Credits:

Kobayashi Yoichi

Description:

The birth of a new album that shows the musical achievements of Yoichi Kobayashi & JJM. Drummer Yoichi Kobayashi's Japanese Jazz Messengers (JJM) have completed their latest album. It is no exaggeration to say that in the 40 years since the quintet was formed, the group's performance has reached the pinnacle of its current level, having made constant progress over the course of more than a dozen albums. On March 11, the 2018 edition of the bop concert Kobayashi hosts every year was held with the Hiroshi Murata Bop Band, and a studio recording was completed shortly thereafter. This time, in addition to the four regular members (Taniden tp, Harakawa as, Takubo p, Koutaro b), four guests commissioned by Kobayashi (Mike Zachanak tp, Okano Omu as, Lynn Heytes p, Ikejiri Hiroshi b) participated depending on the piece, which further enriched the sound. The hard bop acoustic four-beat, swing rhythm that Yoichi Kobayashi constantly insists on is consistently retained on all nine tracks of this album.

Tracklisting:

1. CLOSE YOUR EYES /BERNICE PETKERE 5:38
2. FIESTA ESPANOLA/CEDAR WALTON 5:53
3. HANKY PANKY/DEXTER GORDON 5:12
4. BU'S DELIGHT/CURTIS FULLER 5:45
5. SOUNDS GOOD/YOICHI KOBAYASHI 5:17
6. QUICK SILVER/HORACE SILVER 5:44
7. THESE ARE SOULFUL DAYS /CALVIN “CALMASSEY 6:15
8. CITY OF LIGHTS/TONY WILLIAMS 5:12
9. SKYLARK/HOAGY CARMICHAEL 6:19