[Hajime Sato]

Hi all,

Another week has passed, and I've been working hard to upload the six recent arrivals: a collection of great piano trio albums from Atelier Sawano! They are ALL highly recommended!

Tonu Naissoo Trio / You Stepped out of a Dream
Estonia may not be the most obvious place to look for a great jazz pianist, but Atelier Sawano found a truly exceptional one in that Baltic state! This also happens to be one of the greatest-sounding piano trio CDs ever, and I'm not the only one who thinks so: It won the Jazz Critique Magazine's 2006 Best Sounding Jazz Disc Award! A pure delight for both music fans and audiophiles! [Rec. 2005]

Tonu Naissoo Trio / With a Song in My Heart
After listening to You Stepped out of the Dream, I had to check out this earlier work of Tonu Naissoo, and found it just as satisfying. Another great sounding CD, and this one features five Richard Rodgers' songs! [Rec. 2003]

Robert Lakatos Trio / So In Love
Another "find" by Atelier Sawano hails from Hungary. Classically trained and full of modern sensibilities, Robert Lakatos also knows how to swing and burns with intensity. A strong debut album with richly textured, organic sound! [Rec. 2004]

Robert Lakatos Trio / Never Let Me Go
The Hungarian's brand new album for Sawano finds him in a more reflective mode. Recorded in Zurich, this is another sonic triumph for Atelier Sawano, even by its lofty standards. Definately a contender for the Best Sounding Jazz Disc Award for 2007! [Rec. 2006]

Joe Chindamo / Anyone Who Had a Heart
Another piano gem from Australia! Those of you who have heard Joe Chindamo's Paul Simon tribute America! (AS-047) know that he is a wonderful pianist with a modern perspective and tremendous arrangement skills. In this older album, Chindamo did an entire album dedicated to the music of Burt Bacharach! [Rec. 1996]

Rene Urtreger / Trio Live
A veteran French pianist who toured with Lester Young and recorded with Miles Davis (Ascenseur pour L'echafaud) is very much alive and kicking in this energetic live album. A hard-core bebop musician who was immensely influenced by Bud Powell and Charlie Parker, Urtreger definately did not get "mellow" with age! [Rec. 2005]

As usual, you can click the links above to check out the details and listen to sample audio files.

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Hi all,

I've always been fascinated by the fact that Japan has such a deep market for jazz reissue CD. When I go to a Japanese CD store -- by the way, Tower Record is still alive and well in Japan, thanks to the management buyout a few years ago which separated the Japanese entity from the American corporation that went under -- I can always find reissue CDs of great albums from the golden age of jazz that somehow are absent in the US market.

Examples can already be found in the catalog of Eastwind Import, such as the great Anita O'Day Verve collection and albums by underrated singers like Beverly Kenney and Sue Raney.

Now, I was busy last week uploading 14 newly arrived reissue CDs. They are all great, high quality albums that deserve attention of serious jazz fans and collectors. If you are a member of the CD generation, you might be hearing them for the first time. If you belong to the vinyl generation you might own them as LPs but not in the convenient CD format.

In either case, I believe you'll get tremendous enjoyment out of these CDs that I picked personally based on the (un)availability in the US market and artistic value. If you are interested, please click the links below for album details and sample audio files. In addition to wonderful new recordings coming out of Japan, I'll continue to bring these equally valuable classic gems to Eastwind Import so that they are more easily accessible to jazz fans around the world!

Clifford Jordan / In the World
First time ever on CD! An emotionally powerful, self-produced album by the tenor titan with Don Cherry, Kenny Dorham, Wynton Kelly, Wilber Ware, Richard Davis and Roy Haynes! [Rec. 1969]

Toshiko Akiyoshi / The Many Sides of Toshiko
The first Japanese jazz musician ever to study at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Akiyoshi recorded this early trio album for Norman Granz with Gene Cherico and Jake Hanna. [Rec. 1957]

Ray Bryant Plays
One of my favorite pianists plays a jazz composer's songbook with his soulful, funky flavor. [Rec. 1959]

Jim Hall / Jazz Guitar
The first leader album by the constantly evolving guitarist shows his straight ahead, swinging jazz roots. [Rec. 1957]

Sonny Criss / Jazz-U.S.A.
The one-and-only alto player brings his emotion and intensity to the hard bop session with Kenny Drew and Barney Kessel. [Rec. 1956]

Bud Shank Quartets
A quintessential West Coast jazz album with Shorty Rogers and Bill Perkins. Sidemen include Jimmy Rowles, Hampton Hawes, Red Mitchel and Mel Lewis. [Rec. 1954]

Sonny Stitt / Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones
The brilliant and confident alto player shines in front of an all-star big band led by one of the most talented arrangers of the time. [Rec. 1955]

Milt Jackson / Bags' Opus
Milt Jackson, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers, Connie Kay. Enough said. [Rec. 1958]

Chico Hamilton Quitet in Hi-Fi
One of the experimental but fresh and effective "chamber jazz" albums by the original Chico Hamilton Quintet with Buddy Collette and Jim Hall. [Rec. 1955-56]

Sonny Stitt Plays
One of Stitt's definitive works features the wonderful trio of Hank Jones, Wendell Marshall, Shadow Wilson. Guitarist Freddie Green joins on four tunes. [Rec. 1956]

Zoot Sims & Al Cohn / Jazz Alive! A Night at the Half Note
A hot live album by the great two-tenor team. Phil Woods joins them in two tunes to make it even hotter! [Rec. 1959]

Sonny Stitt with the New Yorkers
Another great one-horn album by Stitt with the same Hank Jones Trio, this time without Freddie Green. [Rec. 1957]

Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter
A strong Porter soongbook by the bluesy alto player. Features Larry Bunker on vibraphone and Sonny Clark on piano. [Rec. 1956]

Kenny Drew Quartet / Talkin' and Walkin'
The amazing East Coast bop pianist recorded this great album during his West Coast days. Listen to the sublime "walkin'" by the master bassist Leroy Vinnegar!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Hi All,

This week I'd like to draw your attention to four notable Japanese jazz musicians whose CDs I've just uploaded to Eastwind Import website. As usual, you can click the links below for more details and sample audio files.

Naoko Terai / Thinking of You
Naoko Terai / Live
How many jazz violinists do you know? Chances are, you can count them with one hand -- great ones, anyway. Now I think you should put the beautiful Naoko Terai on that list. She doesn't sound like any other jazz violinists, because instead of listening to Stephane Grappelli and Ray Nance, for example, she listened to Charlie Parker, Bill Evans and Miles Davis in her formative years and thought, "How can I play violin like that?" I have two of her CDs: the debut album Thinking of You [Rec.1998] and an exciting Live album with Lee Ritenour and other top LA musicians [Rec. 2000].

