Jazz | Fusion Vinyl 442 Items

"Japanese jazz and Jazz Rock masterpieces are re-released on clear vinyl!

The raging drums scorch the times. Accompanied by a whirlwind of young talents, Takeshi Inomata proudly heralds the arrival of the golden age of jazz-rock.
Takeshi Inomata, a drummer who led the jazz scene in Japan with his precise stick work and musicality that looked ahead to the times. At the end of the 1960s, he was influenced by brass rock, which was flourishing at the time, and formed Sound Limited.
""I want to fuse jazz and rock and bring together young musicians to do music with vitality, and I want this group to be a large-scale group that does not fit into the small framework of modern jazz,"" he says.
His first album and masterpiece was ""Sounds of Sound L.T.D.""(1970). Led by ""Theme ~ Moustache"", which is loved as a symbolic song, it is a masterpiece full of dynamism and enthusiasm throughout the film.
text by Yusuke Ogawa (UNIVERSOUNDS/DEEP JAZZ REALITY)"

This is the Standard Edition, mastered at half speed, 140g vinyl and Sticker. We Release Jazz (WRWTFWW Records’ new sister-label) is proud to present its first release, the official reissue of Ryo Fukui’s highly sought-after masterpiece Scenery (1976), sourced from the original masters.

We Release Jazz is ecstatic (purrrr!) to announce the official reissue of Hiroshi Suzuki’s glorious jazz-fusion-funk Holy Grail Cat (originally released in 1976), sourced from the original masters and available on limited edition 180 gram vinyl mastered at half speed for full audiophile sound, as well as on digipack CD. Both versions come with liner notes by Teruo Isono. Cat was recorded in October 1975 at at Nippon Columbia Studio, while Hiroshi Suzuki was visiting his home country of Japan after moving to Las Vegas in 1971 to play with Buddy Rich and perfect his craft. Back on his old stomping grounds, the man known as Neko (Cat) immediately reunited with his dear friends for an epic two day session of groove magic. The chemistry was still intact. The skills and style had grown. The result, Cat, is a smooth masterpiece, a deep and soulful affair where stunning trombone solos by Hiroshi Suzuki flirt with Takeru Muraoka’s heavenly saxophone and the sensual rhythm section of Hiromasa Suzuki (keyboards), Kunimitsu Inaba (bass), and Akira Ishikawa (drums). Celebrated in jazz collectors circles, in the lofi beat scene, and among music diggers around the world, Cat has become one of the most sought-after Japanese jazz albums of all time and, much like Ryo Fukui’s Scenery, has fascinated old and young generations alike.

More than once Jay Richford and Gary Stevan’s Feelings has been described as the greatest library record ever released. Of course Be With can’t be seen to be playing favourites, but we have to admit, it’s pretty good. Insanely rare and immensely sought-after, it’s a tough funk, street jazz masterpiece coveted for many years by collectors of all musical genres. Since its original release on Italian label Carosello in 1974, Feelings has appeared on several labels with different sleeves and even under a different artist. Indeed cult library label Conroy put it out in one of their iconic red sleeves in 1976 and yes, Feelings has indeed had more than one modern re-issue since these “original” releases. But a record this special deserves to be kept in press and we think it deserves the Be With treatment. No, Jay Richford and Gary Stevan aren’t two of the most Italian sounding names. As the story goes these were the pseudonyms adopted by Stefano Torossi and Giancarlo Gazzani who wrote the album but couldn’t use their real names on the original release for legal reasons. But Stefano Torossi himself later both clarified and confused the tale further by explaining that Feelings was the work of four people not just Gazzani and himself. Fellow composers and musicians Sandro Brugnolini and Puccio Roelens also worked on the album and as Torossi himself explained “we all worked together”, with all four gents “dividing the royalties in equal parts… that’s the story.” Right, so, with that all sorted out let’s get back to talking about the music.

