Tag: Wewantsounds

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Music

Ryuichi Sakamoto – Coda LP (Black) + 2p insert and OBI strip

On October 11, 2024, a masterpiece will be released by our friends by Wewantsounds.  We never doubt the impeccable quality of their releases, but as I am now the owner of a Rega turntable, I have more and more reason to eschew CDs and build up the vinyl collection.  From the label’s press release:

“Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the release of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s classic LP “Coda”, issued in Japan in 1983 as a solo piano version of the “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” soundtrack. The album, which was never been released outside of Japan until now, sees Sakamoto on acoustic piano reinterpreting fascinating versions of his famous soundtrack including the classic theme and “Germination,” which was later used in the “Call Me By Your Name” soundtrack. This reissue has been remastered by Seigen Ono’sSaidera Mastering studio in Tokyo and boasts the original artwork plus a 4-page insert with new liner notes by Andy Beta.”

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Music

Steve Beresford – Dancing the Lines – Gatefold sleeve and 2p Insert (Black Vinyl)

Our friends at Wewantsounds have dug deep for this one, and of course, they have found gold.  This album, available from the label as a vinyl-only release, sits in a strange apex of electronic music, soul, pop, jazz and the avant-garde, which is the first genre I would have associated with Steve Beresford.

This is an album you can don your smoking jacket for.  Swanky, well-produced and an elegant listen.

You can purchase the album here.

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Music

Norio Maeda “Rock Communication Yagibushi” LP – Gatefold sleeve and 2pp Insert (Black Vinyl)

Folks, this is another stunner from our friends at Wewantsounds!  Norio Maeda’s sound crosses funky Blaxploitation grooves with music you would find from a 70s ‘krimi’ soundtrack out of Italy or Germany.  Expect to find heavyweight vinyl with gorgeous packaging.  This one is NOT to be missed!  Check out the Youtube link above to get a taste of what is coming your way.

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Music

Fumio Itabashi – Watarase

Our friends over at Wewantsounds have released a post-bop gem by pianist Fumio Itabashi which will be available in April 5th, 2024.  From their Bandcamp site:

“Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Fumio Itabashi’s sought-after album “Watarase” hailed as one of the great Japanese jazz albums and featuring Itabashi on piano playing an inspired mix of standards and originals. Recorded in 1981 for Denon and released the following year, the album has since reached cult status among jazz connoisseurs, thanks to Itabashi’s inventive piano playing and to its cult title track, a superb soulful and spiritual composition. Newly remastered by Nippon Columbia using their ORT mastering technology, the album reissue features original artwork including a 2 page insert with a new introduction by Paul Bowler.”

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Music

Brion Gysin – Junk

Never, ever did I expect this artifact of Beat weirdness, cut-ups and free improv to get reissued, but then again, how many record labels are as brave in their choices as Wewantsounds is?

From the label’s Bandcamp site:

“Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Brion Gysin’s cult avant funk album produced by Ramuntcho Matta in the early 80’s. The hugely influential Gysin who, with his friend William Burroughs, was revered by the likes of David Bowie, Brian Jones, Laurie Anderson, Genesis P-Orridge, is accompanied here by Matta – on his return from a two-year spell in New York – and French post punk stalwarts Yann Le Ker (from the group Modern Guy) and Frederic Cousseau (from Suicide Romeo) plus special guests including Don Cherry, Elli Medeiros, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Caroline Loeb and Senegalese drummer Prosper Niang (Xalam). This is the first time the album is reissued, newly remastered from the original tapes. “

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Music

Various Artists – Inner Peace: Rare Spiritual Funk And Jazz Gems

As I have to stay home due to a nasty cold, I thought I’d explore some older releases.  Our dear friends at Wewantsounds released this compilation of spiritual jazz in 2017, and it sounds as fresh as ever.  Some of the giants featured on this album include Harold Land, Roy Haynes and Shelly Manne, but each track is solid.