Sadao Watanabe / My Dear Life - 50th Anniversary Collection
Arguably the most well-known and beloved Japanese jazz/fusion musician in the world, alto saxophonist Sadao Watanabe celebrated his 50th year as a professional jazz musician in 2001, and released this very special 2-CD compilation of his best recorded tracks across many different labels. If you are a fan of Sadao, you've got to own these very special CDs. If you don't know him yet, this is a great place to start. [Rec. 1978-2001]

Makoto Ozone Trio / First Decade
Here's another special compilation celebrating an important milestone of an important artist. Ozone (pronounced as "oh-zoh-nay") is a piano virtuoso and a wonderful composer/arranger (he graduated the Berklee School of Music's composition department with top honors) who led the same trio for 10 years! This compilation represents the best of "The Trio" with James Genus on bass and Clarence Penn on drums. Guest musicians include the late Michael Brecker and Branford Marsalis. [Rec. 2000-2006]

Chihiro Yamanaka / Lach Doch Mal
Fiercely creative, New York-based pianist and composer, Chihiro Yamanaka is very popular in Japan, and all her CDs have climbed to the top of jazz charts without fail. She made this particularly strong trio album, the title of which means "Just Laugh" in German, with a superb rhythm section: Larry Grenadier and Jeff Ballard (of the Brad Mehldau Trio). This is an exciting, cutting-edge piano trio album. [Rec. 2006]

Coming soon to Eastwind Import…
Helen Merrill & Stan Getz / Just Friends
Enrico Pieranunzi Trio / The Night Gone By
Enrico Pieranunzi Trio / The Chant of Time

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Hi all,

I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of summer and having a wonderful weekend. This week I'd like to draw your attention to three great additions to the catalog of Eastwind Import. As usual, they are all my personal favorites. If you are interested, please click the links below for details and sample audio files.

Helen Merrill featuring Stan Getz / Just Friends
I'm a big fan of Helen Merrill and HUGE admirer of Stan Getz, so you can probably imagine how excited I was when this CD came out in 1991. This is a meeting of two great voices in jazz: two voices so distinct that they are instantly recognizable; two voices that took a lifetime to achieve and perfect.

Enrico Pieranunzi Trio / The Night Gone By
Enrico Pieranunzi Trio / The Chant of Time
Among the numerous European pianists who are influenced and inspired by Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, the Italian Enrico Pieranunzi is a cut above in terms of virtuosity and creativity. In these two albums recorded in 1996 and 1997, respectively, the American rhythm section anchored by bassist Marc Johnson and propelled by either Paul Motian or Joey Baron provides dynamic, organic and swinging support and pushes Pieranunzi to new heights.

Coming Soon...
Wonderful yet hard-to-find CDs from BluePort Jazz, produced and engineered by my friend, audio guru, prolific writer and professor, Dr. Jim Merod!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Hi all,

I hope you are all enjoying the summer. And for those who live in the United States, happy 4th of July!

Today I'd like to introduce a wonderful independent jazz label, BluePort Jazz. I sell CDs and SACDs from Japan in my store, and BluePort is the second "exception" to this rule after the Straight Ahead Records. BluePort is truly exceptional because it was founded by my friend, prolific writer, educator, audio guru and recording engineer Jim Merod.

Typically, Jim records "live" on location and mixes everything "live to 2-track" in a high resolution digital format (24-bit, 96kHz). Top-notch equipment is used in the mastering, and his partner Steve McCormack -- yes, of The Mod Squad and McCormack Audio fame -- lends his hands and ears. The result for the listener is an honest and vivid facsimile of a live event that may contain some flaws -- in Jim's words "warts and all" -- but is invariably exciting and often stunning.

You may not be familiar with all the musicians in the BluePort catalog, but they are well-known local heroes to jazz fans on the West Coast. I am very proud to provide another outlet for this wonderful little label whose CDs are sometimes hard to find. Check out the introductory nine titles below and if you like what you hear, by all means order away!

Various Artists / BluePort Jazz Sampler
This is a great place to start if you want to get to know BluePort. This sampler contains nine cuts selected from eight albums and a couple of unreleased materials.

Allen Smith Quartet / Cornucopia
A veteran trumpeter well-known in San Francisco made his debut album as a leader in 1998. Warm, sophisticated and swinging!

Steve Situm / Live at the Plush Room
A moving comeback stage of a San Francisco singer who after 25 years recovered from a damaged vocal cords.

Chris Colangelo / 2 Trios + 1 Live!
A stunning maestro's powerful and resonant bass sound is perfectly captured in this swinging set. One of my personal favorites!

Dale Fielder Quartet / Romance Serenade
Active in the San Diego area, Fielder wields different saxophones effectively and shows his compositional skills in this alternately romantic and swinging outing.

Jaime Valle / Vital Signs
After an open heart surgery, the San Diegan guitarist came back with a vengeance! Joyful and exuberant, this Latin jazz album will surely light up your day!

Carl Saunders Sextet / Live in San Francisco
The brilliant LA trumpeter descended on the famed Union Square on a windy day, and performed a lyrical and impressive set filled with well-arranged, well-executed gems. One of my personal favorites!

Noel Jewkes Quartet / If and When the Stars...
Another great musician from San Francisco, Jewkes hits all the right notes on fast, swinging numbers and gives exemplary ballad performances. His "Body and Soul" is amazing!

John Hicks Trio / Sunshower
The consummate pianist, who passed away in 2006, left this beautiful and romantic album with his West Coast trio. Careful listeners will be rewarded with his understated, quietly brilliant pianism.

Coming soon...

• Latest Venus CDs featuring Ken Peplowski, Scott Hamilton, David Hazeltine, Steve Kuhn, Stefano Bollani and Giovanni Guidi!
• A new release from Straight Ahead Records: Niel Larsen's "Orbit" featuring Roben Ford! Audiophile "Emerald" CD!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

An announcement for those who live in Southern California:

On Sunday, July 22, I'll bring my entire inventory to the monthly meeting of the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society at Holiday Inn, Buena Park.

I'll even bring all the CDs that I have at hand but haven't had the time to upload to the website. For fans of classical music, I'll also bring a special batch of great-sounding XRCDs. If you live in the area, don't miss this opportunity to buy direct and save on shipping costs!

I'll accept cash and personal checks only. Sorry, no credit cards. For more info on the meeting, go to the website of the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society.

