Back catalogue: All genres

Review: It looks like Damien Chazelle, the young, impressive director of Whiplash and the more recent La La Land, likes to surround himself with equally talented youngsters. For the latter film, he's chosen Justin Hurwitz to compose the score for his successful musical featuring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, and we have to say that this is a real keeper. There's a bit of everything in here, a little vintage pop, some classical elements here and there, but jazz is what's at the core of this original score, and that's why we think it's great. What's more, you can listen to Gosling and Stone sing on your turntables. Check it out.

Review: Shafiq Husayn has been a driving force on the Los Angeles music scene for decades. He is a producer, songwriter and vocalist who is part of the agenda setting trio Sa-Ra Creative Partners and has produced for greats like Erykah Badu, Robert Glasper, Ice-T, Bilal and Jurassic 5. The Grammy winner is also leader of the expansive The Dove Society collective with whom he links here for a new album So Gold. It's an eclectic, love-fulled fusion of jazz, cosmic soul, hip hop and r&b that is packed with lush musicianship, smooth vocal flows and timeless grooves.

Review: Following on from the Savage Young Du box set of early demos, we're returned to Bob Mould's legendary Minneapolis punk rockers for a trip into some of the rarest live recordings of the band in their heyday. From ground zero for the band in July 1979 on the A-side through their evolution up to September of the following year on sides C and D, this captures a band with nothing to lose and everything to gain as they started out on the bumpy road to their eventual status as true legends of Midwest hardcore. There's an abundance of classics on here, from 'All Tensed Up' to 'Gilligan's Island' and 'Drug Party', sounding rawer than you could possibly dream of, played to threadbare crowds and full of electric tension.

Review: The most celebrated jazz vibraphonist of them all is Bobby Hutcherson. Oblique was one of many high water marks of the Blue Note man, and it featured Herbie Hancock, Albert Stinson and Joe Chambers on the original session recorded in 1967. The album was only the second time Bobby played as part of a quartet and it received rave reviews at the time for its sophisticated but accessible sound. Laid back, lyrical and subdued in sound, the album touches on funky styles and jazz-rock influences with impeccable production from the legendary Rudy Van Gelder studio in New York.

Review: Featuring the vibraphonist in peak form while interpreting seven jazz standards with remarkable interplay, this newly reissued vinyl celebrates the album's 40th anniversary, bringing fresh attention to an overlooked gem. Hutcherson's quartetifeaturing pianist George Cables, bassist Herbie Lewis and legendary drummer Philly Joe Jonesidelivers a session filled with warmth and dynamic expression. The set kicks off with Thelonious Monk's 'I Mean You', immediately showing the group's cohesion. Hutcherson's phrasing on 'All Of You' is adventurous and his delicate touch on 'Spring Is Here' highlights his lyrical sensitivity. The brisk tempo of 'Star Eyes' adds energy, while 'If I Were A Bell' features an engaging solo introduction from Hutcherson. Cables shines on 'Summertime' and the album closes with an exhilarating take on 'Autumn Leaves'. Hutcherson's vibes function much like a lead horn, evoking the spirit of classic jazz quartets. Cables' piano work is exceptional and an intricate yet fluid accompaniment. Jones, whose drumming, delivers an impeccable performanceihis crisp, swinging touch is a masterclass. Overall, a very underrated a jazz album being reissued to a new generation is always a reason to celebrate.

Review: Here's another classic from one of the greatest vibraphone players to ever grace the world of jazz. Amongst Bobby Hutcherson's imperious discography lies this collaboration with tenor sax, flute and oboe virtuoso Harold Land, originally released on Blue Note in 1971. San Francisco is notable for the shift Hutcherson and Land took away from the common hard bop style they were best known for, heading towards the fruitful pastures of jazz fusion. As well as the lead men, special credit goes to the rhythm section of John Williams on bass and Mickey Roker on drums, holding down some sturdy grooves for the duration.

Review: Bobby Hutcherson was one of the greatest vibraphone and marimba players in jazz, and he left behind a staggering legacy. By 1965 he was already recording his first album as bandleader for Blue Note, and just three years later he recorded Stick-Up!, his fifth for the label and one of his all time finest. Decca clearly agree as they now present the album again in their Tone Poet series. Backing Hutcherson up is Joe Henderson on tenor sax, McCoy Turner on piano, Billy Higgins on drums and Herbie Lewis on bass, and in that ensemble you get a golden example of post bop perfection.