Limited to 100 copies on purple vinyl. Only available at hhv.de

With a Yamaha organ and a dream, Pops Mohamed started his musical journey in mid-1970s South Africa as the founder of Black Disco, creating a hip and innovative blend of chill-out jazz with spiritual overtones. Playing original compositions as well as reimagined soul and pop hits, the group appeared on producer Rashid Vally's As-Shams/The Sun label alongside Abdullah Ibrahim and Harari. On the band's self-titled debut from 1975, Mohamed's cosmic organ is supported by two of the most sought-after session players on the South African jazz scene, Cape Town's sax and flute wizard Basil Coetzee, who had risen to fame in 1974 as one of the soloists on the hit “Mannenberg,” and Sipho Gumede, the young bass prodigy from the city of Durban. The album is a mostly downtempo affair with the drum machine on Mohamed’s organ laying down the beat while the trio soars in blissful improvisational territory. Bassist Peter Odendaal and drummer Monty Weber join Mohamed and Coetzee for Black Disco 3 in 1976, preserving the New Age lounge aesthetic but allowing the group to flex their jazz chops more adventurously. “Spiritual Feeling” from the debut album is revamped as “Spiritual Feeling Riding the Blue” but the album opener “Dawn” is the centrepiece – a trippy, flute-driven awakening that unfolds over a period of ten minutes. Reissued and available internationally for the very first time, Afrodelic's 2024 replica editions of Black Disco (1975) and Black Disco 3 (1976) are fully licensed and sourced from the original analog master tapes.

Limited to 1000 copies!

To celebrate the 15th birthday of our first ever vinyl reissue, we did a new edition of this spiritual Jazz classic on cult label Srata East.

New vinyl mastering and lacquers done by the great Frank Merritt at The Carvery (London).
Mastered to and from 1/4” tape for added warmth and character.
Tape layback to disc; direct analogue lacquer cut from 1/4” tape using pure analogue signal path. Studer A80 preview to Neumann VMS70.

180g black vinyl.

New scans of the original artwork . Exact replica of the original cover.
Printed on deluxe Tip-on sleeve. Heavy cardboard;

The definitive edition of this incredible album by drummer John Betsch and his Society.
A must have for any spiritual jazz fan.

Hiromasa Suzuki is a composer, arranger, and keyboardist who has worked in many genres, including jazz, pop, movies, TV, and commercials. From the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, he worked with Terumasa Hino, Akira Ishikawa, and Jiro Inagaki, who were at the forefront of their time. This 1976 album is the result of his innovative work, which was always one step ahead of the times. This pre-fusion/crossover album also features Shuichi "Ponta" Murakami, Akira Okazawa, and Masayoshi Takanaka.

Reuniting the best session musicians Japan had to offer to make an album that would evoke the atmospheres of South Pacific islands, the kind of places Japanese people spend their vacations in. Pacific (1978) is a treat to the ears; its theme of the southern Pacific ocean and its warm cerulean waters relax its listeners with a fusion of city pop, soft jazz, and that good old 1970’s funk while remaining surprisingly fully instrumental throughout all contributions from artists Haruomi Hosono, Shigeru Suzuki, and Tatsuro Yamashita. A true cult LP and an inspiration for a lot of, so called, “vaporware” music.

One per customer only!

Johnny’s Disk Record is an independent jazz label run by the owner of jazz cafe Kaiunbashi No Johnny located in Rikuzentakata city in Iwate prefecture, Japan. The legendary label released a string of albums of high quality but down-to-earth music, spanning from modern jazz, avant-garde jazz to left-field pop. Albums such as “farewell my johnny / left alone” and “aya’s samba” has reached cult status among fans as some of the best works to come out of the japanese jazz scene. Another japanese jazz classic, Aya’s Samba was a debut effort by bassist Eiji Nakayama, who played as part of elvin jones’ jazz machine and toured with Don Friedman. This album is an important release in the johnny’s disk catalogue, not only because it is the first ever release, but also because the owner hearing the band play was the reason why the label came to be. “Aya’s Samba” is a mellow jazz samba in minor key that’s considered a japanese jazz classic. Slow ballad “yellow living” is drenched in melancholy with emotive keys and sax notes, while the dreamy “sea sea town” impresses with a captivating, expressive sax solo. The 4 tracker ends with “far-away road,” an uptempo tune with rhythmic keys.

This is a work by the legendary Jiro Inagaki that represents Japanese jazz-rock. Jiro Inagaki was one of the key musicians in the development of jazz rock in Japan. Inagaki, who felt the limitations of existing jazz music at the time, quickly turned his attention to jazz rock with this work, recorded in 1970. From the opening track, "The Vamp," to the closing track, "Head Rock," Inagaki poured all his ideas and passion into this jazz-rock showcase that leaves no time to exhale. This is a masterpiece that has an overwhelming presence in the history of Japanese jazz.

180 gram pressing!