Sierra Ballroom, Holiday Inn, Buena Park, CA
Sunday, July 22, 1-4PM

See you there!

[Hajime Sato]

Hi All,

Eastwind Import is proud to present nine new arrivals from Venus Records. As usual, you can read the detailed descriptions and listen to sample audio files by clicking the links below.

Ken Peplowski Quartet / Memories of You - 2CD Special Edition
Clarinetist and tenor saxophonist Ken Peplowski made a smash hit in 2006. To celebrate its 15th anniversary, Venus re-released this collection of romantic ballads and standards as a 2-CD "Complete" edition with three additional tracks. Swing Journal's Best Engineered Album 2006 and Jazz Critique Magazine's 10 Best Sounding Jazz Discs of 2006 (third place).

Eddie Higgins Quintet featuring Scott Hamilton and Ken Peplowski / It's Magic - 2CD Special Edition
Another 2-CD "Complete" edition, this album is a collection of relaxed conversations among veteran musicians. Unhurried and ever tasteful, Hamilton and Peplowski perform their lyrical best in front of the beautiful background provided by Higgins and co.

Steve Kuhn Trio / Plays Standards
Veteran pianist Steve Kuhn, who was 68 at the time of this recording, seems to be more energized and invigorated with age, augmenting his intellectual approach and lyricism with a stronger sense of swing and drive. A powerful piano trio album!

David Hazeltine Trio / Alfie
The prolific pianist's latest offering is a Burt Bacharach songbook. Hazeltine shows off his impressive arranging skills and effectively reimagines such Bacharach classics as "The Look of Love," "Walk on by," "This Guy is in Love," "Alfie" and "Close to You."

Stefano Bollani Trio / I'm in the Mood for Love
The Italian genius on piano, Stefano Bollani returned to Venus Records with another strong album. Bollani tackles the familiar American Songbook with a fresh perspective, amazing agility and infinite imagination. Put on your seatbelt and enjoy the ride!

Simone / Taking a Chance on Love
An Austrian singer in her twenties, Simone (she goes by her first name only) has a clear, charming voice and assured delivery. She is surrounded by wonderful musicians in this nicely recorded, enjoyable album.

Dan Nimmer Trio / Kelly Blue - Tribute to Wynton Kelly
A young pianist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dan Nimmer is definitely one to watch. In this tribute album, Jimmy Cobb, who played with Wynton Kelly in the historic "Kind of Blue" session, validates Nimmer's efforts with his personal history and impeccable groove. A wonderful, swinging album!

Ted Rosenthal Trio / The King and I
A rare attempt by a jazz musician to make an album entirely dedicated to the songs from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. Rosenthal, the winner of the Second Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition, succeeds brilliantly with the support from the golden rhythm section of George Mraz and Lewis Nash.

Giovanni Guidi Trio / Tomorrow Never Knows
An Italian pianist who belongs to a new generation, the 21-years-old Giovanni Guidi made a stunning debut with this strong album. With an eclectic selection of songs (written by Krzysztof Komeda, Ornette Coleman, Bjork, Brian Eno, Lennon & McCartney, Enrico Rava, Radiohead and Hampton Hawes), the young group shows their modern creativity as well as an appreciation of jazz traditions.

Coming soon...

• Scandinavian singers: Inger Marie Gundersen, Margareta Bengtson and The Real Group!
• From Marshmallow Records: Brand-new releases by Jan Lundgren, Carsten Dahl and Gene DiNovi in August! Plus older recordings by Duke Jordan, DiNovi and Olivier Antunes!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Hi All,

I'd like to share with you the news of exciting, new arrivals at Eastwind Import. As usual, you can read the detailed descriptions and listen to sample audio files by clicking the links below.

Inger Marie Gundersen / By Myself
Norwegian singer Inger Marie Gundersen is causing a sensation in Japan. Her jazzy treatment of popular songs reminds me of Norah Jones, but her 20-year experience gives her more maturity and depth, and her album is jazzier and has a darker tone overall. A great-sounding acoustic vocal CD. If you like Norah Jones, you'll LOVE it!

Margareta Bengtson / I'm Old Fashioned
Swedish singer Margareta Bengtson has a beautiful soprano voice. She was a founding member of the famous Swedish vocal outfit The Real Group for more than 20 years, and this is her solo debut CD. Captivating!

The Real Group / Commonly Unique
There are many a cappella groups that do a lot of "instrumental sounds" by voice, but this Swedish group is something else! You listen to it many times and still can't believe no instruments were used in the recording. It's more pops than jazz, but this is amazing, wonderful and uplifting music. Prepare to be blown away!

Junko Moriya Sextet / Playground
Junko Moriya is a talented pianist and composer who works in New York. She won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Composers Competition in 2005 for the composition of the title track. The all-star sextet includes Chris Potter and Ryan Kisor. This, and the preceding two CDs were released by an eclectic Japanese label called "Spice of Life." Expect to see more from this label.

Harry Allen - Scott Hamilton New York Sextet / Swing Brothers
A wonderful, two-tenor unit that reminds me of the Al Cohn - Zoot Sims group. Supported by the top-notch New York swingers such as John Bunch and Bucky Pizzarelli, the two masters swing their butts off in this relaxed, friendly competition.

NY4 / Sweet and Lovely
This group with the anonymous moniker consists of the New York Swing trio (John Bunch, Bucky Pizzarelli and Jay Leonhart) and cornetist Warren Vache. With decades of experience behind them, the four master musicians present the truth, the essence, and the elegance of swing. Lovely music, beautifully recorded. These two modern swing CDs are brought to you by a Japanese independent label called “SwingBros.” We already have Mitsuaki Kishi’s Swingin’ Always on our catalog, and plan to bring more CDs from this great little label.

Coming soon...

• A new release from Straight Ahead Records: Niel Larsen's "Orbit" featuring Roben Ford! Audiophile "Emerald" CD!
• From Marshmallow Records: Brand-new releases by Jan Lundgren, Carsten Dahl and Gene DiNovi in August! Plus older recordings by Duke Jordan, DiNovi and Olivier Antunes!
• Hybrid SACDs from Eighty-Eights: Hank Jones and his Great Jazz Trio, young talent Austin Peralta, and a special collection of Michael Brecker's recordings with Will & Rainbow!

Happy listening to you all! 

[Hajime Sato]

A reminder for those who live in Southern California

On Sunday, July 22, I'll bring my entire inventory to the monthly meeting of the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society at Holiday Inn in Buena Park.