Review: Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson's 1965 debut, Dialogue, showcases his adventurous spirit. Already a versatile sideman on albums like Idle Moments and Out To Lunch, Hutcherson steps into the spotlight with a sextet featuring jazz luminaries Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, Andrew Hill, Richard Davis, and Joe Chambers. Dialogue captures Hutcherson's more adventurous leanings, pushing the boundaries of his instrument and the genre. This Tone Poet Vinyl Edition, meticulously mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analogue tapes, offers a pristine listening experience. Pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket, this reissue is a must-have for any serious jazz aficionado. It's a chance to hear a master musician at his most innovative and expressive.

Review: Bobby Hutcherson's innovative 1969 session Medina features a stellar lineup with Harold Land on tenor saxophone and flute, Stanley Cowell on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums all joining the legendary vibraphonist. The album showcases original compositions by Hutcherson, Cowell and Chambers and was recorded on August 11, 1969 at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. This special reissue comes as part of the Tone Poet series produced by Joe Harley and mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes.

Review: Bobby Hutcherson's 1965 debut, Dialogue, marked his emergence as a leading vibraphonist, following his versatile work on albums like Idle Moments and Out to Lunch. The album reflects Hutcherson's more adventurous side and features a dynamic sextet with Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, Andrew Hill, Richard Davis, and Joe Chambers. This Tone Poet Vinyl Edition, produced by Joe Harley, was mastered by Kevin Gray from original analogue tapes so sounds superb, and has been pressed up to 180g vinyl at RTI. It comes in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket and offers audiophiles a premium experience that truly does Hutcherson's groundbreaking work justice.

Review: Bobby Hutcherson's iconic Happenings is a mesmerizing jazz opus that even now all these years later still brims with innovation and emotion. Released originally in 1966, the record showcases Hutcherson's mastery of the vibraphone and how he effortlessly weaves intricate melodies with a vibrant rhythmic pulse. Backed by a stellar ensemble including the one and only Herbie Hancock, Hutcherson crafts a sonic landscape that is both sophisticated and accessible. Tracks never fail to captivate with their dynamic interplay and infectious grooves, while reflective pieces are also included to offer moments of introspection. Happenings then is a standout from an unparalleled talent.

Review: Bobby Hutcherson's Total Eclipse is a seminal work in the post-bop jazz genre. Released in 1968, the album showcases Hutcherson's masterful vibraphone playing and his innovative approach to composition which creates a sense of mystery and wonder. 'Herzog' is a up-tempo number, with Hutcherson's vibraphone taking a more prominent role. The track features some blistering solos from Hutcherson and his fellow musicians, including pianist Herbie Hancock and bassist Ron Carter. 'Matrix' is a complex and challenging piece that showcases Hutcherson's experimental side. The track features a variety of odd time signatures and dissonant harmonies, but Hutcherson's playing is always melodic and accessible. 'Same Shame' is a more traditional jazz ballad, with Hutcherson's vibraphone playing taking a more subdued role. The track is a showcase for Hutcherson's lyrical and sensitive playing. The album closes with 'Pompeian,' a haunting and atmospheric piece that recalls the title track. Total Eclipse is a masterpiece of post-bop jazz.

Review: The 1973 album Piece of the Action by Bobby Hutton has been reissued on vinyl for the first time since its original release. Hailing from Detroit, Hutton began his career after winning a talent show at the 20 Grand nightclub and went on to perform on the inaugural nationally broadcast Soul Train episode in 1971. Influenced by Jackie Wilson, he transitioned from writing under his birth name, Harold Hutton, to adopting the stage name Bobby Hutton, encouraged by Billy Davis at Chess Records. Hutton's journey through labels saw him eventually land at Philips, where he created the Northern Soul classic 'Come See What's Left Of Me,' famously played at the Stafford All-Nighters in the mid-80s. With standout contributions from Patti Hamilton, Jean Plum, Mikki Farrow, and Frankie Karl. The Gary Wright-penned 'Lend A Hand,' championed by DJ Colin Curtis in 1974, remains a defining track, marking a high point in Northern Soul history.

