[Hajime Sato]

Latest News

Eastwind Import will be temporarily closed from 9am, June 11 until 1am, June 21. You still will be able to browse our products, but our shopping cart will be disabled and you will not be able to place an order during this time. We apologize for the inconvenience.

New Arrival CDs

Various Artists / Best Audiophile Voices III (XRCD2)
A fabulous-sounding compilation of beautiful tracks by female singers. A great gift to audiophiles and music lovers!

Joel Frahm Quartet / Caminhos Cruzados
New York's first-call tenor saxophonist's debut album for Venus Records features romantic and tender renditions of various bossa nova songs and jazz standards! With Cyrus Chestnut on piano. (Rec. 2009)

Elmar Brass Trio / Night Dreamer
Debut CD from Atelier Sawano by an up-and-coming jazz pianist from Germany. Refreshing, swinging and beautifully recorded. Enthusiastically recommended to fans of modern jazz piano trios! (Rec. 2008)

Jeanette Lindström / Attitude & Orbit Control
One of the top Swedish jazz singers, Jeanette Lindstrom's latest album is an intriguing and hypnotic mixture of pop and electronica, blended with a jazzy sophistication. Winner of the 2010 Swedish Grammy Awards! (Rec. 2009)

Ken Peplowski / Noir Blue
My favorite clarinetist and tenor saxophonist, Ken Peplowski's latest release from Capri Records is a straight-ahead affair with Shelly Berg (p), Jay Leonhart (b) and Joe La Barbera (d)! (Rec. 2009)

Holly Hofmann & Bill Cunliffe / Three's Company
My favorite flutist, Holly Hofmann's famous duo with pianist Bill Cunliffe released their thrid album together. This time they expanded the duo setting by inviting guests Regina Carter (vln), Ken Peplowski (cl), Terell Stafford (tp) and Alvester Garnett (ds) to join them on one tune each. (Rec. 2010)

Bob Magnusson Quintet / Liquid Lines
Premier bassist and our treasure in Southern California, Bob Magnusson's first leader album in 25 years is a collection of surfing-themed compositions, performed with his bandmates (some of whom are his surfing friends as well) including Peter and Tripp Sprague, Duncan Moore and Randy Porter. (Rec. 2005)

Impulse! Rare Treasure Reissue Series

In February 2010, Universal Japan reissued a series of Impulse! classic jazz records on CDs on a limited time basis. As of now (May 2010), they are already out of print and no longer available from the manufacturer. Eastwind Import managed to score a few copies each of the rarest and musically significant titles from this series. These titles are difficult to find on CD anywhere. Remember, we only have a few copies each in stock, and when they are gone we can't restock! Order yours before they are gone!

Elvin Jones-Jimmy Garrison Sextet / Illumination!
A lively and adventurous set by the rhythm section of the John Coltrane Quartet at the time, featuring three horn players. (Rec. 1963)

Milt Jackson Quartet / Statements
The premier vibraphonist's tasteful and relaxed session with Hank Jones, Paul Chambers and Connie Kay. (Rec. 1961)

Sonny Stitt / Now!
The supreme bebopper's great one-horn recording (playing tenor and alto) with an excellent rhythm section led by Hank Jones. (Rec. 1963)

Coleman Hawkins Quartet / Today And Now
A smooth and swinging one-horn set by one of the fathers of the modern tenor saxophone, featuring another wonderful rhythm section led by Tommy Flanagan. (Rec. 1962)

Ahmad Jamal / Poinciana Revisited
Innovative pianist who influenced Miles Davis with his cool approach, Jamal revisits his biggest hit tune "Poinciana" in this live trio date. (Rec. 1969)

Terry Gibbs Quartet / Take It From Me
The most swinging and energetic vibraphonist recorded this definitive small combo album with Kenny burrell, Sam Jones and Louis Hayes. (Rec. 1964)

J.J. Johnson / Proof Positive
The supreme trombonist's definitive one-horn album with a piano trio led by Harold Mabern. On one exciting tune he performs with a guest rhythm section borrowed from John Coltrane (McCoy Tyner, Richard Davis and Elvin Jones) plus Toots Thielemans on guitar. (Rec. 1964)

New Arrival Vinyl LPs

The Jazz Couriers In Concert (180g LP)The seventh in Atelier Sawano's series of rare vinyl reissues of classic British jazz albums originally released by the Tempo label. This is a red hot live recording of The Jazz Couriers, the pioneering hard bop group that included Ronnie Scott (ts), Tubby Hayes (ts, vibes) and Terry Shannon (p). (Rec. 1958. mono)

Venus Records' latest 200-gram vinyl LP releases!

Newly recorded jazz by top-notch American and European musicians released on the best-sounding medium! The pressed-in-Japan, 200-gram vinyl is astonishingly quiet, reflecting the best-in-the-world quality control!

Kenny Barron Trio / Minor Blues
Eric Alexander Quartet / Chim Chim Cheree
John di Martino Romantic Jazz Trio / The Beatles In Jazz
Aaron Heick & Romantic Jazz Trio / Europe
Joel Frahm Quartet / Caminhos Cruzados
Emil Viklicky Trio / Sinfonietta - The Janacek Of Jazz
Alexis Cole / Someday My Prince Will Come
Francesco Cafiso Sicilian Quartet / Portrait In Black And White
Derek Smith / To Love Again
Richie Beirach / Jazz Adagio


Coming soon...

• New releases from Japan: Magnus Hjorth Someday - Live In Japan, Harry Allen I'll Remember April, Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw featuring Peter Beets Blues For The Date, Japanese singer Tomoko Miyata Secret Of Life, Japanese jazz violinist Naoko Terai My Song!
• Two new releases from Marshmallow Records: A debut CD of Japanese alto saxophonist Hiromi Masuda with Gene DiNovi and Neil Swainson! Also: Chet Baker Trio with Duke Jordan, recorded live in Paris in 1983!
• A new release from Atelier Sawano: Serge Delaite Trio Time After Time!
• Two new releases from Venus Records: John Di Martino's Romantic Jazz Trio Chopin Jazz and Nicki Parrott Black Coffee!
• More new releases from Japan: Japanese pianist Makiko Hirabayashi Hide and Seek - winner of Jazz Critique Magazine's 2009 Best Engineered Jazz CD Award; Renee Rosnes Manhattan Rain; Manhattan Jazz Orchestra Sing Sing Sing 2010 - Tribute to Benny Goodman; and Mizuho & Tiger Okoshi Stars and a Moon!
• Audiophile vinyl: Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington (Classic Records), Lee Morgan The Sidewinder, Bill Evans Portrait in Jazz (Analogue Productions) and many more!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Release of Universal Japan's First Set of SHM-SACDs Delayed

To those who placed a pre-order with us:
The release date of the first 20 titles of the Universal Japan's SHM-SACD reissues has been pushed back. The originally planned release date was June 23. The newly revised release dates are:

• UIGY-9022 The Who / Who's Next: August 25
• All other 19 titles: June 30

We will ship the SHM-SACDs as they become available. If you've ordered "Who's Next" with another title, we will ship them separately with no additional shipping charge. If you'd like to cancel any part of your order because of this delay, please contact us for partial refund.

Pre-order Opportunity for the Second Set of SHM-SACDs

Universal Japan is releasing the second set (12 titles) of SHM-SACDs in Japan on August 25, 2010. SHM-SACDs stand for Super High Material Super-Audio CDs. They are single-layer, stereo-only SACDs pressed on special SHM discs utilizing high-quality polycarbonate material originally developed for LCD panels. They are NOT hybrid SACDs. They do NOT contain any multi-channel tracks. They require an SACD player and will NOT play on regular CD players.

This series of limited-edition SHM-SACDs will use the most recent DSD masters available to Universal Japan, and in some cases, brand-new DSD masters will be created from analog master tapes.

Based on our past experience, this limited-edition series will quickly sell out, and once they are out of print, they will be available only at premium prices. So we have decided to offer our valued customers a chance to secure their copies by pre-ordering. Eastwind Import has no plan to stock them, except for a few copies each of the jazz titles.

The price of the SHM-SACDs is $49.00 each. In addition, our regular shipping charge will apply:
 
Shipping and handling charges for US customers
$5.00 for the first CD
+$1.95 for each additional CD

Shipping and handling charges for Non-US customers including Canada
$9.00 for the first CD
+$2.50 for each additional CD

The cut-off date is Sunday, June 27, US California time. Please send an email to hajime@eastwindimport.com listing the titles you'd like to order, your name and address. In return, we will send you a PayPal invoice via email which you can pay with your credit card.

