For nearly a decade, London’s Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, have led the charge in reissuing some of the most adventurous and elusive Japanese jazz recordings through BBE Music’s acclaimed J Jazz Masterclass Series. Ahead of the highly anticipated J-Jazz Volume 5 compilation, two essential titles join the growing collection — Sachi Hayasaka & Stir Up!’s 1988 full-length Free Flight and a rare 1971 7inch from Christal Zone.

Sachi Hayasaka & Stir Up! — ‘Free Flight’
(Originally Released: 1988 / Mobys Record)
(Reissued: 2026 / BBE Music)

Marking the 20th release in the J-Jazz series, Free Flight is the stunning 1988 debut from pioneering Japanese saxophonist and composer Sachi Hayasaka and her group Stir Up! Originally issued on Teruto Soejima’s cult Mobys label, the nine-track album blends freewheeling jazz, post-bop, and hard-hitting grooves with Hayasaka’s bold and imaginative sound. This long-awaited reissue—sourced from the original master tapes—includes restored artwork, a new obi strip, and rare photos from Hayasaka’s personal archive. An absolute must-own edition to the series!

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Christal Zone — ‘Rai Rai / Kanashiyana’ 7″
(Originally Released: 1971 / Liberty)
(Reissued: 2026 / BBE Music)

Curators Tony Higgins and Mike Peden unearth another lost treasure for BBE Music’s J Jazz Masterclass Series — the 1971 promo-only 7-inch Rai Rai by the mysterious Christal Zone. Featuring Tohru Aizawa and the Morimura brothers pre-Tachibana Vol. 1, this lost treasure bridges jazz, Japanese folk, Algerian raï, and free improvisation. Written by avant-garde koto innovator Hideakira Sakurai, Rai Rai stands as one of the rarest artifacts in Japanese jazz history, now reissued with reproduced artwork and packaging. Limited to just 500 copies!

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• Japanese
• Jazz
• Reissue
• Spiritual Jazz