I'll bring a whole new series of classical JVC XRCD24s, the new XRCD24 version of Sara K's Hell or High Water, the 3-SACD box sets of Jazz at the Pawnshop 30th Anniversary limited numbered edition, and many other new arrivals that are not yet on the website.

If you live in the area, don't miss this opportunity to buy direct and save on shipping costs! Please bring cash and/or your checkbook as I cannot accept credit cards. For more info on the meeting, please go to the website of the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society. It's this Sunday! I hope to see many of you there!

This Sunday, July 22, 1-4pm
Holiday Inn Buena Park, Sierra Ballroom
7000 Beach Blvd
Buena Park, CA 90620

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

We now have four outstanding hybrid SACDs from a new Japanese label called Eighty-Eight's. The label's founder Yasohachi Itoh is a legendary producer who has produced more than 350 albums throughout his career at Nippon Phonogram (currenlty Universal Music), CBS/SONY and his own East Wind label. His nickname "Eighty-Eight" comes from his given name which literally means eighty-eight, the number of keys in a piano!

For his own label, Mr. 88 produces what he wants to hear, which is first-rate jazz and fusion, and he uses only the best engineers and best studios in the world to obtain the best sound. As he is a firm believer of SACD (he was directly involved in its development at Sony), he records all his new albums in pure DSD format and releases them in hybrid SACDs. As an introduction of this wonderful label, we've chosen four stellar hybrid SACDs.

Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio featuring Sadao Watanabe / Stella by Starlight
Recorded in 2006 in Tokyo, this wonderful album marks a 30-year reunion between Jones and Watanabe, who recorded an album together in 1976. At that time, the original Great Jazz Trio consisted of Jones, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. The current generation of the GJT are anchored by younger but great musicians: John Patitucci and Omar Hakim. The trio itself is marvelous, and Watanabe's guest appearance on four tunes make this a truly special album.

Austin Peralta / Maiden Voyage
A true prodigy, Austin Peralta was just 14 years old when he recorded this debut album with Ron Carter on bass and Billy Kilson on drums. This is an awesome and very strong piano trio album, and I was totally blown away. He is definitely a new talent to watch, alongside other young, talented pianists such as Eldar Djangirov, Taylor Eigsti and Hiromi Uehara!

Austin Peralta / Mantra
A year later, at age 15, Peralta went back to the studio to record his second album. This time he had Marcus Strickland on sax and Steve Nelson on vibes to augment his trio and expand his palette. A stylistic disciple of McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock, he brings the so-called "new mainstream" sensibility into the new century with his very strong four originals.

Will & Rainbow / A Song for You (In Memory of Michael Brecker)
If you are a fan of Michael Brecker who sadly passed away earlier this year, take note. This is a special tribute for the tenor titan: a compilation of Brecker's collaborations with pianist/keyboardist Will Boulware in the span of almost 30 years. Two tunes are taken from the 1976 album Crystal Green where the two principal musicians were supported by the then-newly formed group called Stuff. Other tunes are taken from their reunion albums recorded in 2002 and 2003, with supporting cast that includes Anthony Jackson, Will Lee and Peter Bernstein.

As always, you can click the links above for album details and sample audio files. Hybrid SACDs can be played on any regular CD player, as well as dedicated SACD players.

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Neil Larsen / Orbit
A highly anticipated new release from Straight Ahead Records! Keyboardist Neil Larsen formed a super group to play his original compositions: Robben Ford (guitar), Tom Brechtlein (drums), Jimmy Haslip (bass), Gary Meek (sax) and Lee Thornburt (trumpet). The music is classic fusion in the best sense of the phrase: an intelligent mixture of jazz and rock music. Their great performance was captured live-to-two-track, mastered by Bernie Grundman himself, and comes in audiophile "emerald green" CDs!

Eric Reed Trio / Blue Trane
I'm introducing a new label called M&I to Eastwind Import. It used to be the distributor of Marshmallow Records, and this Japanese label has an interesting catalog. One of their recent standouts is NY pianist Eric Reed's trio album with Ron Carter and Al Foster. A strong, swinging album that was nicely recorded.

Satomi Kawakami / Tiara
Yet another, young and talented Japanese female pianist! Kawakami has a beautiful tone and the ability to make the piano really sing. She also composed eight of the ten songs included in this beautiful debut album. Another great-sounding CD with beautiful piano and strong bass.

Al Haig / Blue Manhattan
Bebop pianist Al Haig is arguably one of those American jazz musicians who are more adored in Japan than in his own country. Japanese producer Toshiya Taenaka's Interplay label recorded this strong trio date with Reggie Johnson (bass) and Frank Gant (drums) in 1980. A rare but highly sought-after CD: a must-have for fans of Al Haig!

If you are interested, click the links above for more details and sample sound files!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

I have a few announcements:

First, Eastwind Import will be closed from noon of August 9 (this Thursday) until noon of August 11 (Saturday). The "Add to Cart" buttons will magically disappear so you won't be able to place an order during this time. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Second, Eastwind Import will have another special sale event on Sunday, August 19 (1-4PM) at the monthly meeting of the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society, to be held at Holiday Inn in Buena Park, California. If you live in Southern California, please stop by! This is a "headphone" event and there will be many headphone stations. I will bring sample CDs of my merchandise so you'll be able to listen to them really well before you buy! As before, I cannot accept credit cards so please bring extra cash or a checkbook.

Third, I will also be at hand to sell some CDs at the 13th Annual West Coast Jazz Party to be held at Irvine Marriott during the Labor Day weekend. Specifically, I'll be there on August 31, September 1 and 2. This is a great "straight ahead" jazz event where you can hear many, many first-rate artists at one place!

Hope to see many of you at these events.
Happy listening!

[Hajime Sato]

Dear friends and music lovers,

For those of you who came to our special sale event at the August meeting of the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society, thank you very much! It was a great success, and more importantly, it was a real pleasure meeting and talking with you all. I'd like to thank Bob Levi and everyone at the Audio Society who gave us this wonderful opportunity.

During the Labor Day weekend, Eastwind Import will be once again on the road to sell CDs at the 13th Annual West Coast Jazz Party, one of the best straight-ahead jazz festivals in California. We will be at the Irvine Marriott from Friday, August 31 through Sunday, September 2. If you live in the area and love jazz, come and see wonderful musicians including James Moody, Terry Gibbs, Ken Peplowski, Butch Miles, Jeremy Pelt, Scott Hamilton, Harry Allen and many, many more!

Now, to the music.