Below is the list of the 12 titles to be released on August 25 in Japan:

Rock/Pops
UIGY-9022 The Who / Who's Next (delayed from the 1st set)
UIGY-9031 Blind Faith / Blind Faith
UIGY-9032 Dire Straits / Dire Straits
UIGY-9033 10CC / The Original Soundtrack
UIGY-9034 Black Sabbath / Paranoid
UIGY-9035 Kiss / Destroyer

Jazz
UCGO-9001 Bill Evans / Portrait In Jazz +1
UCGO-9002 Miles Davis / Relaxin'
UCGO-9003 Wes Montgomery / Incredible Jazz Guitar

Classical
UCGD-9003 R.Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra.etc. / KARAJAN,HERBERT VON / WIENER PHILHARMONIKER
UCGD-9004 Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique / DAVIS,SIR COLIN / ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA
UCGG-9003 Mozart: Requiem / BOHM,KARL / WIENER PHILHARMONIKER

After the order is placed and payment received, we will place an order with our Japanese distributor. The SHM-SACDs will be released in Japan on August 25, and we expect to receive them shortly thereafter. We will ship the CDs to you as soon as they arrive from Japan. In an unlikely event that we cannot fulfill this special order for some unforeseen reason, your prepayment will immediately be refunded in full.

To secure your copy from this historic and sure-to-be-sold-out series, please email us on or before Sunday, June 27! This is a FIRM deadline!

[Hajime Sato]

Magnus Hjorth Trio / Someday - Live In Japan
Talented Swedish pianist Hjorth and bassist Peter Eldh visit Japan, meet Japanese drummer Kazumi Ikenaga and recorded this live album over three nights in Tokyo. Imaginative and creative piano trio music, recorded with purist one-point-mic technique for fabulous sound! (Rec. 2009)

Harry Allen Quartet / I'll Remember April
Tenor saxophonist's latest album features shows his maturity and confidence at age 44, evincing influences from Ben Webster, Paul Gonzalves and Coleman Hawkins. A relaxed, unhurried and tasteful execution of modern swing with his regular quartet that includes wonderful, Italian-born pianist Rossano Sportiello! (Rec. 2009)

Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw featuring Peter Beets / Blues For The Date
A fabulous big band album featuring Dutch pianist and composer Peter Beets! The most celebrated big band in Europe plays Beets' originals with power, finesse and precision. Solos by Beets are awe-inspiring! (Rec. 2009)

Tomoko Miyata with Romero Lubambo / Secret Of Life
Swing Journal Gold Disc! A stunning debut album by talanted Japanese singer based in New York featuring great Brazillian and American musicians including Romero Lubambo, Cesar Camargo Mariano and Scott Colley! A gentle and tender mix of jazz, folk and Brazillian music! (Rec. 2009)

Naoko Terai / My Song
Japanese jazz violinist Naoko Terai's latest album is a collection of standards performed with her regular quartet plus guest guitarist Hiroki Miyano. Emotional and beautiful music! (Rec. 2009-10)

Hiromi Masuda / Maybe September
Japanese alto saxophonis Hiromi Masuda's debut CD showcases her great talent - assured technique and style influenced by Charlie Parker and Lee Konitz with creative energy and a sense of adventure. With Gene DiNovi (p), Neil Swainson (b) and Ernesto Cervini (ds). (Rec. 2009)

Chet Baker Trio with Duke Jordan / September Song
Chet Baker's rare trio performance with Duke Jordan (p) and Jesper Lundgaard (b), caught live on tape in Paris in 1983. A must-have item for fans of Chet Baker! (Rec. 1983)

Serge Delaite Trio / Time After Time
French pianist Serge Delaite's latest release from Atelier Sawano features great bassist George Mraz and drummer Jean-Marc Lajudie. A collection of standards with a couple of classical/jazz tunes, played with lightness and sunny feeling! (Rec. 2009)

John di Martino Romantic Jazz Trio / Chopin Jazz
Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Frederic Chopin's birth, pianist/arranger John di Martino and his Romantic Jazz Trio (George Mraz on bass and Richard De Rosa on drums) recorded a collection of reimagined jazz performances based on the beautiful Chopin melodies. Thrilling, gorgeious and majestic new release from Venus Records! (Rec. 2009)

Nicki Parrott / Black Coffee
Swing Journal Gold Disc! Australian-born and New York-based bassist and singer Nicki Parrott's latest release from Venus Records is a tribute album to Peggy Lee and Julie London. Parrott sings and performs very effectively with a top-notch band that includes Harry Allen (ts), Lisa Parrott (bs, ss, bc) and John di Martino (p). Great sonics, too! (Rec. 2009)

Makiko Hirabayashi / Hide And Seek (HQCD)
Winner of Jazz Critique Magazine's 2009 Best Engineered Jazz Disc Award! Japanese-born and Copenhagen-based pianist Makiko Hirabayashi's second trio album with super-drummer/percussionist Marilyn Mazur and bassist Klavs Hovman is really amazing in terms of composition, performance and the quality of the recorded sound. A masterpiece! (Rec. 2008)

Renee Rosnes / Manhattan Rain
Pianist Renee Rosnes made this album for a Japanese label with a great band featuring Steve Nelson (vib), Rich Perry (ts), Peter Washington (b) and Bill Stewart (ds). This great CD highlights her formidable compositional and arranging skills in addition to her superb piano performance! (Rec. 2009)

Manhattan Jazz Orchestra / Sing Sing Sing 2010 - Tribute To Benny Goodman
Swing Journal Gold Disc! To my ears, the 16th album by this big band with a 20-year history is the best so far! The leader and supremely talented arranger David Matthews reinvents Benny Goodman's classic tunes to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the jazz giant's birth. Superb arrangements, impeccable ensemble playing and great solos by star players such as Lew Soloff, Chris Hunter and Andy Snitzer! Wonderful sonics, too! (Rec. 2009)

Mizuho and Tiger Okoshi / Stars And A Moon
Japanese singer Mizuho has a great mentor and believer in Tiger Okoshi, legendary trumpeter and respected professor at Berklee School of Music. Together they recorded this wonderous album in Boston with young American musicians. Mizuho's pure and soulful voice soars on well-known standards, creatively arranged by Okoshi. A strong vocal album filled with pleasant surprises! (Rec. 2010)

Coming soon...

• Limited-edition SHM-SACDs: 2-channel-only single layer SACD pressed on Super High Material disc! The ultimate digital disc for serious audiophiles who have SACD players. We'll make available just a few copie each of the five jazz titles in the first batch released by Universal Japan, plus a few rock titles!
• Two new releases from Venus Records: Dan Nimmer Trio Modern Day Blues and Bill Charlap Trio I'm Old Fashioned!
• Two new releases from Atelier Sawano: Tizian Jost Trio We Will Meet Again and Tonu Naissoo Trio Blue Pearl!
• A very special and limited, vinyl-only release from Marshmallow Records: When Love Comes Around is a compilation of Jan Lundgren's best studio recordings with Jesper Lundgaard and Alex Riel. Mastered with tube electronics. Only 600 copies pressed!
• A new release from Five Stars Records: Pianist Bill Mays' duo album with Japanese violinist Keisuke Ohta Blue Ronde a la Turk!
• New from Birds Records: Saxophonist Grant Stewart's latest album and Sonny Rollins tribute St. Thomas!
• French bass clarinetist Thomas Savy's amazing NY recording French Suite with Bill Stewart and Scott Colley!
• More new releases from Japan: Guitarist Jesse van Ruler's drum-less trio recording Chamber Tones; Bob Mintzer's organ trio album Canyon Cove with Peter Erskine and Larry Goldings; A new CD by Dena DeRose's special band The December 2nd Quartet featuring Dominick Farinacci, Ray Drummond and Akira Tana; German singer Lisa Wahlandt's jazzy CD Stay A While; Debut CD of a piano-bass-guitar trio called KBS Trio featuring Benny Green on piano; A guitar duo album Seasons by progressive rocker Natsuki Kido and classical guitarist Daisuke Suzuki; A stunning debut of a young Japanese alto saxophonist Erena Terakubo featuing Kenny Barron and Christian McBride; A fascinating East-meets-West collaboration between Korean guitarist Jack Lee and Bob James Botero!
• SHM-CD reissue of Gary Burton and Makoto Ozone's duo album Virtuosi! 2002 GRAMMY nominee!
• Audiophile vinyl: Various jazz reissues from Classic Records, ORG, Analogue Productions and more!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Eastwind Import will bring all its software inventory to the Los Angeles & Orange County Audio Society's "Third Annual Headroom and Friends Event" to be held on Sunday, August 22 at Holiday Inn Buena Park in California.

