From: Wesley (wesleyc_at_cox.net)
Date: 2003-04-06 03:06:49
Reviews :: Sunaga t Experience, Nakamura Yoshihiro, FPM, Ide Yasushi,
Apre Midi, Tokyo Bossa Nova Vol.4, Towa Tei
a lot of new stuff--lots of Brazilian. dusty groove now has Sunaga's
exceptional new album in stock. they're also carrying the Tokyo Bossa
Nova Vol.4 compilation posted about so much, the two newest Apres Midi
comps from Japan, FPM,... they have the new Nakamura Yoshihiro, and
also show that he has 3 more releases all due on April 11--Luminoso,
Itsuka Kimi Ni, and Simples. also the new one from Ide Yasushi, the man
who recorded the really wonderful "A Certain Peace" with Monday Michiru
many years back.
-Wesley
The Eclectic Sounds of Japan
[Sound :: Lounge] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoundLounge
-- source: Dusty Groove Sunaga T Experience -- Double Standard . . . CD Ready Made (Japan) No double standard here -- just one great album, unified through a love of classic jazz and soul influences! Japanese producer Sunaga T has really outdone himself here -- blending together styles that include the bits of club jazz, house, and soul work that's been coming out of the Japanese scene over the past few years -- held together with a wide range of influences spread out across rare recordings of the 60s, 70s, and 80s! The album features guest vocals from American singers Mike Campbell and Sheila Landis -- plus work by Japanese artists Toyono, Hitomitoi, and Ryohei Yamamoto. Tracks include "And It All Goes Round & Round", "Futari", "Short Wave Radio", "Pad", "Strobe/Fruit", "Double Standard", "Music Console", and "Slip Away". album cover: http://www.dustygroove.com/images/imagelink.gif Various -- Tokyo Bossa Nova 4 . . . CD Hapiness (Japan), 2003 (2 CDs) 2 CDs -- and a heck of a lot of great bossa nova tunes from Tokyo! Almost since the first notes of bossa nova floated off the beaches in Rio, the Japanese scene's been fascinated with the music -- crafting its own unique take on the style, often with nice jazz touches borrowed from American artists, and some hipper styles picked up from the styles of various Japanese trends. This 2CD set brings together a wealth of recent modern bossa from Japan -- from tracks that are mellow and laidback, in a classic style, to others that bubble with dancefloor energy, mixing together jazz and beats in a wonderful way. Many titles are in Japanese, and the set's got a total of 31 tracks, with work by Hamilton, April Set, Suitcase Rhodes, Plus Tech Squeeze Box, Bon Voyage, Morriconian, TTTT & Johnsons, Eureka, Noa Noa, Bossa 51, Herb, and Cafe Com Leite. album cover: http://www.dustygroove.com/prip/5/5/70055i.htm Towa Tei -- EP1 -- Sweet Robots Against The Machine (pic cover) . . . 12-inch Avex (Japan), 2003 Towa Tei presents work from his Sweet Robots project -- a variety of tracks that have a nice spacey disco feel, and which are done with lots of the playful touches that we've come to love in his own work! Titles include "Free" by MJ Cole, "Latte & Macaron" by Funkstorung, "Audio Sex" by Prefuse 73, and "Latte & Macaron" by DJ Marky. (In an amazing package -- with a cool outersleeve, an image inside, and a great look overall!) album cover: http://www.dustygroove.com/prip/4/0/69104i.htm Towa Tei & Others -- EP2 -- Sweet Robots Against The Machine (pic cover) . . . 12-inch Avex (Japan), 2003 Towa Tei presents work from his Sweet Robots project -- a variety of tracks that have a nice spacey disco feel, and which are done with lots of the playful touches that we've come to love in his own work! Titles include "Free (Poples dud)" by Richard Earnshaw, "Wake Up" by Spacek, and "Tikus" by Kamanchi. (In an amazing package -- with a cool outersleeve, an image inside, and a great look overall!) album cover: http://www.dustygroove.com/prip/5/0/69105i.htm Various -- Cafe Apres Midi Vert . . . CD P-Vine (Japan) Another totally winning entry in the Cafe Apres Midi series -- a sweet blend of vocal jazz tunes from the 70s, with some