London’s BBE Records follows up last year’s brilliant J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan, 1969-84 compilation with a second volume featuring fourteen additional rare jazz selections out of the Far East.

Just like volume one of the landmark series, volume two was co-compiled by highly notable Japanese jazz vinyl collectors Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, choosing selections from their own personal collections. Focusing on a similar expansive timeframe of the late sixties to mid-eighties, the compilation touches upon a wide range of styles, ranging from spiritual jazz to post-bop burners, electric fusion-era groovers, and cinematic big band recordings. J Jazz 2 features a number of obscure tracks that even the deepest Japanese jazz collectors aren’t aware of. From Makoto Terashita and Harold Land’s modal “Dragon Dance,” to Electro Keyboard Orchestra’s jazz-funk rendition of “Mother of the Future”, there is something here for all jazz fans, regardless of era.

Overall, Higgins, Peden, and the BBE label have successfully put together another well-crafted compilation, shedding light on some of the deepest Japanese jazz cuts from the past century.

Various — ‘J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan 1969-83 Vol. 2’
(BBE Records)

1. Makoto Terashita meets Harold Land – Dragon Dance
2. Nobuo Hara and His Sharps & Flats Orchestra – Little Giant
3. Mabumi Yamaguchi Quartet – Distant Thunder
4. Hideto Sasaki- Toshiyuki Sekine Quartet +1 – Stop Over
5. Miyasaka + 5 – Animal’s Garden
6. Electro Keyboard Orchestra – Mother Of The Future
7. Hiroshi Matsumoto and Hideo Ishikawa Quartet – Serenade To A
8. Dimly Lit Street George Kawaguchi Big Four – Vietnam
9. Kohsuke Mine Quintet – Daguri
10. Makoto Terashita – Dai Hosaku (Great Harvest)
11. Teru Sakamoto Trio plus One – Teru-Teru Bozu (Black Keys)
12. Takashi Miyasaka Quintet – Straight Road
13. Toshiyuki Miyama & The New Herd With Masahiko Sato – Fallout
14. Akira Miyazawa – Brown Trout 

BUY RECORD

• Compilation
• Jazz
• Spiritual Jazz