In addition, we will demonstrate a high-quality desktop audio system comprising of Silicon Arts Design's Micro Integration Line mini-components and mhi's Evidence minimonitors connected with CRL's affordable yet effective Bronze Series cables!

If you are in the area, come to this special audiophile event with a focus on headphone, desktop and PC audio! Details are available at www.laocas.com.

[Hajime Sato]

Latest News

Eastwind Import will bring its entire vinyl inventory to the West Side Record Show on Saturday, August 21 (10am-3pm). Presented by Record Collector News, this wonderful show with over 50 vendors will be held at Veteran's Memorial Complex Teen Center in Culver City (4117 Overland Avenue at Culver Blvd). If you are into vinyl, come to this show! I guarantee you'll have fun! For details, visit Record Collector News' website.

The following day, on Sunday, August 22 (Noon-4pm), Eastwind Import will bring its entire software AND hardware inventory to the Los Angeles & Orange County Audio Society's Third Annual Headroom! and Friends Event at Holiday Inn, Buena Park (Beach Blvd. at the 91). This special event will feature headphones, desktop and PC audio gear and manufacturers. Eastwind Import will offer selected items at special prices just for this show! Don't miss this rare opportunity to browse our ENTIRE inventory at one place!

New Arrival SACDs

World's first SHM-SACDs are here!

SHM-SACD stands for Super High Material Super-Audio CDs. This is a single-layer, stereo-only SACD pressed on special SHM discs utilizing high-quality polycarbonate material originally developed for LCD panels. SHM-SACD is the best digital format yet and provides no-compromise, ultimate digital sound that is tantalizingly analog-like.

Among the first 20 SHM-SACD titles released by Universal Japan, Eastwind Import is offering seven titles -- five jazz classics and two rock titles. Recommended for serious audiophiles who owns an SACD player! We have a few copies only so order yours before they are gone!

• Stan Getz Joao Gilberto / Getz/Gilberto
• John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
• John Coltrane / A Love Supreme
• Ella Fitzgerald Louis Armstrong / Ella and Louis
• Sarah Vaughan / With Clifford Brown
• Derek and The Dominos / Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
• Steely Dan / Aja

[Hajime Sato]

New Arrival Vinyl LP

Jan Lundgren / When Love Comes Around (180g LP)
An ultimate collector's item! The first-ever vinyl release by the Swedish pianist is a compilation, taken from his trio dates in the past several years for Japanese label Marshmallow Records. Remastered from the 24-bit, 192kHz digital recordings made at the Sun Studio in Copenhagen with Sun Valley's tube-based DAC, this high quality LP sounds open, detailed and warm! (Rec. 2002-2007)

New Arrival CDs

Bob Mintzer / Canyon Cove
Premier tenor saxophonist's latest studio recording is a swinging and sophisticated organ trio outing with Peter Erskine (ds) and Larry Goldings (Hammond B-3)! Released by Teruo Nakamura's Cheetah Records. (Rec. 2009)

Lisa Wahlandt / Stay A While
German jazz singer's first CD from the esteemed Enja Records is full of surprising jazz treatments of rock and pop tunes including "Kiss" (Prince) and "Light My Fire" (The Doors). Tastefully backed by Trio ELF led by pianist Walter Lang! (Rec. 2009)

Gary Burton & Makoto Ozone / Virtuosi (SHM-CD)
Superior-sounding SHM-CD reissue of an important duo album which was nominated for the 2002 GRAMMY Best Classical Crossover Album! Vibraphonist Burton and pianist Ozone interpret classical music pieces with flair and imagination! (Rec. 2001)

Natsuki Kido & Daisuke Suzuki - The Duo / Seasons
An unlikely acoustic guitar duo of Japanese jazz and classical guitarists takes you to a journey through the four seasons, performing well-known songs and attractive originals. A beautiful album especially for fans of acoustic guitars! (Rec. 2009)

Jack Lee & Bob James / Botero
East and West meets Fourplay! Korean guitarst Jack Lee and American superstar keyboardist create a wonderful fusion of sophisticated and urban, contemporary jazz! With Nathan East (b) and Lewis Pragasam (ds). (Rec. 2009)

Erena Terakubo / North Bird
Swing Journal Gold Disc! A stunning debut CD of a 17-years-old Japanese alto saxophonist, recorded in New York with Kenny Barron (p), Christian McBride (b), Lee Pearson (ds) and Peter Bernstein (g). This is by far the best new-release jazz CD I've heard so far in 2010!! (Rec. 2010)

Dan Nimmer Trio / Modern Day Blues
Young and talented pianist's 4th CD from Venus Records is full of swinging interpretations of the jazz composers' songbook and standards. With David Wang and Pete van Nostrand. (Rec. 2009)

Bill Charlap / I'm Old Fashioned
Swing Journal Gold Disc! One of the best jazz pianists of our time, Bill Charlap's latest release from Venus Records is a drum-less trio date with Peter Bernstein (g) and Peter Washington (b)! (Rec. 2009)

Grant Stewart / St. Thomas - Plays Sonny Rollins
The tenor saxophonist who carries on the great tradition pays tribute to his most influential idol in this great album, which is undoubtedly Stewart's best recorded efforts in his career! With David Hazeltine (p), Peter Washington (b) and Phil Stewart (ds). (Rec. 2010)

Tizian Jost Trio / We Will Meet Again
German pianist's fourth release from Atelier Sawano showcases his uplifting sense of swing and stylistic versatility, featuring many compositions by great jazz pianists. (Rec. 2009)

Tonu Naissoo Trio / Blue Pearl
Estonia's star jazz pianist's seventh release from Atelier Sawano is another winning trio recording, featuring attractive compositions by Kenny Barron, Michel Petrucciani and Keith Jarrett! (Rec. 2009)

Thomas Savy / French Suite
Young French bass clarinet player Thomas Savy went to New York and recorded this thrilling piano-less trio album with Bill Stewart (ds) and Scott Colley (b). A gutsy masterpiece! (Rec. 2009)

Keisuke Ohta & Bill Mays / Blue Rondo a la Turk
Japanese violinist and American jazz pianist join forces to create spontaneous, swinging and inspired music. Their chemistry and joy of making music together is palpable! (Rec. 2009)

Jesse van Ruller / Chamber Tones
One of the best jazz guitarists in Europe, the Netherlands' Jesse van Ruller's first leader album in more than 3 years is an intimate and surprisingly "quiet" musical conversation with clarinetist Joris Roelofs and bassist Clemens van der Feen. (Rec. 2009)

Dena DeRose The December 2nd Quartet / Stars
The all-star band consisting of Dena DeRose (p, vo), Dominick Farinacci (tp), Ray Drummond (b) and Akira Tana (ds) welcomed special guest Benny Green (p) to record this wonderful collection of songs with a theme of stars, the moon and the future. Great romantic jazz elevated by superb musicianship! (Rel. 2010)

Benny Green KBS Trio / What Am I Here For (HQCD)
Swing Journal Gold Disc! Pianist Benny Green's brand-new trio with Satoshi Inoue (g) and Ken Kaneko (b) swings hard with lots of flair, reminding us of the great Oscar Peterson Trio. Sound quality of this HQCD is also superb! (Rel. 2010)

Coming Soon...

• The last live recording by the late Hank Jones, Jam At Basie, previously available only on super-limited and super-expensive "Crystal CD," is finally available as a regular CD and limited-pressing vinyl LP!
• The last studio recording by the great Hank Jones and his Great Jazz trio, Last Recording, now available on Hybrid SACD from Eighty-Eight's!
• The first release Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise by The Super Premium Band -- Kenny Barron, Ron Carter and Lenny White!
• Super-bassist Brian Bromberg's latest Plays Jimi Hendrix with only drummer Vinnie Colaiuta on his side!
• World premier CD release! Dave Frishberg's debut album Oklahoma Toad has now come back as a deluxe edition with 2 CDs, one CD containing the original CTI mix by Rudy Van Gelder, the other CD containing the long-lost producer's mix plus previously unreleased materials!
• Limited-edition SHM-CD reissue of Frank Sinatra & Count Basie's It Might As Well Be Swing. Arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones, this is one of my favorite albums of all time!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Pre-order Opportunity for the Third Set of SHM-SACDs!

Universal Japan is releasing the third set (17 titles) of SHM-SACDs in Japan on October 27, 2010. SHM-SACDs stand for Super High Material Super-Audio CDs. They are single-layer, stereo-only SACDs pressed on special SHM discs utilizing high-quality polycarbonate material originally developed for LCD panels. They are NOT hybrid SACDs. They do NOT contain any multi-channel tracks. They require an SACD player and will NOT play on regular CD players.

