Naoko Tanaka - I Fall In Love Too Easily (2017)

The second release in the Hi-Rez Beauty Jazz series produced by Masahiko Osaka, a leading high-resolution expert in the jazz world, features pianist Naoko Tanaka. This album features jazz standard tunes in ultra-high quality high-end sound recorded in one take at native DSD 11.2MHz! The immersive, deep sound creates the ultimate space for adults. This work brings out a different charm from the original songs in Naoko Tanaka's previous album, "Memories." ~ www.cdjapan.co.jp. 

King Records, KICJ-768, 2017
Recorded 10th~11th May, 2017 at King Records Sekiguchidai Studio, Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Naoko Tanaka - Piano, Arranger
Daiki Yasukagawa - Bass
Masahiko Osaka - Drums 

Tracks:
01. How High The Moon {Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton} (5:49)
02. Doxy {Sonny Rollins} (4:55)
03. Someone To Watch Over Me {George & Ira Gershwin} (5:41)
04. I'll Close My Eyes {Billy Reid} (4:42)
05. I Fall In Love Too Easily {Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn} (4:31)
06. Lotus Blossom {Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn} (5:09)
07. In A Mellow Tone {Duke Ellington} (6:47)
08. Con Alma {Dizzy Gillespie} (6:27)
09. Chega De Saudade [No More Blues] {Antônio Carlos Jobim} (4:14)
10. Old Folks {Dedette Lee Hill, Willard Robison} (6:30) 

Total Time: 54:51 

Credits:
Producer - Masahiko Osaka
Recording, Mixing, Mastering - Shinji Yoshikoshi 

I Fall In Love Too Easily

Aya Takazawa - Crescent City Connection (2017)

Here we have the versatile and beautiful trumpeter Aya Takasawa's Debut Album. It is New Orleans recording with a luxurious membered quintet. Held at America's largest jazz festival, 47-year history Heritage & New Orleans Jazz Festival in 2016. Aya Takasawa appeared with her own band, and this is a recording taken from the festival’s star players. Based on the New Orleans tunes, the selection focused on the roots of each song, including the original songs of Aya Takasawa. There's no disputing, it is brilliant album showcasing an up-and-coming spectacular performer. Essential to all lovers of trumpet enhanced jazz music. 

King Records, KICJ-760, 2017
Recording 20th & 21st April, 2016 at Music Shed Studio, New Orleans 

Musicians:
Aya Takazawa - Trumpet, Arranger
Nami Kano - Alto Saxophone (#1,2,4,6)
Wessell Anderson - Alto Saxophone (#3,5,7-9)
Jesse McBride - Piano
Kengo Nakamura - Bass
Jason Marsalis - Drums, Vibraphone (#1)

Tracks:
1. Bubudy -Crescent City Connection {Aya Takazawa} (4:57)
2. St. Louis Blues {William Christopher Handy} (6:56)
3. My Poinciana {Aya Takazawa} (6:06)
4. FLD [Falling Down] {Aya Takazawa} (5:23)
5. When It's Sleepy Time Down South {Clarence Muse, Otis Rene, Leon Rene} (4:58)
6. Drizzlin' {Aya Takazawa} (6:19)
7. Mr. Clean {Weldon Irvine} (4:37)
8. Chicken Tails {Aya Takazawa} (5:44)
9. Herlin Homey Riley {Wessell Anderson} (6:00) 

Total Time: 51:03 

Credits:
Producer - Aya Takazawa
Recording Engineer - Ben Lorio
Mixing & Mastering - Takaaki Konno 

My Poinciana

Masahiro Sayama Trio - Vintage (2010)

Masahiro Sayama (26th November, 1953 - 14th November, 2018) was an active Japanese jazz pianist. Sayama began playing piano as a child and became interested in jazz after seeing the film The Glenn Miller Story. He studied music at Kunitachi College of Music and began playing jazz professionally in the early 1970s, working with Toshiyuki Honda, Shigeharu Mukai, and Kazunori Takeda. He was a member of Shuichi Murakami's trio Ponta Box and also led his own ensembles. In 1991 he began playing with Masahiko Osaka. In later years Sayama formed a number of trio groups, this wonderful album being an excellent example of his leader and playing skills. For this album he joined by bassist Yosuke Inoue and drummer Masahiko Osaka, together they interpret an array of jazz standards expressing brilliant lyrical tones and emotions. Overall, an excellent album, whereby the talents and style of the Masahiro Sayama Trio are showcased with exacting beauty, enjoy! 