Review: Trumpeter Chris Ryan Williams and cellist Lester St. Louis form HxH (H by H) are a boundary-pushing electroacoustic duo who work with acoustic instruments and electronics in real-time. Their debut album, released on KMRU's label OFNOT captures their expansive, sculptural sound, and it is one rooted in jazz, noise, classical and Black experimental traditions. Drawing comparisons to Sun Ra or Laurel Halo, their music is fluid, unpredictable and emotionally resonant. Tracks like 'Pyrex Vision' and 'BEACH' showcase a dynamic interplay between form and freedom and are influenced by visual artists like Torkwase Dyson. HxH's sonic world is both daring and intimate and is an ever-shifting architecture of sound.

Review: Tides is the brand-new studio album from Hybrid Minds; a veritable challenging of the status quo and drum & bass orthodoxy with the best-produced, most pristine sonic vanguard yet. Presenting 13 incredible tracks, including the hits 'If Love Could Have Saved You', with venbee and 'Lights', with Charlotte Plank, get ready to sit back and enjoy the sonic journey that Tides takes you on, transcending listeners beyond the genre's more typical environments with their own unique Hybrid Minds take on the drum & bass style. This edition is primed for the tuntable, coming to a shortened 2xLP splatter-vinyl edition.

Review: You can always rely on PC Music to serve the sort of futuristic, inventive hyper-pop that no one else does. Clearing is a superbly captivating debut album from synth pop, witch house, dream pop artist Hyd, who used to be known as QT. It features some previously released singles but mostly new music that serves as a biography of the singer-songwriter. She has been part of this influential label since day one and here references everything from millennial synth sounds to 80s and 90s acts on the same lineage. It's a proper album too that plays out well from front to back as one coherent listen.

Review: Some albums deserve to stay buried, but Hydroplane's 1997 debut album is not one of those. An alternative project from shoegaze-influenced indie band The Cat's Miaow, the self-titled album offered a uniquely hazy, spaced-out blend of lo-fi dream pop vocals, atmospheric guitar textures, DJ Shadow style sample collage, stoned beats, Radoiphonic Workshop style electronic experiments and '90s ambient tropes. It's an unusual but hugely alluring musical melting pot that went largely overlooked at the time - hence this first ever vinyl pressing of the previously CD-only set. We'd recommend giving it a listen because it really is in a genre sub-category all of its own.

Review: Brazilian artist Hyldon's 1981 album 'Sabor De Amor' is a Latin classic that is well overdue this reissue by Jazzybelle Records. It was the fourth from the soul man, singer and instrumentalist who was, with equally celebrated peers Tim Maia and Cassiano, at the very heart of the Brazilian soul revolution of 70s. This may be his most consistent album with its more than accomplished backing by Azymuth musicians including Alexandre Malheiros on bass, drums from Ivan "Mamao" Conti and Hammond jams from Sergio Carvalho amongst others. The bass is funky, the arrangements are sophisticated and full of sun with noodling jazz melodies and Portuguese vocals all oozing summer magic. From mellow moments like the title cut to more dazzling and upbeat dancers like 'Amor Na Terra Do Berimbau' this isa joyous listen.

Review: A slice of superbly rare OG hardcore punk to separate the posers from the lifers. Hailing from Long Beach, California, Hypnotics were another group of snarling youths in the early 80s scene with a bark and bite to match peers who would grow into legends of their own such as TSOL and Circle Jerks. Originally released in 1983, Expendables would serve as their second full-length LP, but due to label Enigma Records imploding in the interim, the members themselves were forced to press a minuscule batch of 100 copies, which as you can imagine have been requesting a pretty penny on the Discogs marketplace for far too many a moon. Limited to 540 copies (five times as many as the OG!) and complete with a four-page booklet of photos and artefacts for that authentic hardcore time capsule vibe.

Review: Hypnotone's iconic self titled mini album reissued and released just in time for this Summer Solstice. Originally released by Creation Records in 1991 - long out of print and now reissued - this one comes now meticulously remastered and pressed onto pristine white vinyl, aesthetically bolstering its pure, ascendant sound to match. The Hypnotone moniker was formed out of the bemused miasma that came after the wake of the infamous Hacienda nightclub in Manchester; made up of another related but no less legendary Tony (Martin, not Wilson) and yet another Martin (Mittler) (don't get confused, now), their eponymous debut came after an inspirational spell of digital sampler experiments and intentional Balearic hitmaking.