This series of limited-edition SHM-SACDs will use the most recent DSD masters available to Universal Japan, and in some cases, brand-new DSD masters are created from analog master tapes.

Based on our past experience, this limited-edition series will quickly sell out, and once they are out of print, they will be available only at premium prices. So we have decided to offer our valued customers a chance to secure their copies by pre-ordering. Eastwind Import has no plan to stock them, except for a few copies each of the jazz titles.

The price of the SHM-SACDs is $49.00 each, except for UIGY-9036 (Rock SHM-SACD sampler that comes with an SHM-SACD and a hybrid SACD for comparison) which is $25.00. In addition, our regular shipping charge will apply:
 
Shipping and handling charges for US customers
$5.00 for the first CD
+$1.95 for each additional CD

Shipping and handling charges for Non-US customers including Canada
$9.00 for the first CD
+$2.50 for each additional CD

The cut-off date is Saturday, August 21, US California time. Please send an email to hajime@eastwindimport.com listing the titles you'd like to order, your name, shipping address and your PayPal email address if you have one. In return, we will send you a PayPal invoice via email which you can pay with your credit card.

Below is the list of the 17 titles to be released on October 27 in Japan:

Classical
UCGD-9005 OZAWA, SEIJI/BEETHOVEN:SYMPHONY NO.9/CLASSIC/DECCA
UCGG-9004 SALONEN, ESA-PEKKA/STRAVINSKY:LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS/CLASSIC/DEUTSCHE
UCGG-9005 HAHN, HILARY/J.S.BACH:VIOLIN CONCERTOS/CLASSIC/DEUTSCHE

Jazz
UCGO-9004 EVANS, BILL/WALTZ FOR DEBBY/JAZZ/RIVERSIDE/W/4 BONUS TRACKS
UCGO-9005 ROLLINS, SONNY/SAXOPHONE COLOSSUS/JAZZ/PRESTIGE
UCGO-9006 PEPPER, ART/MEETS THE RHYTHM SECTION/JAZZ/CONTEMPORARY/W/1 BONUS TRACK

Rock/Pops
UIGY-9036 VARIOUS/SA-CD SHM SAMPLER/ROCK/UNIVERSAL/SHM-SACD+HYBRID-SACD
UIGY-9038 ROLLING STONES, THE/BEGGARS BANQUET/ROCK/ABKCO
UIGY-9039 STEELY DAN/GAUCHO/ROCK/GEFFEN
UIGY-9040 RAINBOW/LONG LIVE ROCK'N'ROLL/ROCK/POLYDOR
UIGY-9041 ASIA/ASIA/ROCK/GEFFEN
UIGY-9042 CREAM/WHEELS OF FIRE/ROCK/POLYDOR
UIGY-9043 MAYALL, JOHN/JOHN MAYALL & BLUES BREAKERS WITH ER/ROCK/DERAM
UIGY-9044 HUMBLE PIE/SMOKIN'/ROCK/A&M/
UIGY-9045 POLICE, THE/OUTLANDOS D'AMOUR/ROCK/A&M
UIGY-9046 WISHBONE ASH/ARGUS/ROCK/GEFFEN
UIGY-9047 CARAVAN/IN THE LAND OF GREY AND PINK/ROCK/DERAM

After the order is placed and payment received, we will place an order with our Japanese distributor. The SHM-SACDs will be released in Japan on October 27, and we expect to receive them shortly thereafter. We will ship the CDs to you as soon as they arrive from Japan. In an unlikely event that we cannot fulfill this special order for some unforeseen reason, your prepayment will immediately be refunded in full.

To secure your copy from this historic and sure-to-be-sold-out series, please email us on or before Saturday, August 21! This is a FIRM deadline!

[Hajime Sato]

Eastwind Import and Summit Audio Video are launching a special joint promotion program. You can simply purchase software at Eastwind Import and accumulate CREDIT towards one of two GREAT Universal Disc Players!

As of now, this promotion is limited to customers who reside in the US or Canada.

Those Players are:

1) OPPO BDP-83SE $899 msrp

2) OPPO BDP-83 NuFORCE EDITION $1295 msrp

Here is how it works:

STEP ONE: Visit the Eastwind Import website and purchase $50, $100, or $150 worth of software (excluding shipping and taxes).

STEP TWO: Eastwind will e-mail you a CREDIT e-mail in the amount of $50, $100, or $150 that corresponds to the purchase price of your items.

STEP THREE: Contact John Casler at SUMMIT AV either via e-mail (bioforce.inc@gte.net) or phone (310-446-0138) and redeem your credits toward the players.

You can apply up to $100 credit maximum toward the BDP-83SE

You can apply up to $150 credit maximum toward the BDP-83 NuFORCE EDITION

We hope this promotion will help you get some great music and one of these great players at the same time.

Please contact either Eastwind Import or SUMMIT AV if you have any questions.

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Joint promotion with Summit AV: Earn credits toward an OPPO Blu-ray Player!
Eastwind Import is teaming up with Summit Audio Video (Century City, California) to offer a special joint promotion: Buy software at Eastwind Import and earn credits toward your purchase of the award-winning OPPO Universal Blu-ray Player!

Simply order software at Eastwind Import, and you will earn a credit for a single purchase ($50 credit for a purchase of $50 or more, $100 credit for a purchase of $100 or more, and $150 credit for a purchase of $150 or more) which you can use at Summit AV to purchase either the OPPO BDP-83SE (MSRP $899, $100 credit maximum) or the OPPO BDP-83SE NuForce Edition (MSRP $1,295, $150 credit maximum).

Regional restrictions apply. For details, please see our blog.

Sept. 26: LA & OC Audio Society Software Swap Meet
On Sunday, September 26, Eastwind Import will bring its entire software inventory to Holiday Inn Buena Park (CA) for the big software swap meet of the Los Angeles & Orange County Audio Society. If you are in Southern California, come to this fun event to satisfy your software needs! For details, go to the LAOCAS website.

Oct. 15-17: Eastwind Import at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest
At this year's RMAF (October 15-17 at Denver Marriott Tech Center), Eastwind Import will partner again with the very special audio manufacturer from Japan, Silicon Arts Design & Concert Fidelity, in Room 550.

We will demonstrate a state-of-the-art high-end system featuring top of the line SA & CF gear, Kaiser Kawero loudspeakers and Echole Obsession cables. I'll bring spectacular-sounding CDs and LPs and play DJ. SA & CF will also be in Room 538 with Intuitive Design and Amber Wave Audio. If you are coming to the RMAF, please stop by at both rooms!

Oct. 24: Eastwind Import presents an audio show for the LAOCAS
For those of you who can't come to the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, Eastwind Import will bring the high-end system from Denver to Los Angeles and have an exclusive show for the LA & OC Audio Society! It's Sunday, October 24, exactly a week after the RMAF, at Holiday Inn, Buena Park. We'll also feature more affordable, smaller system comprising of Silicon Arts Design's tiny Micro Integration Line comonents and mhi Evidence minimonitor speakers. Eastwind Import will also bring its entire software inventory for you to purchase!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

New Arrival CDs

Hank Jones / Jam At Basie (CD)
The late Hank Jones' last live recording, made at a jazz spot in Japan called "Basie" in August 2009, is a triumph! Jones, who had just turned 91, played with vigor, finesse and imagination with young and talented American musicians. Inspired performances captured with stunning sound quality! (Rec. 2009)

Hank Jones / Jam At Basie (LP)
The vinyl LP version of Jam At Basie shines sonically even more than the spectacular-sounding CD edition partly because the performances were recorded in analog! (Rec. 2009) (Currently out of stock and waiting for second pressings.)

Hank Jones The Great Jazz Trio / Last Recording (Hybrid SACD)
This is the very last recording by Hank Jones, made in Tokyo in February 2010, less than three months before his passing. The last edition of The Great Jazz Trio consisted of David Wong on bass and Lee Pearson on drums. Special guests Roy Hargrove (trumpet) and Raymond McMorrin (tenor sax) appear on two tunes each. A historic CD and a must-have for fans of Hank Jones! (Rec. 2010)

Kenny Barron Ron Carter Lenny White Super Premium Band / Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
From the mind of the producer who supported The Great Jazz Trio comes a new super-band, the Super Premium Band. Kenny Barron (p), Ron Carter (b) and Lenny White (ds) got together for the first time and recorded a wonderful set of standards and original compositions. (Rec. 2010) (Currently out of stock and waiting for next shipment.)

