BBE

J Jazz Volume 5 - Deep Modern Jazz From Japan (1970-1988)

£35.00
£35.00

This final volume features a selection of tracks that is as diverse as it is deep, reflecting the rich and varied Japanese jazz scene that spanned from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, a golden era of innovation and creativity.

J Jazz volume 5 sees compilers Tony Higgins and Mike Peden dig ever deeper into their respective record collections to reveal tracks that encompass myriad styles including white hot jazz funk fusion from Toshiyuki Honda (Eastern Legacy) and Mikio Masuda (Sonic Barrier), super rare ethnic jazz crossover by Crystal Zone - their one-off 45 promo release from 1971, Rai Rai, a deconstructed and abstract jazz classic by Yasuhiro Kohno with his solo piano rendition of My Favourite Things, and Mile and Half’s skin-tearing, shredding freak-out from their mega rare private press album. A track that is so relentless, it leaves the listener in need of oxygen and a Valium.

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These hand-picked selections sit alongside specially chosen tracks embracing hard-driving samba (Seiichi Nakamura’s Judy’s Samba), head-nodding soul jazz (Masaru Imada’s World Line), psychedelic private press fusion (Aoyama Gakuin 101’s Fervor), angular post-bop workouts (Akira Miyazawa’s Nijimasu), intense fusion (Motohiko Hino’s Olive Step), serene cinematic pianism (Hideo Ichikawa’s On the Trade Wind), and tripped-out tribal jazz funk (Masahiko Sato’s Garandoh’s Africa to Africa).

Most of the tracks featured here are reissued for the first time, many previously available only on extremely limited and highly sought-after private press or independent releases. J Jazz Volume 5 serves as a fitting conclusion to a compilation series that helped introduce Japanese jazz to a whole new audience.

Product Details

Label: BBE
Cat: BBE794
Format: 3 x LP, 180g
Released: Jun 2026

Tracklist

Side A
1. Aoyama Gakuin 101 – Fervor
2. Hideo Ichikawa – On The Trade Wind

Side B
1. Toshiyuki Honda Burning Waves – Eastern Legacy
2. Masaru Imada – World Line

Side C
1. Crystal Zone – Rai Rai
2. Masahiko Sato Trio + Akira Miyazawa – Nijimasu Part 1 and 2
3. Hot Session – Run After

Side D
1. Seiichi Nakamura – Judy’s Samba
2. Yasuhiro Kohno – My Favorite Things

Side E
1. Akira Miyazawa, Norio Maeda, Masanaga Harada, Jimmy Takeuchi, Kenichi Sonoda, Dixie Kings, George Otsuka Quintet, Masahiko Sato’s Garandoh – (History of Jazz)
2. Mile and Half – Mile and Half
3. Mikio Masuda – Sonic Barrier

Side F
1. Tomoki Takahashi meets Elvin Jones – Another Soil
2. Motohiko Hino – Olive Step

Delivery

Standard shipping times and costs (excluding bikes):

UK 1-3 days £7.00 (free over £100)
US 1-3 days £25.00
EU 3-5 days £15.00*
Rest of the world 4-7 days £50.00

*Shipping to the EU is DDP - inclusive of all local taxes and duties.

Same day store collection is available at checkout.