Sake & Tears #5 - J-Jazz Special #1 Sake & Tears

Marking the first Jazz Special, this month’s episode of Sake and Tears aims to explore the Japanese Jazz scene from the 60’s to the modern day, with a mixture of straight-ahead bangers, deep dark fusion workouts, avant-garde curiosities and solo piano beauty. Tracks have been carefully selected from lesser-known albums from back catalogue of titans like Yosuke Yamashita, Masabumi Kikuchi, Terumasa Hino and Masahiko Togashi as well as giving some well-deserved exposure to the likes of Satoko Fujii, Tomami Koyake, Akira Miyazawa, Shoji Aketagawa and Tokashi Kako. Full Tracklist below:

1.    Hozan Yamamoto – Prologue
2.    Hozan Yamamoto – Sawonose
3.    Gary Peacock – Requiem
4.    Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band – Memory
5.    Toshiko Akiyoshi Quartet – Sumi
6.    Satoko Fujii Orchestra – Jo
7.    Akira Sakata – Saitaroh-Bushi
8.    Jam Rice Sextet – Jam Rice Relaxin' Side B (Edit)
9.    Masabumi Kikuchi Quintet - Admire, But Detest (Mr. Out)
10. Tokashi Kako - L'Aube
11. Tamami Koyake – Activity
12. Yosuke Yamashit & Masahiko Togashi – May Green
13. Kiyoshi Sugimoto Quartet – Rosetta Stone
14. Akira Miyazawa – ‘Round Midnight
15. Akira Miyazawa/Masahiko Sato/Masahiko Togashi/Yasuo Arakawa – Scarborough Fair
16. Nobuyasu Furuya Quintet – Jap Agitator Caught Again
17. Terumasa Hino – Wind Blows Your Skin
18. Shoji Aketagawa – Khalifa
19. Sabu Toyozumi - Malachi's Tune
20. Yosuke Yamashita Trio + 1 – Picasso
21. Yosuke Yamashita Trio & Guests - Anomachi Konomachi
22. Honda Takehiro Trio – You Don’t Know What Love Is