Brian Bromberg / Plays Hendrix
Super-bassist Brian Bromberg's tribute CD to Jimi Hendrix is a technical marvel. Using an arsenal of different basses (5 string bass, tenor bass, piccolo bass, fretless bass, etc.), effects (distortion, wowwow), overdubs and only one more musician in drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, Bromberg managed to create astonishing sounds and music that one has to hear to believe it! (Rec. 2009-2010)

Dave Frishberg / Oklahoma Toad (2CD)
This is the long out-of-print debut album by Dave Frishberg, talented jazz pianist and singer-songwriter known for his wry sense of humor. This special 2CD Japanese reissue comes with one disc containing the original CTI release and a bonus CD containing the producers' original mix and one previously unreleased track. A rare reissue indeed! (Rec. 1969)

Frank Sinatra & Count Basie / It Might As Well Be Swing (SHM-CD)
Released for the first time on superior-sounding SHM-CD (compatible with all CD players), this Japanese reissue brings back one of the best vocal-big band albums of all time! The superb singing by Frank Sinatra, the Count Basie Orchestra at its zenith, and the smart and cool arrangements by Quincy Jones combine to make a perfect record! (Rec. 1964)

Coming Soon...

• New releases from Venus Records: Steve Kuhn Trio's I Will Wait For You and singer Simone's Alomas of Hawaii!
• Latest release from Japanese pianist Junko Onishi, Baroque with Nicholas Payton, James Carter & more!
• New release from Five Stars Records: Bill Mays Trio's Stuffy Turkey with Mattias Svensson and Joe La Barbera!
• Two new releases from Spice of Life featuring Swedish singers: Marina Martensson's My Tribute To The King and Vivian Buczek's Dedication To My Giants[/i]!
• Norwegian singer Solveig Slettahjell's two CDs that wowed Japanese audiophiles: Slow Motion Orchestra and Silver!
• Italian hard bop: Roberto Gatto Quintet's Remembering Shelly #2!
• SHM-CD reissue: Marty Paich's classic big band albums The Broadway Bit and I Get A Boot Out Of YOu!
• New releases from Atelier Sawano: Manabu Onishi Trio's Wish and a very special reissue of Zoot Sims' legendary and super-rare 10-inch LP Ducretet-Thomson both on CD and 10-inch vinyl LP!
• Second batch of Universal Japan's SHM-SACDs: Bill Evans Portrait In Jazz, Miles Davis Relaxin' and Wes Montgomery The Incredible Jazz Guitar!
• Rare HQCD reissues of early leader albums of Eliane Elias: Illusions and Cross Currents

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Pre-order Opportunity for the Fourth Set of SHM-SACDs!

Universal Japan is releasing the fourth set (11 titles) of SHM-SACDs in Japan on November 24, 2010. SHM-SACDs stand for Super High Material Super-Audio CDs. They are single-layer, stereo-only SACDs pressed on special SHM discs utilizing high-quality polycarbonate material originally developed for LCD panels for the ultimate audiophile experience. They are NOT hybrid SACDs. They do NOT contain any multi-channel tracks. They require an SACD player and will NOT play on regular CD players.

This series of limited-edition SHM-SACDs will use the most recent DSD masters available to Universal Japan, and in some cases, brand-new DSD masters are created from analog master tapes.

Based on our past experience, this limited-edition series will quickly sell out, and once they are out of print, they will be available only at premium prices. So we are offering our valued customers a chance to secure their copies by pre-ordering. Eastwind Import has no plan to stock them, except for a few copies each of the jazz titles.

The price of the SHM-SACDs is $49.00 each. In addition, our regular shipping charge will apply:
 
Shipping and handling charges for US customers
$5.00 for the first CD
+$1.95 for each additional CD

Shipping and handling charges for Non-US customers including Canada
$9.00 for the first CD
+$2.50 for each additional CD

The cut-off date is Saturday, September 25, US California time. Please send an email to hajime@eastwindimport.com listing the titles you'd like to order, your name, shipping address and your PayPal email address if you have one. In return, we will send you a PayPal invoice via email which you can pay with your credit card.

Below is the list of the 11 titles to be released on November 24 in Japan:

Classical
UCGD-9006 BOHM, KARL/BRUCKNER:SYMPHONY NO.4 "ROMANTIC"/DECCA
UCGD-9007 SUWANAI, AKIKO/SIBELIUS & WALTON:VIOLIN CONCERTOS/DECCA
UCGG-9006 KLEIBER, CARLOS/BEETHOVEN:SYMPHONIS NO.5 & NO.7/DEUTSCHE

Jazz
UCGU-9006 KRALL, DIANA/WHEN I LOOK IN YOUR EYES/VERVE
UCGU-9007 KRALL, DIANA/LOOK OF LOVE/VERVE
UCGU-9008 KRALL, DIANA/GIRL IN THE OTHER ROOM/VERVE

Rock/Pops
UIGY-9048 FREE/FIRE AND WATER/ISLAND
UIGY-9049 TRAFFIC/JOHN BARLAYCORN MUST DIE/ISLAND
UIGY-9050 FAIRPORT CONVENTION/LIEGE & LIEF/ISLAND
UIGY-9051 STEWART, ROD/GASOLINE ALLEY/MERCURY
UIGY-9052 JOHN, ELTON/GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD/MERCURY

After the order is placed and payment received, we will place an order with our Japanese distributor. The SHM-SACDs will be released in Japan on November 24, and we expect to receive them shortly thereafter (a week or two). We will ship the CDs to you as soon as they arrive from Japan. In an unlikely event that we cannot fulfill this special order for some unforeseen reason, your prepayment will immediately be refunded in full.

To secure your copy from this historic and sure-to-be-sold-out series, please email us on or before Saturday, September 25! This is a FIRM deadline!

Happy listening to you all!

Hajime Sato
Eastwind Import
URL: www.eastwindimport.com
Email: hajime@eastwindimport.com

[Hajime Sato]

Latest News

CLEARANCE SALE!
Eastwind Import's first-ever clearance sale is now on for a limited time! Go to the ON SALE section of our website and you'll find CDs and LPs up to 50% off! Supplies are limited so don't wait to take advantage of this very rare event!

Temporary store closure: October 13-18
Eastwind Import will be temporarily closed from Noon, October 13th until 1am, October 18th. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Dynastrand cables
Dynastrand, a relative newcomer with many years of experience in its design team, has just relaunched its great-sounding and cost-effective audio cables with a new and improved design! Go to this page to find out all about them!

Hank Jones Jam At Basie vinyl LP back in stock!

Joint promotion with Summit AV
Buy software at Eastwind Import and earn credits toward your purchase of the award-winning OPPO Universal Blu-ray Player at Summit Audio Video (Century City, California)! For details, please see our blog.

Oct. 15-17: Eastwind Import at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest
At this year's RMAF (October 15-17 at Denver Marriott Tech Center), Eastwind Import will partner again with the very special audio manufacturer from Japan, Silicon Arts Design & Concert Fidelity, in Room 550. If you are coming to the RMAF, please stop by and say hello!

Oct. 24: Eastwind Import presents an audio show for the LAOCAS
For those of you who can't come to the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, Eastwind Import will bring the high-end system from Denver to Los Angeles and have an exclusive show for the LA & OC Audio Society! It's Sunday, October 24, exactly a week after the RMAF, at Holiday Inn, Buena Park. We'll also feature more affordable, smaller system comprising of Silicon Arts Design's tiny Micro Integration Line comonents and mhi Evidence minimonitor speakers. Eastwind Import will also bring its entire software inventory for you to purchase!

