Right as we hit the last of my initial batch of Japanese jazz, LaserCD went and got another shipment in. I already made my order, but you want to support a cool shop (Ken also runs the Sensory label, dedicated to cool progressive music from the likes of Ice Age and the most recent Øresund Space Collective), you can can check out the selection here. In the meantime we’re wrapping up Season 1 of my exploration with Recital, which captures the 1976 Grand Prix Award concert by Sadao Watananbe. This is funky smooth jazz writ large, swinging and cutting loose with shaggy solos and a firm sense of where they are what they want to bring. This isn’t far-reaching exploratory jazz that’s going to shake your world, but it is going to make your feet tap and perhaps bring a small, much-needed smile.

Also DAMN look at that cover. That is a dude living his best life right there.

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