Idris Muhammad recorded this classic Jazz-Funk album 'Turn This Mutha Out' in 1977 for the Kudu label. Some great session musicians accompanied him and the album has that David Matthews signature Disco-Jazz-Funk sound. It was well received in the UK most notably for the opening track 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This', an undisputed classic. Idris and Wilbur Bascomb on bass create the perfect bedrock for Mike Brecker on Tenor Sax, Hiram Bullock on Guitar and Cliff Carter on Synthesizer to solo above, topped by Frank Floyd's vocals. It has been sampled at least seventeen times, most notably by Jamiroquai and Drake.

HHV exclusive vinyl edition on yellow vinyl, limited to 100 copies. Only available at hhv.de!

When the U.S. State Department announced in the mid-1970s that they were sponsoring a South African tour for the Oklahoma-born, Paris-based saxophonist Hal Singer, producer Rashid Vally took note. Even though his nascent record label As-Shams/The Sun (established in 1974) was making waves on the local scene, the idea of commissioning a recording from an international artist was a ballsy idea. With a discography that stretched back to the 1950s, Hal Singer was already somewhat of a legacy artist by 1976. Vally was well-versed on Singer’s accomplishments and specifically enamoured by his composition “Blue Stompin’,” which appeared on a Prestige album from 1959 that had struck a chord in South Africa. With his irresistible charm, Vally managed to coax Singer into a studio in Johannesburg, South Africa, to record a new version of “Blue Stompin’” with South African sax star Kippie Moeketsi, which became the title track of a 1977 album by Moeketsi. The recording session also yielded an album’s worth of new material by Hal Singer and his quartet that took its name from a track inspired by Singer’s trip to South Africa entitled “Soweto to Harlem.” Released in 1976 and only available in South Africa, Soweto to Harlem captures a laid-back, cheeky and nostalgic rhythm and blues set from the Hal Singer Quartet that is unlikely to have emerged for a different target market. With her irresistible charm, Vally was able to convince Singer to enter a Johannesburg studio. The recording session produced this album of new material by Hal Singer and his quartet named after a song inspired by Singer's trip to South Africa, entitled "Soweto to Harlem." Released in 1976 and available only in South Africa, "Soweto to Harlem" captures a laid-back, unabashed and nostalgic rhythm and blues of Hal Singer's quartet that would hardly have been born for a different market. Cinedelic’s 2024 edition of this rare album is sourced from the original tape masters and presents it on vinyl internationally for the very first time. The reissue follows Singer’s passing at the 100 in August 2020 as we contemplate and celebrate his extraordinary contribution to jazz in the United States and beyond.

In 1970, amidst the height of the jazz-rock era, Akira Ishikawa captured the chaotic atmosphere of the time and ventured into what could be called "jazz beyond." This album, Electrum, represents the moment when Ishikawa cut most deeply and incisively into jazz. Amid a sharpened groove, musicians ascended to new heights, competing fiercely. The epic "Electrum," the complexly intersecting vectors of "Revulsion," and the beautifully serene "Speak Under My Breath" are pieces that demand attention for their density and intensity. The participation of two genius pianists and composers/arrangers, Masahiko Satoh and Hiromasa Suzuki, is also noteworthy. This album, hailed as Ishikawa's greatest work, is revived here as part of Victor's series. Text by Yusuke Ogawa (universounds / Deep Jazz Reality)

Limited to 300 copies on grey vinyl. Only available at hhv.de

Sonor Music Editions proudly presents this restored issue of Maestro Sandro Brugnolini's Overground. This elusive masterpiece in library music captures the most impressive work, alongside Underground (1970), of the Italian composer and alto sax player. Overground was released on Sincro Edizioni Musicali in 1970 as the soundtrack to Enrico Moscatelli and Mario Rigoni's documentary Persuasione, commissioned by Ente Provinciale Per Il Turismo Di Trento, a local tourism board in Italy, with music composed by Sandro Brugnolini and Luigi Malatesta featuring some of the best musicians in Italy at the time like Angelo Baroncini and Silvano Chimento on guitars, Giorgio Carnini on piano and organ, Enzo Restuccia on drums, and Giovanni Tommaso on bass and effects. The music spans from underground Psychedelic Prog. Rock with swirling organs, trippy effects, and distorted fuzz guitars to sophisticated Lounge grooves with Avant- garde orchestrations. The music has been transferred and remastered from the original master tapes. It has been lacquer cut in stereo by Jukka Sarapää at Timmion Cutting and packed in a thick cardboard sleeve featuring a fully restored painting by Umberto Mastroianni licensed by Centro Studi dell’Opera di Umberto Mastroianni.