[Hajime Sato]

New Arrivals

CDs - New Recording

Steve Kuhn Trio / I Will Wait For You - The Music Of Michel Legrand
The latest Venus Records release by veteran pianist is a swinging and lyrical interpretations of Michel Legrand's music. With George Mraz (b) and Billy Drummond (ds). (Rec. 2010)

Simone & Her Hawaiian Jazz Band / Aromas Of Hawaii
Austrian singer Simone's latest is a collection of Hawaiian songs, interpreted and performed with sophisticated jazz sensibilities. The band includes top-notch American jazz musicians such as John di Martino (p) and Aaron Heick (fl)! (Rec. 2010)

Junko Onishi / Baroque
Japanese pianist returns to New York to record an ambitious album with the best American jazz musicians of her generation including Nicholas Payton (tp), James Carter (sax) and Wycliffe Gordon (tb)! (Rec. 2010)

Bill Mays Trio / Stuffy Turkey
Veteran pianist with firm roots in the jazz tradition and refreshing creativity, Bill Mays returns to Japanese label Five Stars Records with his superb trio with Mattias Svensson (b) and Joe La Barbera (ds)! (Rec. 2009)

Marina Mårtensson / My Tribute To The King
Swedish singer/songwriter's second album is a collection of songs made famous by Elvis Presley, arranged and performed with sophisticated, jazzy sensibility! (Rec. 2010)

Vivian Buczek / Dedication To My Giants
In her latest release, Swedish jazz singer pays tribute to greta jazz musicians, including Clifford Brown, Benny Golson and Miles Davis by singing their tunes. A wonderful straight ahead jazz vocal album! (Rec. 2009)

Solveig Slettahjell / Slow Motion Orchestra
Norwegian singer's strong debut album is a collection of well-known standards, interpreted with a sharp, modern sensibility and rendered with stunning and sometimes daring arrangements. Reference vocal CD for many Japanese audiophiles! (Rec. 2001)

Solveig Slettahjell / Silver
Slettahjell's second album, this time with a superb Norwegian jazz quartet, became another huge hit with Japanese audiophiles when it was released! (Rec. 2004)

Roberto Gatto Quintet / Remembering Shelly #2
Italian drummer revives the arrangements and sounds of Shelly Manne and His Men in this live recording. This is a second set of recordings to be released from a week-long engagement in a jazz club in Rome. With Max Ionata on sax and Luca Mannutza on piano! (Rec. 2009)

Manabu Ohishi Trio / Wish
Japanese independent jazz label celebrates its 100th release with this excellent piano trio CD, featuring Japanee pianist Manabu Ohishi with renowned French bassist Jean-Philippe Viret and drummer Simon Goubert. (Rec. 2010)

CDs - Rare Reissues

Zoot Sims / On Ducretet Thomson (CD)
Originally released by a minor French label with only 300 copies pressed, this album quickly became an ultimate collector's item. Now it's back in print both on CD and meticulously recreated 10-inch LP, this legendary album captures Zoot Sims at his creative peak in 1956. Many consider this to be THE BEST album he's ever recorded!

Bill Evans Trio / Portrait In Jazz (SHM-SACD)
One of the few studio-recording albums by Bill Evans' classic trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian! (Rec. 1959)

Miles Davis Quintet / Relaxin' (SHM-SACD)
One of the four "marathon session" Riverside albums by the legendary Miles Davis Quintet with John Coltrane and Red Garland. A quintessential jazz album! (Rec. 1956)

Wes Montgomery / The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (SHM-SACD)
An amazing straight ahead album by the incredible guitarist, with Tommy Flanagan, Percy Heath and Albert Heath. (Rec. 1960)

Eliane Elias / Illusions (HQCD)
Eliane Elias Cross Currents (HQCD)
The talented pianist's first two leader albums, originally released in Japan from the Denon label. Long out of print, now available again on superior-sounding HQCD! (Rec. 1986 & 1987)

Marty Paich / The Broadway Bit (SHM-CD)
Marty Paich I Get A Boot Out Of You (SHM-CD)
Now back in stock! Two great albums by Marty Paich and his West Coast all-star big band. Warner Music Japan decided to reprint these limited SHM-CD editions due to popular demand! (Rec. 1958 & 1959)

Vinyl LPs

Zoot Sims / On Ducretet Thomson (10-inch LP)
Originally released by a minor French label with only 300 copies pressed, this album quickly became an ultimate collector's item. Now it's back in print both on CD and meticulously recreated 10-inch LP, this legendary album captures Zoot Sims at his creative peak in 1956. Many consider this to be THE BEST album he's ever recorded!

Bill Evans Trio / Waltz for Debby (180g LP)
Analogue Productions 180-gram vinyl reissue of the classic piano trio album.

Bill Evans Trio / Portrait In Jazz (180g LP)
Analogue Productions 180-gram vinyl reissue of the classic piano trio album.

Miles Davis / Kind Of Blue (180g LP)
European pressing, 180-gram vinyl reissue of the classic jazz album.

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (180g LP)
Impulse! high-quality vinyl reissue series.

Lee Morgan Expoobident (180g LP)
European pressing, 180-gram vinyl reissue of this rare album: Lee Morgan (tp) with Clifford Jordan (ts), Eddie Higgins (p), Art Davis (b) and Art Blakey (ds)!

Frank Sinatra / Come Fly With Me (180g LP)
Capitol's own vinyl reissue of a classic Sinatra album. Excellent sound quality!

Frank Sinatra In The Wee Small Hours (180g LP)
Capitol's own vinyl reissue of a classic Sinatra album. This is one of his best albums!

Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington / Recording Together For The First Time (200g LP)
This Classic Records reissue LP is out of print! Just a few copies remain in stock!

Lee Morgan / The Sidewinder (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Ultimate audiophile experience! Analogue Productions' 180 gram, 45 rpm 2 LP reissue of a classic Blue Note album!

Diana Krall / When I Look In Your Eyes (180g 2LP)
ORG's excellent vinyl edition (2 LPs, 33 1/3 rpm) of a very popular Diana Krall album!

Miles Davis / Someday My Prince Will Come (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Ultimate audiophile experience! Analogue Productions' 180 gram, 45 rpm 2 LP reissue of a classic Miles Davis album!

Ella Fitzgerald / Sings The Rogers And Hart Song Book Volume 1 (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Ultimate audiophile experience! ORG's 180 gram, 45 rpm 2 LP reissue of a classic Ella Fitzgerald album!

Stan Getz / Getz Au Go Go (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Ultimate audiophile experience! ORG's 180 gram, 45 rpm 2 LP reissue of a classic Stan Getz live album featuring Astrud Gilberto!

Coming soon...

• New from Marshmallow Records: Danish pianist Heine Hansen's first CD as leader, When The Sun Comes Out with Jesper Lundgaard and Morten Lund!
• New from Spice of Life: Swedish pianist Lars Jansson's latest and his first standards recording. Profoundly beautiful!
• New from Eighty-Eight's: Hank Jones' Unpublished Anthology and Don Friedman's new trio recording Circle Waltz 21C!
• New from Birds Records: David Matthews' Manhattan Jazz Quintet Latino-Bop!
• New from King Records: Junior Mance's first piano solo album The World of Junior Mance!
• New from SwingBros: Japanese pianist Mitsuaki Kishi's duo album with the legendary Canadian bassist Neil Swainson!
• From Denmark: Pianist Carsten Dahl's Oscar Peterson tribute album Tribute to Night Train with Jesper Bodilsen and Peterson's original drummer Ed Thigpen!
• From Italy: Exciting and hip new CD by tenor saxophonist Max Ionata and his Organ Trio, featuring guest trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso!

Happy listening to you all![/list]

[Hajime Sato]

Universal Japan is releasing the fifth set (15 titles) of SHM-SACDs in Japan on December 15, 2010. SHM-SACDs stand for Super High Material Super-Audio CDs: Single-layer, stereo-only SACDs pressed on special SHM discs utilizing high-quality polycarbonate material originally developed for LCD panels for the ultimate audiophile experience. They are NOT hybrid SACDs. They do NOT contain any multi-channel tracks. They require an SACD player and will NOT play on regular CD players.

This series of limited-edition SHM-SACDs will use the most recent DSD masters available to Universal Japan, and in some cases, brand-new DSD masters are created from analog master tapes.

Based on our past experience, this limited-edition series will quickly sell out, and once they are out of print, they will be available only at premium prices. So we are offering our valued customers a chance to secure their copies by pre-ordering. Eastwind Import has no plan to stock them, except for a few copies each of the jazz titles.

The price of the SHM-SACDs is $49.00 each. In addition, our regular shipping charge will apply:
 
Shipping and handling charges for US customers
$5.00 for the first CD
+$1.95 for each additional CD

Shipping and handling charges for Non-US customers including Canada
$9.00 for the first CD
+$2.50 for each additional CD

We apologize for the VERY short notice, but the cut-off date is Monday, October 25, US California time. Please send an email to hajime@eastwindimport.com listing the titles you'd like to order, your name, shipping address and your PayPal email address if you have one. In return, we will send you a PayPal invoice via email which you can pay with your credit card.