Review: Jamil Honesty x HxlySmxkes launched their The Rufus Buck Project back in 2020 as a way of reflecting their frustrations and anger. It continued song messages to fight for freedom and the pair themselves call it riot music, with Baltimore's Hxlysmxkes cutting the beats while Jamil's MC work is pure truth and power. Now comes this deluxe edition that features the original tunes as well as three full extra jams featuring guests such as Midaz The Beast, Ke Turner and Rell and some mad scratches from DJ Grazzhoppa. An eight-page booklet is also included on this limited and essential long player.

Review: 1969 was the year of release of this one and only album by Japanese jazz pianist Hideo Ichikawa, vibraphonist Hiroshi Matsumoto, bassist Kunimitsu Inaba and drummer Motohiko Hino, all in collaboration. A one-off coming-together, it centred on the valerian vibes of Matsumoto, whose star instrument, the vibraphone, was bound to take centre stage for its comparative novelty, not to mention the fact that Matsumoto himself had been practicing before the others. An honorary work, this urbane masterpiece hears tasteful vibraphonic panning in full stereo, as blue passing notes collide with expert steel brushings and untied chord playing, resulting in a unique but salubrious listen.

Review: The Schleissen series goes from strength to strength on Emotional Response, inviting another two esteemed luminaries in the field of ambience to indulge themselves on a long side of wax. Matthewdavid is a welcome addition to the series - the West Coast champion has been operating in all kinds of unusual realms for a long time - and he comes to this release with a new project entitled Mindflight. The resulting track "Sonos' loops and folds heavy washes of drone and feedback in a thoroughly stimulating bath of harmony. Firecracker affiliate HOLOVR meanwhile presents three different musings on the dynamics of vintage UK techno, all crooked beat formations and luscious synth strokes gazing into the future.

Review: 1970's Hello Herbie reunites The Oscar Peterson Trio with legendary guitarist Herb Ellis for what proved to be a timeless jazz masterpiece. Ellis, who played with greats of the genre such as Stan Getz and Ella Fitzgerald, was a key member of Peterson's trio from 1953-58. This album marks their reunion with Sam Jones on bass and Bobby Durham on drums. Featuring playful interplay between Peterson's virtuosic piano and Ellis' thoughtful guitar, the album is a testament to their musical chemistry and for this reissue has been remastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Christoph Stickel. The LP also includes original tape scans and new liner notes by jazz journalist Scott Yanow to add some extra perspective.

Review: Heart Trio features three devoted musicians - William Parker, Cooper-Moore, and Hamid Drake - dedicated to healing through sound. World-renowned bassist-composer William Parker has collaborated with Cooper-Moore and Hamid Drake for over 30 years, and since 2012, they've been core members of Parker's In Order To Survive quartet. Heart Trio marks their debut as a trio, with Parker on doson ngoni, dudek, and flutes, Cooper-Moore on ashimba and harp, and Drake on frame drum and drum kit. Their collectively composed music is for daily healing and centering, described by Parker as "heart and soul sound, dancing without pretense."

Review: There's a point in To All Sides They Will Stretch Out Their Hands when the nature of drone really makes itself clear. To the lazy ear that might easily be confused for 'Formula To Attract Affections', with its gorgeous waves of synth washing through your ears, like non-bio washing detergent. Others could assume it's the transient refrains of 'Dream Song of the Woman'. Neither are really true.

'In the Great Night My Heart Will Go Out' is quite possibly one of the greatest things you've ever heard sound like a walk home in the drizzle at 6AM. You can hear every detail of can against pave-ment, rat against wind, kebab against bin. And yet very little happens or changes within the noises. The sound of a British suburban street in the witching hours. Weirdly beautiful.

Review: As part of Amniote Editions' fifth birthday, the admirably experimental label has decided to release a full-length excursion from Mirror Zone founder Spekki Webu, AKA Heliobolus. The multi-disciplinary artist has decided to utilise both aliases on the album, a way of reinforcing the key conceptual idea behind it - that it is a "story of intertwined storylines" akin to "parallel universes that connect and diverge". Musically, it's an intriguing affair, with pulsating, full-throttle sci-fi techno workouts sitting side by side with darker, more intense cuts, sound design-heavy experimental techno soundscapes, and nods towards the horror end of the cinematic soundtrack spectrum. Throw in a few mutant, noise-laden post-IDM compositions and you have a genuinely impressive full-length excursion.