Eastwind Import is proud to present the latest album by the "poet of jazz piano," Gene DiNovi. As some of you already know, Mr. DiNovi has had a long and successful association with the Japanese independent label Marshmallow Records.


Gene DiNovi / All Through the Night

His latest, All Through the Night, was recorded live on stage (without audience) in November 2006 during his sixth tour of Japan. On this album, he is accompanied by Canadian bassist Neil Swainso and a young Japanese drummer Kazuaki Yokoyama who was only 21 years old at the time of the recording.

Filled with his inimitable taste, elegance and joyful sense of swing, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, charming piano trio album!

To celebrate the release of this new CD, Eastwind Import is now offering three earlier CDs of Mr. DiNovi released by Marshmallow Records. Each of them, in my opinion, is a classic.

Gene DiNovi / Precious Moment
One of the earliest collaborations between DiNovi and Mitsuo Johfu of Marshmallow Records. Recorded in 1990 in Japan with a Japanese rhythm section.

Gene DiNovi / How Beautiful Is Night
Recorded in 1991 in Canada with the superb Don Thompson on bass and Memo Acevedo on drums. A masterpiece with magical performances and great sound.

Gene DiNovi / Remembrance
A sister album of How Beautiful Is Night, which consists of relatively sunny, cheerful tunes recorded at the same sessions. Simply wonderful.

Do not forget that we also have other wonderful Marshmallow CDs by Mr. DiNovi:
Golden Earrings
At Red Brick Warehouse - Live in Yokohama
Flower of the Night
So in Love

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Hi all,

I've been busy putting up newly arrived CDs , XRCDs and SACDs to the Eastwind Import website. If you are interested in any of the selections below, please click the link for more information and sample audio files.

Two new releases by Japanese artists

Lisa Ono / Soul & Bossa
Japanese bossa nova singer Lisa Ono's latest CD is a collection of soul music. With her inimitable treatment, the classic soul hit songs are transformed with the laid-back, lilting rhythms of the bossa nova. Ono's gentle, warm voice is as attractive as ever!

Toshiko Akiyoshi & Lew Tabackin Super Quartet / 50th Anniversary Concert
To celebrate her 50th anniversary of her musical career in the United States, legendary pianist/composer Toshiko Akiyoshi toured Japan in 2006 with Lew Tabackin, George Mraz and Lewis Nash. The inspired live performance was captured with superb sound quality.

Four Swedish jazz CDs from the Spice of Life label

Sliding Hammers / A Beautiful Friendship
The whimsically named group consists of Karin and Mimmi Hammer, sisters who are very, very good at playing the trombone. Honoring the legendary trombone duo Jay and Kai, they put together a very enjoyable program to showcase their talent. The pianist Mathias Algotsson also shines with his playing and compositions.

Putte Wickman & Jan Lundgren / We Will Always Be Together
Putte Wickman, who passed away in February 2006, was a consummate and popular clarinet player in Sweden. Backed by fellow Swede Jan Lundgren and his superb Scandinavian Trio, Wickman's warm, woody clarinet sound is soulful and captivating.

In the Spirit of Oscar / Cakewalk
"In the Spirit of Oscar" is a hot new band formed by Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius to celebrate Oscar Peterson's musical spirit. If anyone can pull it off, it is Wakenius, who has been the member of Peterson's quartet for more than 10 years. A swinging, fun album that makes you want to get up and dance!

Lars Jansson Trio / Hope
Lars Jansson is a talented Swedish pianist who is hugely popular in Japan. This album, recorded in 1999, is considered by many to be one of his best. The trio's performance is lyrical, beautiful, swinging, and passionate.

Great-sounding XRCD

Sara K. / Hell or High Water [XRCD24]
Texas-born singer/songwriter Sara K's latest CD is released in great-sounding XRCD by a German label Stockfisch Records. Interesting mixture of folk, blues, country and jazz, Sara K.'s music is very strong. With astonishingly excellent sound quality, this CD is a treasure for audiophiles. (XRCD plays on any regular CD player.)

Five Hybrid SACD reissues of Japanese jazz albums from Sony Music

Sadao Watanabe / Paysages [Hybrid SACD]
This important album by the alto saxophonist/flutist was recorded in 1971 with Gary Peacock, Masabumi Kikuchi and Masahiko Togashi. The cohesive band shows an inclination for the "free jazz" approach to Watanabe's pastoral writing.

Terumasa Hino / Trans-Blue [Hybrid SACD]
Cornetist Hino's brilliant "with strings" album was recorded in the late 1984 and early 1985. An all-star quintet (with Kenny Kirkland, Eddie, Gomez, Jim Hall and Grady Tate) is combined skillfully with beautiful strings arranged by Masahiko Satoh.

Yoshiaki Masuo / Winds of Barcelona [Hybrid SACD]
Guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo was only 22 years old when he recorded this, his first leader album in 1969. He was a member of Sadao Watanabe's celebrated group, and his fresh, new kind of jazz -- inspired by Wes Montgomery and sometimes referred to as "pop jazz" -- was immensely popular at the time.

Kimiko Kasai / What's New [Hybrid SACD]
Kimiko Kasai was one of the most popular jazz vocalists in Japan when she recorded this (her sixth) album in 1973. In an intimate setting, groovy and soulful Kasai was accompanied by a tasteful piano trio led by Masahiro Kikuchi.

Marlene / Just Like First Love [Hybrid SACD]
Born in the Philippines, Marlene Pena Lim went to Japan with a dream of becoming a jazz singer when she was just 19. Her debut album from CBS/Sony, recorded in 1981, is a collection of contemporary hit songs. With a tight, fusion-style band, strings and horn sections backing Marlene, this album became a big hit and catapulted her to stardom overnight.

Coming soon…

• From Marshmallow Records: Brand-new releases by Jan Lundgren and Carsten Dahl! Plus older recordings by Duke Jordan and one from a promising young pianist, Olivier Antunes!
• New arrivals from Venus Records, Blueport Jazz and more XRCDs!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Latest News from Eastwind Import:

During this Labor Day weekend, Eastwind Import will be at the 13th Annual West Coast Jazz Party, one of the best straight-ahead jazz festivals in California. Come to Irvine Marriott from Friday, August 31 through Sunday, September 2 to buy direct. Or better yet, come to see more than 70 wonderful jazz musicians perform in an intimate mini-festival setting! When you do, please bring some extra cash or personal checks because we won’t be able to accept credit cards.

More News:
Recent reviews of CDs available at Eastwind Import: You can read them online!