Below is the list of the 11 titles to be released on December 15 in Japan:

Classical
UCGD-9008 SZELL, GEORGE/BEETHOVEN:SYMPHONY NO.5/SIBELIUS:SYM/DECCA   
UCGD-9013 GERGIEV, VALERY/MUSSORGSKY(RAVEL):PICTURES AT AN EXH/DECCA
UCGD-9014 HASKIL, CLARA/MOZART:PIANO CONCERTOS NOS.20 & 24/DECCA
UCGG-9007 POLLINI, MAURIZIO/CHOPIN:POLONAISES/DEUTSCHE
UCGG-9008 THIELEMANN, CHRISTIAN/R.STRAUSS:EINE ALPENSINFONIE/DEUTSCHE

Jazz
UCGU-9009 COLTRANE, JOHN/BALLADS/IMPULSE
UCGU-9010 MERRILL, HELEN/WITH CLIFFORD BROWN/EMARCY
UCGU-9011 PETERSON, OSCAR/WE GET REQUESTS/VERVE
UCGU-9012 EVANS, BILL/AT THE MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL/VERVE
UCGU-9013 MONTGOMERY, WES/A DAY IN THE LIFE/A&M

Rock/Pops
UIGY-9053 KINKS, THE/ARE VILLAGE GREEN/SANCTUARY
UIGY-9054 WONDER, STEVIE/ SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE/MOTOWN
UIGY-9055 STYLE COUNCIL, THE/CAFE BLEU/POLYDOR
UIGY-9056 WHITESNAKE/COME AN' GET IT/SUNBURST
UIGY-9057 GENTLE GIANT/ OCTOPUS/VERTIGO

After the order is placed and payment received, we will place an order with our Japanese distributor. The SHM-SACDs will be released in Japan on December 15, and we expect to receive them shortly thereafter (a week or two). We will ship the CDs to you as soon as they arrive from Japan. In an unlikely event that we cannot fulfill this special order for some unforeseen reason, your prepayment will immediately be refunded in full.

To secure your copy from this historic and sure-to-be-sold-out series, please email us on or before Monday, October 25! This is a FIRM deadline!

Happy listening to you all!

Hajime Sato
Eastwind Import
URL: www.eastwindimport.com
Email: hajime@eastwindimport.com

[Hajime Sato]

Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (Oct. 15-17) was a smashing success for Eastwind Import and its partner, Silicon Arts Design & Concert Fidelity! Thank you to those who stopped by at our Room 550!
 
For those of you who couldn't come to the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, Eastwind Import will bring the high-end system from Denver to Los Angeles and have an exclusive show for the LA & OC Audio Society! It's this Sunday, October 24, starting at 1pm at Holiday Inn, Buena Park!
 
Featured gear includes Silicon Arts Design & Concert Fidelity's top-of-the-line electronics (modified Denon DP3000 turntable, brand-new SPA-4C phonostage, tube-based DAC and linestage, and solid-state monoblock power amps) driving the gorgeous Kaiwer Kawero loudspeakers from Germany via the excellent cables from Cable Research Lab (CRL). This will be a state-of-the-art presentation!
 
We'll also feature more affordable, smaller system comprising of Silicon Arts Design's tiny Micro Integration Line comonents and the wonderful mhi Evidence minimonitor speakers.
 
On top of that, Eastwind Import will also bring its entire software inventory for you to purchase! Don't forget to bring your wallet, checkbook or credit card!
 
We'll have a grand raffle with great prizes, too!

• Silicon Arts Design Micro Integration Line Preamplifier (MSRP $1,580) AND Power Amplifier (MSRP $1,420). $3000 Grand Prize!!
• Exclusive 5-CD set from Eastwind Import!
• A set of Bronze Series CRL Cables (2 pairs of interconnects and a pair of speaker cables: package MSRP $895)!
• Custom cables from WyWire ($800-1000)!
• Martin Logan a Grotto i Sub-woofer ($1495 list)!

If you are in the area, please come to this great event and enjoy the great sound and great music!

[Hajime Sato]

New CD Releases

Heine Hansen / When The Sun Comes Out
Young and talented Danish pianist's debut CD from Marshmallow Records! With Jesper Lundgaard (b) and Morten Lund (ds). (Rec. 2010)

Lars Jansson / What's New
The first (mostly) standards album by one of the most prominent European jazz pianist is one of the best piano trio releases of 2010! (Rec. 2010)

Hank Jones / The Memorial - Unpublished Anthology (Hybrid SACD)
Eighty-Eight's collection of unpublished recordings by Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio celebrates the legacy of the late master pianist. (Rec. 2004-2010)

Don Friedman Trio / Circle Waltz 21C (Hybrid SACD)
Veteran pianist revisits his career-defining composition "Circle Waltz" with a golden trio with George Mraz (b) and Lewis Nash (ds). (Rec. 2010)

Manhattan Jazz Quintet / Latino-Bop
Pianist and arranger David Matthews' all-star group performs well-known Latin songs with hard-bop arrangements! Long-time member Lew Soloff, Andy Snitzer and Victor Lewis welcome new bassist Francois Moutin! (Rec. 2010)

Junior Mance Solo Piano / The World Of Junior Mance
Veteran pianist's first solo piano album showcases his pianistic artistry: elegance, relaxed swing, soulfullness, a deep sense of blues and more than a touch of the gospel feel. (Rec. 2009)

Mitsuaki Kishi with Neil Swainson / Incentive
Japanese swing-style pianist plays a tasteful and swinging program of standards with top Canadian bassist Neil Swainson. The beautiful sound of the custome-made Fazioli piano is also a star of this intimate CD. (Rec. 2010)

Carsten Dahl Jesper Bodilsen Ed Thigpen / Tribute To Night Train
Danish pianist pays tribute to The Oscar Peterson Trio's classic album which influenced him deeply, with his long-time mentor and friend Ed Thigpen who was the original member of the Peterson Trio. (Rec. 2007)

Max Ionata Organ 3 + Fabrizio Bosso Coffee Time
One of the most exciting tenor saxophonists on the scene today, Max Ionata reinvents the familiar format of organ-based quartet with contemporary sensibilities and modern beats. Also featured is the fabulous trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso! (Rec. 2010)

Audiophile CD Reissues

Audio Wave-Blue Note XRCD24 Reissues
Lou Donaldson / LD+3 (XRCD24)
Johnny Coles / Little Johnny C (XRCD24)
Dexter Gordon / Doin' Allright (XRCD24)
Lee Morgan / Tom Cat (XRCD24)

Japanese pressing Hybrid SACDs
Miles Davis / Kind Of Blue (Hybrid SACD)
Miles Davis / Sketches Of Spain (Hybrid SACD)

Audiophile Vinyl LPs

Hank Jones The Great Jazz Trio / Last Recording (LP)
John Lee Hooker / It Serve You Right To Suffer (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Count Basie And The Kansas City 7 (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Freddie Hubbard The Body & The Soul (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Duke Ellington & John Coltrane (180g 45rpm 2LP)
John Coltrane A Love Supreme (180g 45rpm 2LP)
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Ella Fitzgerald / Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! (180g LP)
Sergio Mendes / Timeless (180g 2LP)
Keith Jarrett Gary Peacock Jack DeJohnette / Tribute (180g 2LP)
Miles Davis / Seven Steps To Heaven (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Nat King Cole / St. Louis Blues (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Nat King Cole / Just One Of Those Things (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Nat King Cole / Where Did Everyone Go? (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Nat King Cole / The Very Thought Of You (180g 45rpm 2LP)
Nat King Cole / After Midnight (180g 45rpm 3LP)

Coming soon...

• More SHM-SACD reissues from Universal Japan: Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus, Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section and more!
• New from Venus Records: Singer Alexis Cole's second CD backed by the all-star band One For All!
• CTI+RVG SHM-CD reissue series: Freddie Hubbard Red Clay and Stanley Turrentine Sugar!
• Two CDs by my favorite bassist/singer Kristin Korb!
• Venus Records Masterpice Collection: Gate-fold paper jacket reissue of Satolu Oda and Hank Jones Great Jazz Quintet Just Friends featuring Slide Hampton, Andy McKay and Lewis Nash!
• A new discovery! Canadian singer Diana Paton's lovely CDs to be available at Eastwind Import!
• Terashima Yasukuni's special compilation CD for audiophiles: For Jazz Audio Fans Only Vol. 3!
• Terri Lyne Carrington's female all-star album The Mosaic Project featuring Esperanza Spaulding, Cassandra Wilson, Diane Reeves and many more!
• Audiophiles' favorite vocal-piano duo album now back on CD: Radka Toneff & Steve Dobrogosz Fairytales!
• Rare reissues on 24-bit remastered CD: Hank Jones The Talented Touch & Porgy And Bess plus Jimmy Rowles Rare But Well Done!
• 24-bit remastered from the original analog masters on SHM-CD: Hank Jones Solo 1976 - A Tribute To Duke Ellington & Trio 1979 - Live In Japan with George Duvivier & Shelly Manne!
• Long out of print and impossible to find, two JVC XRCD24 titles now available in limited quantities: Hiroko Kokubu New York Uncovered and Malta Manhattan In Blue!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

New Arrivals at Eastwind Import

New Recordings - CDs

Alexis Cole with One For All / You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
Jazz singer Alexis Cole's second release from Venus Records features New York's all-star band One For All, led by Eric Alexander and David Hazeltine!