Review: The latest volume in BBE's J Jazz Masterclass series is something of a stone-cold classic: then young Japanese pianist Makoto Terashita's 1983 album-length collaboration with legendary tenor saxophonist Harold Land. Somewhat surprisingly, this is the first time that the sought-after set has been reissued since, making it something of a must-have for serious jazz fans. Both players are clearly audible throughout the LP, with the accompanying bassist and drummer generally kept low in the mix. It's an approach that pays dividends from start to finish, with highlights including the poignant and picturesque "Dear Friends", the epic dancefloor flex of "Dragon Dance" and the raucous, high-octane thrills of "Crossing".

Review: Memphis crew Three 6 Mafia are one of the most vital forces in Southern rap, still reigning supreme more than 30 years since they formed. Back in 2000 they helped define the sound orbiting the group and their label with the Hypnotise Camp Posse compilation, bringing in all their different collaborations and configurations and other MCs riding on beats from DJ Paul and Juicy J. Gangsta Boo especially shines on the likes of 'We Ain't Playin' while Lord Infamous tears it up on 'Don't Make Me Kill'. This is the real deal, from the razor-sharp beats to the deadly flows from the extended Three 6 family, now pressed up on a double 12" with an insert.

Review: The creative partnership between Tiga & Hudson Mohawke expresses a mutual love of "hardcore romance," a liminal state where the bounds between euphoria, melancholy and the raw power of friendship disintegrate completely. Recorded in Los Angeles from 2019-2023, these commonalities ebbed and flowed through various recording sessions, culminating in their debut album - L'Ecstacy - the sounds in which "all come from the same place, the same musical universe," in Hudson Mohawke's own words. Referencing the album's locus of bouncy elasticity and cinematic gloss - "we're building a particular kind of zone where it all fits together. A place lost in time." With guest appearances by luminaries like Abra, Channel Tres, and Jesse Boykins III, as well as album artwork by Wolfgang Tillmans, the result is delivered with "no apology, no cynicism, no irony, no winking."

Review: HudMo is on rampant form at the moment, firing off collaborations left, right and centre and, as usual, never missing. That said, this project feels like something very special indeed, as he doubles down on kinship with Canadian techno legend Tiga to make an album in thrall to the surge of feelings that hit us when we submit to the possibilities of the night. It's a romantic kind of techno that comes on like early B12 or Artificial Intelligence-era techno in places, but there's also some crafty hooks and flamboyance as you would rightly expect from such a heavyweight studio pairing.

Review: Canadian artist Tiga and Scotsman Hudson Mohawke's creative bond thrives on, they say, a mutual love of "hardcore romance," which is a unique blend of euphoria, melancholy, and raw friendship power. From 2019 to 2023 in Los Angeles, their mutual inspirations shaped L'Ecstasy, which is their debut album on Tiga's Turbo label. It was originally envisioned for 6am rave catharsis but then the project evolved to embrace 90s rave influences. It features chill-out ambient tracks like 'Exit Warehouse at Dawn' and 'LMZNIN' but also bangs with more immediate anthems like 'IN ORDER 2,' 'VSOD,' and 'Ascending into the Clouds', all of which leave indelible marks. This album captures this accomplished pair's journey through sonic landscapes and celebrates the highs and lows of their musical kinship in a space of creative ecstasy.

Review: Making their debut on Warp, Hudson Mohawke and Lunice proudly cross their beams to rain down a sick and slick kind of future-crunk, aptly demonstrated in in the introductory nature of bass-rich teaser "Top Floor" with its juke leanings and menacing posture. There's a detuned nature to the recognisable bleeps and wails on offer here while the beats remain crunchy and steadfast. "Higher Ground" is more overt in its use of juke to create a twisted kind of hype, while "Bugg'n" drips and drops in a loping vat of sub bass and slow-mo strangeness, leaving you with one of the oddest takes on the contemporary mess of electronic beats.

Review: Brazilian music legend Hyldon teams up with producer Adrian Younge for the 23rd edition of Jazz Is Dead. A psychedelic soul album reimagining the magic of Hyldon's 60s and 70s work through a modern lens, Hyldon's vivant vocals and poetic storytelling are paired with the rich analogue production that made Younge's name, honouring the past and yet still keeping things afresh. It also stands as one of the final recordings of the late Ivan "Mamao" Conti, the iconic Azymuth drummer and Hyldon's longtime collaborator. Fusing MPB, tropicalia, and Black American r&b, we're slack-jawed with awe at this spiritual, which elutes from the ethereal 'Olhos Castanhos' to the cosmo-funk of 'Viajante do Planeta Azul'.