great Brazilian bits thrown in for good measure! The tracks here are mostly pulled from recent P-Vine reissues -- but given the scope of P-Vine, the titles come from a huge variety of sources -- Scandinavian jazz, European fusion, the San Francisco scene, and beyond! As usual, the overall feel is sweet and melodic, with a focus on catchy tunes that you might have missed -- and there's nearly 80 minutes of music, making for a very full set! Titles include "Just The Way You Are" by Dardanelle, "As Time Goes By" by Aura Urziceanu, "I've Got Just About Everything" by 52nd Street, "Triste" by Cybill Shepherd, "Since My Baby" by Hugh Brodie, "Haven't We Met" by John Pizzarelli, "No More Blues" by Gene Bertoncini, "Menina Danada" by Viva Brasil, "Ze Bede" by Samboa, "Zazueira" by Meta Roos, and "Ponteio" by Batida. album cover: http://www.dustygroove.com/prip/2/9/68292i.htm Various -- Cafe Apres Midi Azalee . . . CD P-Vine (Japan) Brazilian groovers from around the globe -- mostly 70s numbers, put together by P-Vine Records from a really wide range of titles from around the world! The sound here is bossa and Brazilian jazz -- but the material was recorded in locations that include France, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and the US -- mixed together with a few other tracks that have a straighter jazz-based sound, and one or two more soulful numbers from the Bay Area. As usual, the Cafe Apres Midi take on music is a great one -- and the set's got a huge amount of tracks, 23 titles that include "Feel Like Making Love" by Meta Roos, "Aquarela" by Nico Gomez, "Surpriza" by Aura Urzicenau, "Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars" by Dardanelle, "I Can't Help It" by Judy Roberts, "Meu Querer" by Samboa, "San Juan" by Tom Collier & Dan Dean, and "Cheerful Little Earful" by Jackie & Roy. album cover: http://www.dustygroove.com/prip/3/9/68293i.htm Fantastic Plastic Machine featuring Incognito -- Reaching For The Stars (ext 12 inch mix, orig, ext Reprise mix)/Euphoria (ext 12 inch mix) (pic cover) . . . 12-inch L'appareil-Photo (Japan), 2003 Fantastic Plastic Machine sounding better than we remember in years -- thanks to vocals on the track by the Incognito family of singers: Kelli Sae, Joy Rose, Tyrone Henry, Tony Momrelle, and Bluey! Together, the quintet sing together in a warm harmony sound that fills the track with life and soul -- stretching it to the stars on a really wonderful note! album cover: http://www.dustygroove.com/prip/8/1/68118i.htm Yasushi Ide Presents Wave -- Sophisticated Chill . . . CD . . . $24.99 (Item: 67745) EMI (Japan), 2003 Condition: New Copy View Cart A magical new project from Japanese producer Yasushi Ide -- a mostly acoustic combo with a breezy Brazilian flavor! The group play in a sweet and mellow modern bossa style that includes work on acoustic guitar, percussion, and Fender Rhodes -- and a number of tracks have soft and gentle vocals by the lovely singer Eme, who we've never heard before! The style is quite different from Ide's more dance-oriented projects, and shows that with the right talents, he can work in a variety of great styles. Titles include "Wave", "Desafinado", "Agua De Beber", "Triste", and "Corcovado". (This CD is copy protected.) (From the Brazil CD (A-L) page.) album cover: http://www.dustygroove.com/prip/5/4/67745i.htm Yoshiro Nakamura -- Bossa Nova . . . CD CBS/Sony (Japan), 2003 A great record by a bossa singer we'd never heard of -- Japanese vocalist Yoshiro Nakamura, an artist with a style very faithful to older work by Jobim and Joao Gilberto! Yoshiro plays acoustic guitar with a light and gentle finish -- singing classic bossa tunes touched by a bit of sadness, with support from spare and perfectly-conceived orchestrations. The whole thing's got a wonderfully solid feel -- and titles include "Voce Vai Ver", "Corcovado", "Cafe De Manha", "Eu E A Brisa", and "Sabia". album cover: http://www.dustygroove.com/prip/2/0/68302i.htm all at http://www.dustygroove.com