Kristin Korb / Why Can't You Behave
Kristin Korb / In The Meantime
Two fabulous CDs by my favorite bassist/singer based in Los Angeles, Kristin Korb! Both features her core trio with Llew Matthews on piano and Steve Barnes on drums. Swinging and intelligently arranged, straight-ahead jazz! Guest musicians include Larry Koonse (guitar), Andy Martin (trombone) and Bob Sheppard (sax).

Diana Panton / Yesterday Perhaps
Diana Panton / If The Moon Turns GreenDiana Panton / Pink
Diana Panton is a fast-rising jazz singer from Hamilton, Canada. She has a pure, sensitive and soulful voice, reminding me of the coquettishness and inventiveness of Blossom and the relaxed assuredness of Irene Kral. She is beautifully and skillfully accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Don Thompson and guitarist Reg Stewart (plus trumpeter Guido Basso on Pink), master musicians who worked extensively with George Shearing. Eastwind Import is proud to be the first retailer to carry her first three CDs in the U.S.!

Various Artists / Yasukuni Terashima Presents: For Jazz Audio Fans Only Vol. 3 (CD)
Japanese jazz and audio guru Terashima Yasukuni's third compilation CD that collects superb-sounding new recordings by top European, American and Japanese jazz musicians. Fabulous sound and great music! (Rel. 2010)

Terri Lyne Carrington / The Mosaic Project
Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington's ambitious The Mosaic Project features all-female all-stars including Esperanza Spaulding, Cassandra Wilson, Diane Reeves, Geri Allen, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Anat Cohen, Carmen Lundy, Gretchen Parlato, Tineke Postma, Ingrid Sensen, Patrice Rushen and Helen Sung. Strong and inspired performances combined with high production values make for a very satisfying listening experience! (Rec. 2010)

SHM-CD audiophile reissues
Hank Jones - 24 bit remastered in 2010 from the original analog master tapes!
Hank Jones / Solo 1976 - A Tribute To Duke Ellington (SHM-CD)
The piano master's first recording made in Japan, this is a superb-sounding studio recording of solo piano performances of Ellington tunes. Thanks to the clear and dynamic recording, we can appreciate all of Hank Jones' pianistic artistry! (Rec. 1976)
Hank Jones / Trio 1979 +1 (SHM-CD)
A great live recording of a concert by the master pianist's trio featuring George Duvivier on bass and Shelly Manne on drums! Inspired, swinging performances by three master musicians now reissued with superb sound quality! (Rec. 1979)

SHM-CD audiophile reissues
CTI+RVG Ultimate Remastering Series - 2009 reissue supervised by Creed Taylor and remastered by Rudy Van Gelder - Limited Edition SHM-CDs!
Freddie Hubbard / Red Clay (SHM-CD)
Stanley Turrentine / Sugar (SHM-CD)

SHM-SACD reissues from Universal Japan
The ultimate in digital audio! Single-layer, two-channel only SACD pressed on special, Super High Material SACD!
Sonny Rollins / Saxophone Colossus (SHM-SACD)
Art Pepper / Meets The Rhythm Section (SHM-SACD)

Blu-spec CD audiophile reissue
Miles Davis / Kind of Blue (Blu-spec CD)
Re-pressed and back in stock, the limited Blu-spec CD edition based on 2006 DSD masters, is now in paper sleeve! This is a great-sounding disc that, according to some, sounds even better than the SACD!

[Hajime Sato]

Rare Reissues - CDs

Satolu Oda and Hank Jones Great Jazz Quintet / Just Friends
Swing Journal Gold Disc! A 1994 recording by a superb quintet co-led by Japanese saxophonist Satolu Oda and Hank Jones, featuring Slide Hampton on trombone and Lewis Nash on drums! Limited, paper-sleeve reissue edition released by Venus Records. (Rec. 1994)

Radka Toneff & Steve Dobrogosz / Fairytales
Norwegian singer's last album is a beautiful and haunting duo with pianist Steve Dobrogosz. A favorite vinyl LP of audiophiles is reissued on CD! (Rec. 1982)

Hank Jones / Porgy And Bess
Hank Jones' rare Capitol album, now reissued on CD, is an early jazz adaptation of the famous Gershwin musical. With Kenny Burrell (g), Milt Hinton (b) and Elvin Jones (ds). (Rec. 1958)

Hank Jones / The Talented Touch
Hank Jones' rare Capitol album, now reissued on CD, is a wonderful collection of standards with the support of Barry Galbraith (g), Milt Hinton (b) and Osie Johnson (ds). (Rec. 1958)

Jimmy Rowles Rare But Well Done
Talented but constantly underrated pianist, Jimmy Rowles recorded this, his first album as a leader at age 36. A great trio date with Red Mitchell (b) and Art Madigan (ds). (Rec. 1954)

Coming Soon...

• Long out of print and impossible to find, two JVC XRCD24 titles now available in limited quantities: Hiroko Kokubu New York Uncovered and Malta Manhattan In Blue!
• Jan Lundgren's Blue Lights, a beautifully recorded trio album originally released in 2003 as limited-edition CD and quickly went out of print, is now re-released by Marshmallow for all to enjoy. It's Hajime's favorite Jan Lundgren album![
• Hank Jones' never-before-released live recording, taken from the 1979 concert in Japan with George Duvivier and Shelly Manne, is now available on SHM-SACD and limited-edition vinyl LP!
• New release from Venus Records: French singer Cyrille Aimeé and Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo's soulful duo album Just The Two Of Us!
• Talented American singer who lives in Japan, Tiffany's latest release from Eighty-Eight's is a two-disc album featuring straight ahead jazz (the "Ruby" disc) and contemporary jazz (the "Sapphire" disc). A rare 2-disc Hybrid SACD set sourced from pure DSD recording!
• Young Japanese-American saxophonist based in Los Angeles, Hitomi's third album featuring great tenorman Ernie Watts as a guest musician!
• Italian neo-hard bop group High Five,co-led by fabulous trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso, releases its latest album Split Kick featuring great tunes by Horace Silver and others!
• Japanese pianist Tadataka Unno's second New York recording features Hassan J.J. Shakur (b), Jimmy Cobb (ds) and special guest Frank Wess!
• New releases from Atelier Sawano: French bassist Jean Philippe Viret's new album Pour and German drummer Wolfgang Haffner International Jazz Quintet's 1991 recording Whatever It Is!
• Danish pianist Magnus Hjorth's studio trio recording Plastic Moon!
• Two new released from M&I: A young, bright pianist and rising star, Kris Bowers' first leader album Blue In Green, and veteran pianist Llew Matthews[/i]' latest studio album Tara's Theme!
• More Univerasal SHM-SACD reissues: Steely Dan, The Rolling Stones, The Style Council, Diana Krall, John Coltrane, Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Latest News

All of us at Eastwind Import wish you a very happy, swinging new year!

Universal Japan's critically acclaimed series of SHM-SACDs received Positive Feedback Online's 2010 Brutus Award!

Eastwind Import will be temporarily closed from noon, January 4 until 1am, January 10. We'll be at T.H.E. Show Las Vegas (Jan. 5-9) at The Flamingo Hotel (Conference Room F) to support the Japanese high end audio manufacturer Concert Fidelity. If you plan to visit CES or T.H.E. Show, please stop by and say hello!

Happy listening to you all!

[Hajime Sato]

Latest News

Winners of Jazz Critique Magazine's 2010 Jazz Audio Disc Awards

The Japanese jazz magazine's annual Jazz Audio Disc Awards recognize the best-sounding CDs released during the year. This year, several titles we carry received honors. Congratulations to the artists, producers and labels!

Winner of Best Sound Instrumental Category Silver Award
Magnus Hjorth Trio Plastic Moon
A fabulous piano trio recording with outstanding clarity and resolution!

Winner of Best Sound Vocal Category Silver Award
Diana Panton / Pink
Rising Canadian singer's third album features guitarist Reg Schwager, multi-instrumentalist Don Thompson and trumpeter Guido Basso. The fabulous recording captures the intimacy of this small group and Diana's wonderful voice.

Honorable mentions:
Best Sound Instrumental Category
High Five / Split Kick
Best Sound Vocal Category
Diana Panton / If The Moon Turns Green
Lisa Wahlandt / Stay A While
Best Original Composition Category
Lars Jansson / What's New
Mathias Algotsson Trio / New Traditions
Kris Bowers / Blue In Green
Best Jacket Design Category
Alexis Cole with One For All / You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

Happy listening to you all!