Review: Brazilian vocalist, musician and producer Hyldon De Souza Silva teams up with Adrian Younge on a brand new psychedelic Latin soul album, infused with the golden spirit of jazz, honouring both Hyldon's 60s and 70s opuses and Younge's trademark analog productions. With late drummer Ivan "Mamao" Conti on percussion, this is yet another tribute to the "Black Rio" movement in Brazil, an intoxicating infusion of Brazilian MPB and Black American rhythm & blues. The effect is major yet seductive, riffing on insporations from Marvin Gaye to Tim Maya to flatten the embossed edges of bossa nova and erotic funk, with remarkably paced and measured drumming and swirling vocal lines.

Notes: Stand-alone high resolution blu-ray audio disc featuring the stunning 50th anniversary 5.1 surround sound & stereo mixes of 'Space Ritual'. This legendary live album was recorded on the Hawkwind's UK Tour of December 1972, which followed the release of the band's recent studio album 'Doremi Fasol Latido'.

Region code: ABC (universal)

Notes: A retrospective of Third Earth Visual Arts and the career of Abu Qadim Haqq who as many of you know created art for Transmat, Drexciya and Underground Resistance.

The book covers his early life in Detroit to his last project for Third Earth Visual Arts in 2023.

Over 100 pages of art.
Over 100 pages of photos.
258 pages

Notes: BBE Music is thrilled to present J Jazz: Free and Modern Jazz From Japan 1954-1988, a remarkable large-format book covering some of the deepest, rarest, and most innovative jazz music released anywhere in the post-war era. Compiled by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, co-curators of BBE Music’s acclaimed J Jazz Masterclass Series, the book also features a foreword by Japanese jazz icon, Terumasa Hino.

This is the first time a book of this type has been has been published outside of Japan and the first anywhere of this size and scale. It is a unique collection of over 500 albums of free and modern jazz recorded and released in Japan during a period of radical transformation and constant reinvention. An era that saw Japan return from the ravages of World War Two to become a global economic power and emerge as both a technological leader and an international cultural force.

Through a unique gallery of albums, J Jazz charts the development of jazz in Japan from the first stirrings of the modern jazz scene in the mid to late 1950s and on through the hard bop and modal jazz of the 1960s. It steers the reader into the radical directions of the 1970s when free jazz, fusion, post-bop, and jazz-funk opened up a growing number of Japanese jazz artists to a new global audience before consolidating in the mid to late 1980s with a musical scene that laid the path for the contemporary jazz generation to follow.

Over 500 full-colour sleeves from many of the leading names in Japanese jazz sit alongside rare and private pressings that tell a story of constant change and musical exploration. J Jazz includes profiles of several leading record labels such as East Wind, Frasco, King Records, and Nippon Columbia as well as critical independents such as Three Blind Mice, ALM, and Aketa’s Disk. J Jazz includes interviews with celebrated jazz photographer Tadayuki Naito, and pianist Tohru Aizawa, bandleader on the totemic spiritual jazz album, Tachibana Vol 1, as well as free-jazz record collector and jazz musician Mats Gustafsson.

The book also features a chapter on albums by non-Japanese artists that only received a Japanese release, with collectible, rare, and obscure releases by figures such as Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Mal Waldron, Steve Lacy, and Art Blakey. J Jazz includes Japanese jazz charts from some of the world’s leading jazz DJs including Gilles Peterson, Toshio Matsuura, Paul Murphy, and Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino. Among the specialist content is a feature on obi strips by record dealer and Japanese jazz expert, Yusuke Ogawa, plus a special article on Japanese Blue Note albums.

Across its 300-plus pages, J Jazz includes a detailed introduction contextualising the music, tracing the story of Japan’s fascination with jazz back before the war. It also features biographical information on many of the key artists involved in shaping the post- war Japanese jazz scene including Sadao Watanabe, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Masabumi Kikuchi, Masahiko Togashi, Terumasa Hino, Yosuke Yamashita, Fumio Itabashi, Masayuki Takayanagi, Takeo Moriyama, Isao Suzuki, and many more.

Notes: The birth and growth of the Jamaican recording industry...