Paddle Wheel\King Records, KICJ-608, 2010
Recorded 12th,13th & 14th October, at King's Sekiguchidai 1st Studio, Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Masahiro Sayama - Piano
Yosuke Inoue - Bass
Masahiko Osaka - Drums

Tracks:
1. Bittersweet {Don Sebesky} (5:58)
2. James {Patrick Metheny} (5:32)
3. Waltz For Debby {Bill Evans} (5:42)
4. Summertime {George Gershwin} (5:17)
5. Summer Knows {Michel Legrand} (4:17)
6. My Funny Valentine {Richard Rodgers} (5:10)
7. Rhapsody In Blue {George Gershwin} (14:59)
8. Isfahan {Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn} (4:25) 

Total Time: 51:20 

Credits:
Producer - Susumo Morikawa
Engineer - Shinji Yoshikoshi
Assistant Engineer - Teruhiko Suzuki
Piano Tuner - Makoto Ide
Photographer - Yasuhisa Yoneda
Front Cover - Makoto Wada
Design - Toshihiro Takeda
Liner Notes - Miruko Yamagushi 

Isfahan

Makoto Kuriya - X-Bar Trio (1992)

Makoto Kuriya's first piano trio album, which at the time created quite an outcry with its extremely contemporary opening song "Survival Instinct." However, it still managed to receive an honorable mention by winning a recording award that year. For this album, Makoto is joined by bassist James Genus, his associate from his time in the US, and with Masahiko Osaka, a young drummer who returned to Japan around the same time as Makoto. The original first pressing was released in 1992. A first pressing of the reissue was then released in 1997. Overall, it is a provocative work with a popular but innovative sound, that yields a riveting contemporary jazz influence, with some tantalizing piano executions backed by a solid rhythm section. Well recommended! 

Paddle Wheel Records, KICJ-110, 1992
Recorded 25th & 26th April, 1992 at King Records #2 Studio, Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Makoto Kuriya - Piano
James Genus - Bass
Masahiko Osaka - Drums

Tracks:
1. Survival Instinct (4:14)
2. In And Outs (5:40)
3. Harvest Road (5:46)
4. Justice (6:38)
5. Love And Dedications (5:33)
6. Here Comes The Bad Boy (7:27)
7. Moon Dog (6:34)
8. X-Bar Fantasy (8:42) 

All compositions by Makoto Kuriya 

Total Time: 50:40

Credits:
Producer, Notes - Makoto Kuriya
Producer, Executive Producer - Yoichi Nakao
Engineer - Hiroyuki Tsuji
Engineer [Assistant] - Shoji Nishizawa
Mastering - Seiji Kaneko
Art Director - Muneo Hanzawa
Design - Keiko Ogasawara
Photos - Yoshihisa "Rice" Yoneda 

Harvest Road

Isao Suzuki with Tsuyoshi Yamamoto - Samba Club (1980)

A wicked, wicked set of tracks from Japan - one that blends together jazzy riffing and Brazilian rhythms, all played with a surprisingly soulful bent! Suzuki's on bass and piccolo bass, and Yamamoto plays not only electric piano but also a bit of electric harpsichord - which adds a cool feel to the album, and one that's almost like some lost European soundtrack. Rhythms are mostly in a breezy sort of style that mixes samba with bossa jazz - and Donald Bailey is in the group on drums, providing some very nice bottom to the set. The whole thing's great, with a really unique style - one that's so great it even transforms older numbers like "Night And Day", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Greensleeves", and "La Vie En Rose". Also features an especially great take on Michel Colombier's "Overture". 

Paddle Wheel, K28P-6091, 1981
King Records, KICJ 2295, 2012
Recorded 17th July, 1980 at King Studio #2, Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Isao Suzuki - Bass, Bass [Piccolo Bass]
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto - Piano, Spinet
Ichiro Doi - Electric Piano, Vocoder
Takayuki Kato - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Donald Bailey - Drums, Harmonica
Francis - Percussion, Vocals 

Tracks:
1. Overture {Michel Colombier} (6:01)
2. Tenderly {Jack Lawrence, Walter Gross} (7:22)
3. Night And Day {Cole Porter} (5:37))
4. Sweet Georgia Brown {Ben Bernie, Kenneth Casey, Maceo Pinkard} (4:37)
5. Greensleeves {Traditional; Arr. Isao Suzuki} (6:43)
6. La Vie En Rose {Louis Guglielmi, Édith Piaf} /
    Moon Glow {Eddie DeLange, Irving Mills, Will Hudson} (5:24) 

Total Time: 35:48 

Credits:
Producer - Isao Suzuki, Motohiko Takawa
Director - Shigeyuki Kawashima
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Hatsuro Takanami
Engineer [Assistant] - Takao Suga
Mastering Engineer - Shogo Sakamaki
Photography [Cover] - Pete Turner 

Bass play with a unique melody
=========================
The recording was made in 1980, which is when Japan Fusion was at its peak. Isao Suzuki's bass is still a unique melody. feel well. The piano in this album is Mr. Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, but when I saw this title, I thought that I wanted to hear the collaboration with Mr. Naoya Matsuoka and Mr. Masaru Imada. ~ TOMOFIVE, Amazon.com. 

Tenderly