Isao Suzuki Trio - Black Orpheus (1976)

Isao Suzuki, the international star bassist who gave us Blow Up! and Blue City is joined by another star player of the TBM label, the soulful pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto. A great album. This was released on the Japanese Three Blind Mice label. This one has actually been reissued recently, but I imagine that in some parts of the world it might be tough to find as anything but an expensive import. However, if you really like it I urge you to buy it. The session features Isao Suzuki on bass and cello, Donald Bailey on drums and Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on rhodes and piano. The sound is mostly jazzy with a hint of funkiness on Manha De Carnaval, which is also my favorite track on the album (the rhodes sound especially lovely on that one). ~ by Celo. 

Three Blind Mice, TBM-2563, 1976
Three Blind Mice, TBM-XR-0063, 1997
Recorded 20th February, 1976 at AOI Studio, Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Isao Suzuki - Bass, Cello
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto - Piano, Electric Piano [Rhodes]
Donald Bailey - Drums

Tracks:
A1. Manha de Carnaval {Luiz Bonfá} (11:11)
A2. Angel Eyes {Matt Dennis, Earl Brent} (8:11)
B1. Who Can I Turn To {Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newly} (8:12)
B2. In A Sentimental Mood {Duke Ellington} (5:44)
B3. Blues {Tsuyoshi Yamamoto} (5:55) 

Total Time: 39:16 

Credits:
Producer - Takeshi Fujii
Recording Engineer - Yoshihiko Kannari
Art Director - Ben Nishizawa
Liner Notes - Terry Isono 

Isao Suzuki is the grand master of jazz in Japan. He is a bassist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, producer, and bandleader. He was born on January 3, 1933 in Tokyo. 

In A Sentimental Mood

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

Ayako Hosokawa - to Mr. Wonderful (1977)

Recorded originally by the renowned Japanese jazz label Three Blind Mice in 1977, this popular title has been re-mastered and released by First Impression Music on the popular audiophile format developed by Sony known as SACD. Discovered by Earl Hines, Ayako Hosokawa is a delightful blend of East meets West vocal jazz music. Hosokawa's music clearly illustrates the possible contact between the two cultures. Accompanied by an orchestra, you will be surprised by the heart and soul Ayako puts into each of these songs on this Stereo SACD including her versions of: 'Misty,' 'My Foolish Heart,' 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' and 'The Lady is a Tramp.' 

Three Blind Mice, TBM-3008, 1977
First Impression Music, FIMSACD061, 2004
Recorded 9th & 10th June, 1977 at Epicurus Studios, Tokyo, Japan 

Personnel:
Ayako Hosokawa - Vocals
Konosuke Saijo - Tenor Saxophone
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto - Piano
Shoji Yokouchi - Guitar
Isoo Fukui - Bass
Kazuo Okamoto - Cello
Tetsujiro Obara - Drums
Yoshihisa Tamano - Violin [1st Violin]
Mihoko Morioka - Violin [2nd Violin] 

Tracks:
1. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams {Harry Barris, Ted Koehler, Billy Moll} (3:32)
2. Misty {Johnny Burke, Erroll Garner} (5:38)
3. Our Love Is Here To Stay {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (4:04)
4. My Foolish Heart {Victor Young, Ned Washington} (5:23)
5. Bridge over Troubled Water {Paul Simon, ‎Art Garfunkel} (5:44)
6. When You Smile {Ralph MacDonald, William Salter} (2:58)
7. Mr. Wonderful {Jerry Bock, George David Weiss, Larry Holofcener} (3:56)
8. Feel Like Makin 'Love {Eugene McDaniels} (4:19)
9. The Lady Is A Tramp {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (2:46) 

Total Time: 38:20 

Credits:
Producer - Takeshi "Tee" Fujii
Arranger - Shoji Yokouchi
Recording Engineer - Yoshihiko Kannari
Cutting Engineer - Mitsuharu Kobayashi
Art Direction - Ben Nishizawa