Needle Time

  Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media - Jazz & Rock "Out" [HMJY-184 JPN 2023 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] I have featured the works of Japanese jazz saxophonist Jiro Inagaki and his funky big-band soul-jazz ensemble, Soul Media, a few times over the years - here is the recent repress of his fantastic live album Jazz & Rock Out from the Columbia Japan Project Re:Vinyl Series. Recorded live onstage at the Hibiya Amphitheater, Tokyo on July 21st 1970, this album has been mixed without crowd noises direct from the mixing desk feeds and it sounds bloody amazing. This sound of this record is testimony to the musicianship of Inagaki's eight piece ensemble who are also joined by the great Ryo Kawasaki on guitar solos. It is also testimony to the skills of the recording engineers who captured this performance. Play loud and enjoy! A1 The Ground Of Peace A2 Yip-pie A3 Pure Heart Guy A4 Free Rock B1 Freedom Jazz Dance B2 Oh Happy Day B3 Spinning Wheel B4 You've Made M...

  Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media - Funky Stuff [HMJY-102 JPN 2020 24-Bit 88.2kHz FLAC] This is a re-post of a rip first posted here in the Spring of 2021. Time now for some rare Japanese funk/jazz/groove courtesy of top Nippon combo Soul Media, comprising Jiro Inagaki on sax, Akira Okazawa on bass, Hiroshi Yasukawa on guitar, Hajime Ishimatsu on drums and Hiromasa Suzuki on keyboards. Funky Stuff was originally released on Nippon Columbia in 1975 ...and expect to hear exactly what it says in large letters on the cover, plus of course the immaculate Kool & The Gang cover version from which the record borrows a title. Scratch was another cover version, this time of a Herbie Mann track from 1966. This album was named in Discogs top 10 most collectable rereleases of 2020, going out of print very quickly around the world - of course, I had already snapped up a copy. Modern day listeners will notice the higher than normal amount of familiar pieces sampled by rappers and DJs since th...

  Jiro Inagaki & His Soul Media - In The Groove [HMJY-158 JPN 2022 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Having sat in the Columbia Japan archives since it's original release in 1973, In The Groove by Jiro Inagaki & His Soul Media is a much sought after platter of high quality funky Japanese jazz. Finally repressed from the original master tape earlier this year as part of HMV Japan's Project Re-Vinyl series, this album has finally re-emerged to great applaud worldwide. Original pressings are almost impossible to find, so you'll still have to part with a considerable wad for this new press. Thankfully Juno Records in the UK were selling a few for about the same price as a Tone Poet.  I have often praised the exceptional musicianship of Japanese musicians from this period and this record is easily one of the very best. The quality of production, mastering, packaging and pressing make In The Groove make this a must-have for all collectors of the genre. To say that this was a joy t...

  J. Inagaki & His Soul Media w/Y. Sawada - Dosojin 道祖神 やぶにらみ民謡考 [HMJY-144 RPN RSD2021 24-Bit FLAC] If you have been following my rips of classic Japanese album re-releases, you will have no doubt enjoyed Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media's superb Funky Stuff .  This album, originally released back in 1972 is very different ....but just as classy. Whereas Funky Stuff hit a solid funk groove, Dosojin takes its lead from early seventies progressive psychedelic rock blended into Japanese minyo with elements of deep & spiritual jazz. Superbly pressed and immaculately packaged, HMV Japan have reproduced this very rare record to the highest of standards. I know a good many of you like to hear something unusual that you've never heard before, this is just for you. After all, I could use my time to produce multiple rips of the same albums which we should already own in multiple formats. A1  いなのめ A2 きぎし A3 すそみ A4 くさかひ A5   ありそべ B1 たぶて B2   ささら B...

  Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media - Funky Stuff [HMJY-102 JPN 2020 24-Bit FLAC] Time now for some rare Japanese funk/jazz/groove courtesy of top Nippon combo Soul Media, comprising Jiro Inagaki on sax, Akira Okazawa on bass, Hiroshi Yasukawa on guitar, Hajime Ishimatsu on drums and Hiromasa Suzuki on keyboards. Funky Stuff was originally released on Nippon Columbia in 1975 ...and expect to hear exactly what it says in large letters on the cover, plus of course the immaculate Kool & The Gang cover version from which the record borrows a title. Scratch was another cover version, this time of a Herbie Mann track from 1966. This album was named in Discogs top 10 most collectable rereleases of 2020, going out of print very quickly around the world - of course, I had already snapped up a copy. Modern day listeners will notice the higher than normal amount of familiar pieces sampled by rappers and DJs since the eighties. This record oozes cool, every home should ha...