Records have played an integral part in the history of Jamaican music and the importance of making records, as opposed to making music, can never be overstated.

These are the stories, told through first-hand accounts wherever possible, of the men and women... manufacturers, musicians, arrangers and record producers... who made the records and who made the sound of reggae available worldwide.

"An absolutely crucial survey of the origins of the Jamaican music industry replete with chapter and verse quotes from many of the pivotal movers and shakers. A wealth of new information, expertly marshalled: this is a book whose time has come."

Steve Barrow- Co-author of 'Reggae The Rough Guide'

"Noel Hawks' history of Jamaican studios and the characters involved provides an intriguing insight into the development of ska, rock steady and reggae. His lifelong love and deep knowledge of the music prove to be invaluable assets as he takes us on a journey from the primitive 'direct-to-disc' mento recordings of the Fifties through to the sophisticated roots and dub reggae of the Seventies. As both a music fan and a reggae business insider he has had access to the main players in the Jamaican music scene, and this book offers a genuine and unique insight into Kingston's studios and the producers and musicians who worked in them."

Chris Lane- Fashion Records

"Any music reference book should balance knowledge of an expert and enthusiasm of a fan in roughly equal measure. Noel Hawks' 'Jamaican Recordings' unquestionably succeeds in doing both. The wealth of facts and information that Noel has amassed in almost fifty years of researching and collecting reggae and its musical antecedents are presented here in a way that will show any reader that Noel still gets as much pleasure out of finding new classic music, not to mention acquiring new know how about it, as he and others among us did when we started our individual collector odysseys.

'Jamaican Recordings' is a fine read and a book that anybody with more than a passing interest in Jamaican recordings will need to add to their library right away."

Tony Rounce- Author & Music Historian

Format: 188 Page Hardback Book Illustrated throughout with period photos, artefacts & record labels

Notes: Title: A History Of The Jamaican Recording Industry 'The Upsetter To The Computer' From the Black Ark To Firehouse

Authors: Noel Hawks & Jah Floyd

Format: 230 Page Hardback Book Illustrated throughout with period photos, artefacts & record labels

About this book

The growth of the Jamaican recording industry

Records have played an integral part in the history of Jamaican music and the importance of making records, as opposed to making music, can never be overstated.

These are the stories, told through first-hand accounts wherever possible, of the men and women- manufacturers, musicians, singers, deejays, arrangers and record producers- who made the records and who made the sound of reggae available worldwide.

"Clearly this series is set to become the standard reference work on Jamaican music, such is its dizzying depths of research and the vast amount of oral evidence it has compiled from many years of interviews alongside critical quotes from recognised existing literature."

Steve Barker- The Wire

"In this third volume the authors skilfully weave interview material into its narrative. Among other histories, it examines the work of Lee 'Scratch' Perry, who transcended genre and became author of his own productions and, in the process, influenced the development of the major global artist Bob Marley. It examines the development of dub, the studio process that transformed the music, and in doing so exerted yet another influence on popular music on the world scale. It also examines the work of Lloyd 'King Jammy' James who utilised digital technological innovation to become a champion of sound system and record production and, thus, became the Eighties. equivalent of the earlier innovator Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd.

All this, and much more, is told by many of the protagonists who created the phenomenon of reggae as a cultural force that has travelled far beyond the confines of Jamaica."

Steve Barrow - Co-Author of "Reggae The Rough Guide"

"Noel Hawks' & Jah Floyd's third book on the history of the Jamaican recording business is another triumph. As with the first two volumes, they seamlessly weave quotes and recollections from the key players into the narrative, giving the reader a unique, and genuine, insight into the development of Jamaican music and the business of selling it. An essential read for anyone interested in ska or reggae and for all music lovers."

Chris Lane - Fashion Records

"I can confidently say, without fear of contradiction, that the final part of Noel Hawks' & Jah Floyd's trilogy is every bit as meticulously researched and mentally stimulating as the first two volumes. It may be that no history of Jamaican music can ever be totally definitive given how many of reggae's key singers, players and producers had already left Earth before anyone had the opportunity to get their takes on how it evolved. But, as of now, you will not find a more accomplished telling of the tale than that which is presented across the three volumes of 'Jamaican Recordings'... an Order of Distinction-worthy accomplishment that should henceforth become an essential component of everyone's reggae library."

Tony Rounce - Ace Records Ltd