• Verve 60th Anniversay Supreme Sound Edition hybrid SACDs reviewed by Danny Kaey
• Yoshio Suzuki's For You and Jesse van Ruller's Live at Murphy's Law reviewed by Jim Merod
• Al Haig's Blue Manhattan and Gene DiNovi's All Through the Night reviewed by Doug Ramsey

Now, to the music:

Five new arrivals from Marshmallow Records, including brand-new releases by Jan Lundgren and Carsten Dahl!

Jan Lundgren / A Swinging Rendezvous
The highly anticipated new Marshmallow release by Jan Lundgren is finally here, and it is an instant classic! With his Scandinavian rhythm section (Jesper Lundgaard on bass and Alex Riel on drums), Lundgren tackles a jazz composer's songbook. Really swinging. Really cool.

Carsten Dahl Trio / Bebopish Rubbish Rabbit
Danish pianist Carsten Dahl's latest release from Marshmallow is another smash hit! The keyword is "bebop." Dahl approaches each tune with fierce concentration and a sense of humor.

Introducing Oliver Antunes
Olivier Antunes was born in Paris in 1973 and grew up in Denmark. Backed by the legendary bassist Mads Vinding and Alex Riel, the imaginative young pianist made an impressive debut. Groovy and uplifting!

Kasper Villaume Trio / Estate
If you liked his earlier album Footprints (MMEX-109), you'll LOVE this earlier recording. With a lot of blues feel, a strong sense of swing, and formidable technique, Villaume is an imporessive talent we should all keep an eye on.

Duke Jordan / Always
When Jordan recorded this strong trio album in 1990, he had been a long-time resident of Copenhagen, Denmark. Without pretenses or preciousness, the piano master simply played elegant, thoughtful and swinging jazz. What a great album! The strong support and inspired solos by bassist Jesper Lundgaard is also notable.

Three Helen Merrill reissues now available!

Helen Merrill With Strings
Recorded for the EmArcy label in 1955, this album features a string orchestra arranged for and conducted by Richard Hayman as well as a stellar rhythm section consisting of Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, Sol Gubin and Barry Galbraith. Merrill transforms well-known love songs with her unique interpretations and takes the listener to another world. A phenomenal vocal work by an accomplished artist.

Helen Merrill / Deep in a Dream
In this 1965 recording, Merrill sings as if she is "one of the musicians." She is surrounded by a stellar cast: Dick Katz, Thad Jones, Jim Hall, Ron Carter and Pete La Roca, each of whom takes full advantage of generous solo spaces given to them.

Helen Merrill / Chasin' the Bird
Merrill's another collaboration with pianist/arranger Dick Katz is a George Gershwin songbook with a tip of the hat to Charlie Parker, who composed different melodies on Gershwin's chord changes. The strong band includes Pepper Adams, Mel Lewis and Rufus Reid. Recorded in 1979.

Coming soon…

• New arrivals from Venus Records, Blueport Jazz and more XRCDs!
• Five more “Showa Jazz Legends” reissue hybrid SACDs from Sony Music!
• Newly reissued Three Blind Mice hybrid SACDs!
• New recording Hybrid SACDs from Eighty-Eights’: Count Basie Orchestra Live in Japan and Hank Jones’ Great Jazz Trio!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Latest news at Eastwind Import

For those of us who came to the West Coast Jazz Party in Irvine, CA, thank you! The sale event was a huge success, and I had a great time talking to our customers and wonderful musicians.

Eastwind Import is now invited to the Big Band Showcase (October 4-7), an event hosted by the Los Angeles Jazz Institute. All the great American big bands will be there, including the Bill Holman Band, Terry Gibbs Dream Band, Bob Florence Limited Edition and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz tra! We'll bring special big band CDs to Four Points Sheraton LAX. For more info, go to the website of the Los Angeles Jazz Institute.

New arrivals at Eastwind Import

Two excellent CDs from BluePort Jazz!

Nancy Marano / Sure Thing
Nancy Marano is a world-class jazz singer with a beautiful voice and spectacular chops. In this "bi-coastal" album, she gathered two brilliant groups both in New York and Los Angeles and created a very successful, satisfying album. [Rec. 2000]

Joe Diorio Trio / Live
A brilliant guitarist and highly respected educator, Joe Diorio performed this stunning set in front of a small audience at a hotel lounge. No rehearsals, no arrangements. Magical music created on the spot by three master musicians. [Rec. 1991]

Two great-sounding Hybrid SACDs from Eighty-Eight's

The Great Jazz Trio / Speak Low
A brilliant trio album by Hank Jones, John Pattitucci and Jack DeJohnette. Pure DSD recording. Winner of 2005 Swing Journal Best Engineered Jazz Disc Award. Wow! [Rec. 2005]

Count Basie Orchestra / Basie Is Back
The first ever recording of the greatest legacy big band under the direction of Bill Hughes took place in 2005 in Sendai, Japan, and features the great Butch Miles on drums. The exciting, fun, swinging performance was captured perfectly by DSD recording. Nice!

Five reissues of Japanese jazz: Hybrid SACDs from Sony Music!

Sadao Watanabe / Sadao Watanabe
Japanese jazz legend Sadao Watanabe went to Africa for the first time shortly before this album was recorded. He was deeply inspired by what he saw and heard in Kenya, both musically and as a human being, and he went into the studio while this inspiration was fresh and his memories vivid. [Rec. 1972]

Gary Peacock / Voices
Gary Peacock, perhaps best known as the bassist of the Keith Jarrett Trio, lived in Japan for two years from 1970 until 1972. While immersing himself in oriental philosophies and culture, he created an impressive album with the top Japanese musicians. With its Zen-like austerity, free form and spirituality, many consider this album a towering achievement by Peacock and a masterpiece of that era. [Rec. 1971]

Kimiko Kasai with Gil Evans Orchestra / Satin Doll
An important collaboration between Japanese jazz singer Kimiko Kasai and the "magician of the sound" Gil Evans. His arrangements support Kasai beautifully: they are musical, unobtrusive, sympathetic and very effective. With this wonderful backing, Kasai gives an inspired, swinging and soulful vocal performance. [Rec. 1972]

Yoshio Suzuki / Friends
The first leader album by the renowned bassist Yoshio "Chin" Suzuki with top-tier Japanese musicians. Listening to this album together with his latest, 2007 CD For You (FNCJ-1001), one understands that his strengths as a bassist are his rock-solid beat and warm, big tone. [Rec. 1973]

Kimiko Itoh / Follow Me
A gorgeous contemporary jazz vocal album produced by Steve Gadd and strings arranged by Richard Tee. (They both perform as well.) The title song -- a vocal adaptation of Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" -- climbed to No. 16 in the US Contemporary Jazz Chart when the original album was released in 1989. [Rec. 1988]

Coming soon…

• New arrivals from Venus Records, Atelier Sawano and more XRCDs!
• Newly reissued Three Blind Mice hybrid SACDs!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

New arrivals at Eastwind Import:
Nine new arrivals from Venus Records including four brand-new releases!

