jazz fusion group "The Eleventh House" featuring trumpeter Randy Brecker, pianist Mike Mandel, bassist Danny Trifan & drummer Alphonse Mouzon. During their short-lived career, the group released three others albums before split, "Level One" in 1975 and "Aspects" in 1976, plus live recording "At Montreux" performed in 1974. Titles include the demonstrative guitar solo "Gratitude 'A So Low" performed by Larry Coryell, the heavy rock "Ism-Ejercicio", the funky "Right On Y'all", "The Funky Waltz" composed by Alphonse Mouzon, "Adam Smasher" & "Joy Ride" by Mike Mandel.

Beck - Odelay


Year : 1996
Label : Bong Load Records
Genre : Rock, Pop
Style : Alternative, Hip6Hop, Electronic

"Odelay" is the fifth studio album by american alternative rock artist, the multi-skilled Beck Hansen. The album operates a new musical twist by recruiting the american producers and DJs, the Dust Brothers. It results an iconic masterpiece often compared to the Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique" album released in 1989 and also produced by the Dust Brothers. The duo uses various samples from Soul to Rock including Pretty Purdie, James Brown, MC5, Lee Dorsey, Sly & The Family Stone or Rory Gallagher, contributing to create a musical patchwork. Titles includes eclectic styles as well as Soul (Hotwax), Folk Rock ("Ramshake" featuring Jazz bassist Charlie Haden), Punk Rock (Minus) and Hip-Hop [High 5 (Rock The Catskills)].

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Brand Nubian - Everything Is Everything


Year : 1994
Label : Elektra
Genre : Hip-Hop
Style : Conscious, Funk/Soul, Jazzy Hip-Hop

Big classic from Old School Hip-Hop by one of the most greatest american rap trio, Brand Nubian, featuring Sadat X, Lord Jamar and DJ Sincere. "Everything is Everything" is their third album including a backing band and a wide samples selection from Rock to Funk/Soul by Jazz as evidenced "Sweatin Bullits" extracted from "Abdullah & Abraham" by Chico Hamilton, "Gang Bang" from "Freddie's Dead" by Curtis Mayfield. Titles include "Word Is Bond", "Alladat" featuring Busta Rhymes, "Nubian Jam" feat. Laura Alfored, "Hold On" feat. Starr, "Step Into Da Cypher" feat. Maestro Manny, Serge & Snagglepuss. All tracks produced by Lord Jamar & Sadat X.

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Yuji Ohno & Friends - LUPIN THE THIRD [JAZZ] - Bossa & Fusion

Year : 2002
Label : VAP
Genre : Jazz, Latin
Style : Bossa Nova, Jazz Funk, Fusion   

The 4th volume in the twelve LUPIN THE THIRD [JAZZ] discs serie recorded during the 1998-2008 decade. As the title suggests, it's a mostly Bossa Nova album featuring the mellow voice of Sonia Rosa (including classic themes from Lupin The Third sung in portuguese) and Jazz Funk tracks. "Bossa & Fusion" is the fourth collaboration between Yuji Ohno and Sonia Rosa after "Spiced With Brazil" released in 1974, "Space Kid" in 1978 and "Samba Amour" in 1979. The duo is supported by a rhythm section including guest musicians as the renowned guitarist Kiyoshi Sugimoto, saxophonist Masabumi Yamaguchi, percussionist Tatsuji Yokoyama and drummer Yasushi Ichihara from You & The Explosion Band. Titles include main themes of Lupin III and four songs especially composed for the TV Special "Episode 0 : First Contact". All tracks composed & arranged by Yuji Ohno.

Freddie Hubbard ‎- First Light


Year : 1971
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Post Bop, Soul Jazz

The third CTI album released by genius trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, can be seen as the final part of a jazz trilogy including his two previous albums, "Red Clay" and "Straight Life" recorded in 1970. "First Light" is a jazz masterpiece with beautiful strings arrangements by master Don Sebesky, featuring the greatest players of their times among guitarist George Benson, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Jack DeJohnette and pianist Richard Wyands. Titles include the title-track (a replay to "Red Clay"), funky variation of the Paul McCartney's classic "Uncle Albert/Admiral Hasley", and the sweet mood of "Moment To Moment", "Yesterday's Dreams" & "Lonely Town".

Yuji Ohno & Lupintic Five - LUPIN THE THIRD [JAZZ] - What's Going On?


Year : 2007
Label : VAP
Serie : LUPIN THE THIRD [JAZZ]
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Jazz Funk, Fusion 

Taken from the LUPIN THE THIRD [JAZZ] serie, the third Yuji Ohno's album featuring the Lupintic Five who celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Shin Lupin III second TV serie birth (1977-1980), ten years after the first publication of the Monkey Punch's manga (1967). As the title suggests, "What's Going On?" is a jazz album to the Funk/Soul accents with mellow grooves & soulful arrangements including cover songs from Stevie Wonder (You Are The SunshineLately), Marvin Gaye (the title-track), Roberta Flack (Where The Love), jazz standards by trumpeter Neal Hefti (Girl Talkand saxophonist Duke Pearson (Jeannine). Titles include also new original composition, the Jazz Rock "But Not Really" and variations on the "Theme From Lupin III" & "Angel Dance". All tracks arranged & produced by Yuji Ohno.

MUSICIANS : Yuji Ohno - piano & electric piano - Yoshihito Eto - drums - Masayuki Tawarayama - wood bass & electric bass - Keiji Matsushima - trumpet - Hisatsugu Suzuki - soprano & tenor sax - Satoshi Izumi - guitar

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