Various - "Rhodes In Japan" - comp. 16

PREVIEWS :

White Fire - Takaeo Uematsu

  Satsuki - Terumasa Hino

  Green Caterpiller - Masaru Imada

  Cat - Teruo Nakamura

In 2000 I went to Tokyo for the first time, and immediately injured my knee. I hobbled around the city on crutches immersing myself in the amazing range of jazz, funk and soul. It wasn't just the hidden, special 2nd hand vinyl stores that blew me away - even Tower Records had the largest jazz collection I'd ever seen; with racks and racks of Japan-only CD releases of USA albums that could only be found on expensive, scratchy vinyl in their home country.

I'd finally found somewhere that had a large population of people who loved the same music as I do, and even today, my DJ partner and some of my closest music buddies at home are Japanese.

However, at the time I knew nothing of Japanese jazz - it's only in the decade since then that my blog brothers have introduced me to Japanese music of the 1970s, music that soaked up electric Miles and electric Herbie in the jazz diaspora, and that even today continues to develop its idiosyncratic permutations through people like DJ Mitsu, Gagle, Sleep Walker and others. There's far too much beautiful music to fit onto one compilation, so expect more.

This is dedicated to my blogger friends, past and present, who've introduced me to this music and taken me on the type of journey that I hope you experience as well.

Thanks to El Goog Ja, Reza, Greg, Bacoso, Ish, Katonah, Taro Nombei, Vesper, Hoochie, Wara Katsu and many more ..... 

More rhodes compilations here

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Herbie Hancock Mwandishi live (1972)

Here are some fantastic videos of Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band from 1972, performing "Water Torture", "Toys" and "Sleeping Giant".




French TV broadcast 1972

Herbie Hancock - Piano & Rhodes
Eddie Henderson - Trumpet
Julian Priester - Trombone
Bennie Maupin - Soprano Sax, Flute & Bass Clarinet
Buster Williams - Bass
Billy Hart - Drums

More Herbie-related things here