Ken Peplowski Quartet / When You Wish Upon a Star
One of the very few who can play both tenor sax and clarinet really well, Ken Peplowski did something special for this eagerly awaited new release: He played each tune twice, once with tenor sax and once with clarinet! Specially priced 2CD set. Wonderful music, great sound. [Rec. 2006]

George Garzone & Trio Da Paz / Night of My Beloved
Great tenor sax player and highly respected educator, George Garzone was paired with Trio da Paz, a superb Brazilian trio led by the great guitarist Romero Lubambo. And, as if this was not enough, piano master Kenny Werner lent his sensitive hands. Beautiful, romantic bossa nova, masterfully played. [Rec. 2006]

Bob Kindred Quartet / Nights of Boleros and Blues
Underexposed but great tenor saxophonist, Bob Kindred released his second CD from Venus; a collection of boleros and other Latin tunes. Romantic, mysterious and seductive. [Rec. 2006]

Roma Trio / Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
The specialty of this youngish Italian trio led by pianist Luca Mannutza (b. 1968) is time. They shift tempi organically and unexpectedly in mid-tune, and frequently employ odd meter rhythm arrangements to well-known jazz standards. Fresh new talent! [Rec. 2006]

Dan Nimmer Trio / Tea for Two
Dan Nimmer is a brilliant young pianist from Milwaukee who is currently a member of Wynton Marsalis' Lincoln Jazz Orchestra. In this auspicious debut album, he shows youthful enthusiasm, beautiful touch, impeccable technique and an uncanny sense of swing. Delightful! [Rec. 2005]

David Hazeltine Trio / Cleopatra's Dream
One of the great pianists and arrangers of our time, David Hazeltine reimagined and reconstructed Bud Powell's compositions; not an easy task. Hazeltine succeeded brilliantly by not imitating Powell's breathlessly intense style, but instead bringing out the inner beauty -- elegant melodies and even tenderness -- of his compositions. Impressive! [Rec. 2005]

Steve Kuhn Trio / Pavane for a Dead Princess
With this hit CD, talented pianist Steve Kuhn surprised Japanese audience by turning compositions by Chopin, Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Debussy, Rachmaninov, Faure and Brahms into swinging jazz. An adventurous, ultimately successful project. You have to listen to believe that it works! [Rec. 2005]

Steve Kuhn Trio / Waltz - Blue Side
Steve Kuhn Trio / Waltz - Red Side
This two-CD project had a very interesting concept: Kuhn selected an all-waltz program and played them twice with two different bassists -- Gary Peacock on the "Blue Side" and Eddie Gomez on the "Red Side." With Billy Drummond holding the drum chair on both trios, the two sets of performances could not be more different from each other. They provide a fascinating insight into the spontaneity of music creation and how jazz musicians react to each other. [Rec. 2002]

Coming soon…

• More great-sounding XRCDs!
• Newly reissued Three Blind Mice hybrid SACDs!
• New arrivals from Atelier Sawano (Vladimir Shafranov) and M&I (Eric Reed, Dominick Farinacci)!
• Two CDs from Atsuko Hashimoto, a petite and demure Japanese lady who plays the Hammond B-3 organ like there’s no tomorrow!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

New arrivals at Eastwind Import:

Jazz at the Pawnshop / 30th Anniversary SACD Box Set
If you are an audiophile, you probably have heard about these sessions recorded at the jazz club Stampen (Pawnshop) in Stockholm in 1976 by Gert Palmcrantz. They have an extraordinary presence and a genuine live feeling, and has been regarded as the best jazz recording of the century.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary, this exciting new release comes in an exclusive three-SACD box set with bonus DVD video interviews with the musicians and engineers. This limited numbered edition includes twenty minutes of previously unreleased music, and all tracks have been digitally remastered. Only 3000 copies were made world wide and we only have a few copies left. If you want to own a piece of audiophile history, don't put it off!

Eight great sounding XRCDs now available!

I recently had a pleasure of meeting Mr. Akira Taguchi, the legendary, Grammy-winning producer who created the great-sounding XRCD at JVC. After learning the special mastering and manufacturing processes and the talent, energy and passion that go into their production, I have a renewed respect for these very special products. They represent a pinnacle of audiophile dedication and pursuit of excellence in today's sea of mediocre sounding CDs.

I have made a commitment to myself to acquire as many of these rare XRCDs as possible and offer them to my customers who care about good sound. In this Newsletter we feature eight XRCDs that feature wonderful jazz music and invariably sound great. Look forward to see many more XRCDs in our catalog in the future!

Hiroko Kokubu / Bridge [XRCD]
This is a "fusion" style album by Hiroko Kokubu, a talented Japanese pianist and composer. The 1996 recording boasts a cast of top-notch fusion musicians on the West Coast including Alex Acuna, Abe Laboriel, Ramon Stagnaro and Tommy Coster, Jr. A sonic triumph for Mr. Taguchi!

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio / Girl Talk [XRCD24]
This is Tsuyoshi Yamamoto's sixth leader album released by the audiophile Three Blind Mice label. With bluesy and soulful style influenced by Red Garland and Wynton Kelly, Yamamoto and his trio tackled well-known jazz standards in this great-sounding session. Winner of Swing Journal's Best Engineered Jazz Disc Award in 1976!

Ella Fitzgerald Joe Pass / Take Love Easy [XRCD]
This "duologue" album with Joe Pass is considered by many as one of the best albums by the great Ella Fitzgerald, and possibly one of the best jazz vocal albums ever made! The exceptional recording sounds very warm and intimate. [Rec. 1973]

Sarah Vaughan / How Long Has This Been Going On? [XRCD]
For this special session that took 30 years in the making, the great singer was paired with Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown and Louie Bellson. An essential jazz vocal album. [Rec. 1978]

John Coltrane Settin' the Pace [XRCD2]
Following the successful albums Traneing In and Soultrane, this is another masterpiece by Coltrane and the Red Garland Trio that should belong to every jazz lover's collection. Wow! [Rec. 1958]

Blue Mitchell / Blue's Moods [XRCD]
This is considered by many as the best album made by Mitchell, a talented hard-bop trumpeter with a beautiful tone and a relaxed, calm and cool persona. [Rec. 1960]

Stan Getz with Cal Tjader [XRCD2]
This 1958 encounter between the two jazz greats was very special. The wonderful collaboration also features very young Scot LaFaro and Billy Higgins.

Oscar Peterson & Dizzy Gillespie [XRCD2]
When Oscar Peterson and Dizzy Gillespie went into a studio in London in 1974, they made history. A rare duo album featuring "Caravan" and "Dizzy's Atmosphere."

Coming soon…

• Newly reissued Three Blind Mice hybrid SACDs!
• New arrivals from Atelier Sawano (Vladimir Shafranov) and M&I (Eric Reed, Dominick Farinacci)!
• Two CDs from Atsuko Hashimoto, a petite and demure Japanese lady who plays the Hammond B-3 organ like there’s no tomorrow!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Latest News from Eastwind Import:

Selected vocal and instrumental jazz reissues ON SALE! For a limited time, the hard-to-find CDs by Sue Raney, Beverly Kenney, Annie Ross, Monica Lewis, Helen Merrill, Jim Hall, Bud Shank, Ray Bryant, Al Cohn & Zoot Sims, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Criss, Kenny Drew, Doug Watkins, Chico Hamilton and Milt Jackson are available for $15 each (regular price $18)!

New arrivals

Five newly reissued Three Blind Mice hybrid SACDs

The third batch of classic TBM album reissued by Sony Music. The original analog tapes were remastered using the latest DSD technology, resulting in stunningly vivid sound. Special limited paper sleeve edition.

Kosuke Mine Quintet / Mine
A stunning debut album by a young and progressive saxophonist, and the very first LP released in 1970 by the TBM.

Masaru Imada Quartet / Now!!
The second album released by the fledgling TBM, and the pianist's first leader album for the label. Imada's original compositions show his lyrical, "quiet but emotional" qualities.

Kimiko Kasai with Kosuke Mine Quartet / Yellow Carcass in the Blue
Considered as an important album by the talented singer, where she really began to show her original qualities. It also showcases the Kosuke Mine Quartet, who play two tunes on their own.

Kanai Hideto Group / Q
The sixth album released by TBM turned the spotlight on the veteran bassist who had been pursuing a very progressive, unique and uncompromising kind of jazz since the early 1960s.

Isao Suzuki Trio / Black Orpheus
Isao Suzuki, the international star bassist who gave us Blow Up! and Blue City is joined by another star player of the TBM label, the soulful pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto. A great album!

A new arrival from Atelier Sawano!

Vladimir Shafranov Trio / Kids Are Pretty People
My favorite Russian pianist's 2005 recording with his regular trio. A delightful collections of eclectic tunes!

Two new arrivals from M&I!

Eric Reed Trio / Blue Monk
Pianist Eric Reed's fourth leader album for the Japanese M&I label is a collection of tunes with the word "blue" or "blues" in their titles. His super trio, with Ron Carter and Carl Allen, explores many shades of blue.

Dominick Farinacci / Sounds in My Life
The SIXTH leader album of a talented, young American trumpet player (and student of Wynton Marsalis) released by M&I. The cool opening tune is a killer!

Two CDs by Japanese Hammond B-3 organist Atsuko Hashimoto!

Atsuko Hashimoto / Full Organ
A quintessential organ trio album, with Yutaka Hashimoto, her husband, on guitar and the veteran Jimmie Smith on drums. Atsuko's astonishing technique, and her jubilant energy and sense of humor are in full display. Groovy!

Atsuko Hashimoto Organ Trio and Voices / Songs We Love
Atsuko's latest release adds a twist to the usual trio format in the form of three singers. A very satisfying album with a great selection of songs, nicely executed!

Coming soon...

• New arrivals from 55 Records: Jesse Van Ruler's guitar-piano duo and Roberta Gambarini's duo with Hank Jones!
• Ron Carter's latest trio release with Mulgrew Miller and Russell Malone!
• New arrivals from SwingBros: Harry Allen, Ray Kennedy and NY4!
• Three reissues of Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio recordings in the late 1980s!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Latest News from Eastwind Import:

Selected vocal and instrumental jazz reissues ON SALE!
For a limited time, the hard-to-find CDs by Sue Raney, Beverly Kenney, Annie Ross, Monica Lewis, Helen Merrill, Jim Hall, Bud Shank, Ray Bryant, Al Cohn & Zoot Sims, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Criss, Kenny Drew, Doug Watkins, Chico Hamilton and Milt Jackson are available for $15 each (regular price $18)!

New arrivals at Eastwind Import:

<Two from 55 Records>

Roberta Gambarini & Hank Jones / Lush Life
Eagerly awaited second CD by the brightest new star of jazz singing today is an intimate duo album with the piano master Hank Jones. If you liked her Grammy-nominated debut CD Easy to Love, you'll love this one! [Rec. 2005 & 2006]

Jesse van Ruller / In Pursuit
The latest from the talented Dutch guitarist is a beautiful, exciting and swinging duo album with pianist Bert van den Brink. In my opinion, this is a superior, and more exciting, piano-guitar duo album than the recent release by Brad Mehldau and Pat Metheny! [Rec. 2006]

<Ron Carter's new recording!>

Ron Carter / It's the Time
The veteran bassist's latest release is a wonderful trio album with formidable partners: Mulgrew Miller on piano and Russell Malone on guitar! This is a group to watch, and the CD is even better than the trio's 2003 release Golden Striker! [Rec. 2007]

<Three from SwingBros>

Ray Kennedy / Soft Winds
Best known as the pianist of the John Pizzarelli Trio, Ray Kennedy showed his many talents with his third release from SwingBros. With Tom Kennedy and Lewis Nash! [Rec. 2007]

NY4 / What's New
John Bunch, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jay Leonhart and Warren Vache's second CD from SwingBros. Wonderful comfort food for all jazz fans. Tastefully swinging jazz, beautifully recorded! [Rec. 2007]

Harry Allen Meets Trio da Paz
Harry Allen's latest output from the Japanese label is a bossa nova album with Trio da Paz, a New York-based group of Brazilian musicians. Excellent bossa nova arrangements of American standard songs! [Rec. 2007]

Coming soon...

• Reissues of Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio recordings in the late 1980s!
• Reissue of Junior Mance Trio's sessions from 1982 and 1983!
• Beautiful "with strings" album by Italian trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso!
• Premier release by the newly launched Birds Records: Shadow of Your Smile by Grant Stewart!
• Chick Corea's brand-new trio recording with John Patitucci and Antonio Sanchez!

Happy listening to you all!