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Music

Luther Thomas Human Arts Ensemble – Funky Donkey Vol. 1

Yet another vinyl masterpiece, reissued to perfection, comes to us from Wewantsounds.  This gem features a big player in the St. Louis jazz scene, Luther Thomas.  From the label’s press release:

“A gang reunion, an effort of revitalization, a headbangers’ blowout, a legendary “lost” recording, a snapshot of its time, prophetic of sounds to come – Funky Donkey is all those things, but worth attention most ’cause after 50 years it’s still fun to hear. Alto saxophonist-ringleader Luther Thomas and his St. Louis cohort comprising the Human Arts Ensemble live large on this album, conveying as if right now the sense of adventure, ambition, spontaneity and freedom resulting in a hard-core musical experience, suggesting others try the same.

In the early 1970s the St. Louis jazz scene had enjoyed a renaissance and suffered a talent-drain. It was known then and today for the Black Artists’ Group, a cooperative which, through a local arts support program generated in part by the great dancer-choreographer-ethnographer Katherine Dunham’s Performing Arts Training Center had given rise to composer-saxophonists Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake and Hamiett Bluiett (later, 3/4s of the World Saxophone Quartet) among many other creative musicians, dance and theater troupes and new arts presenters.”

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Music Music Promo

Akiko Yano – To Ki Me Ki

There is no better way to tell the story of this gorgeous and lovingly remastered release by Akiko Yano than to let our dear friends at Wewantsounds to explain it for themselves:

“Wewantsounds is proud to continue its Akiko Yano reissue series with the release of the singer’s third studio album ‘To Ki Me Ki’, recorded in New York and originally issued in 1978 in Japan. It follows her cult “Iroha Ni Konpeitou” LP and retains a similar blend of Japanese pop and New York funk. “To Ki Me Ki” features such musicians as Rick Marotta, Will Lee and David Spinozza and also programmer Hideki Matsutake who would soon join the YMO with Akiko for their international 1979/1980 tour before she recorded her next studio album “Tadaima” that year, featuring the YMO musicians. “To Ki Me Ki” is reissued outside of Japan for the first time, remastered in Tokyo by revered engineer Mitsuo Koike and featuring original artwork by Tsutomu Murakami with 4 page colour insert and new liner notes by Paul Bowler.

1978 was a key year for Japanese Music. Yellow Magic Orchestra was about to release their ground-breaking debut album. All musicians involved had also released key solo albums that year (Sakamoto with “Thousand Knives“, Takahashi with “Saravah” and Hosono with “Paraiso“). Akiko Yano  (who would soon join the YMO on tour for their first international tour) was no exception, releasing the brilliant “To Ki Me Ki”. Having started her career with a bang recording “Japanese Girl” in 1976 with Little Feat, Akiko had quickly established herself as a leading force on the Japanese music scene.”

Read the rest of the promo material here. This is rightly seen as a timeless record.

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Music

Ayako Shinozaki – Music Now For Harp

Great news, yet again, has been provided to us by our dear friends at Wewantsounds!  From their Bandcamp site:

“Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the first international reissue of Ayako Shinozaki’s hard to find LP “Music Now For Harp” released in 1974 by Nippon Columbia. The LP was released on the label’s cult “Master Sonic” series and features Shinozaki’s harp soundscape on works by renowned composer Toru Takemitsu and Katsuhiro Tsubono. The highlight of the album is the spaced-out, ethereal 25-min ambient epic ‘Heterodyne’ featuring cult musician Takehisa Kosugi (Taj Mahal Travellers, Group Ongaku) on electric violin and sound waves. The album has been newly remastered by Nippon Columbia and is reissued here with its original artwork designed by legendary Japanese graphic designer Kohei Sugiura. It includes a 2 page insert with new liner notes by Alan Cummings.

Japanese harpist Ayako Shinozaki was born in Japan in 1946 into a musical family. Her father was a renowned violonist and teacher and she started playing the violin under his wing before switching to harp. She first studied in Japan, then at Julliard in New York and, upon her return in Japan in the early 1970s, she launched her yearly “Harp No Koten” recital (the first or which took place in 1972) with the idea of pushing the boundaries of the instrument and delves into the more experimental side of the spectrum following the recent steps that had been made by Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane to get the instrument out of the classical music ghetto.”

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Music

Akiko Yano – Iroha Ni Konpeitou – LP Deluxe Edition with 4p insert and OBI strip

The ever-fantastic Wewantsounds is giving the gold-star treatment to Akiko Yano, wife of the recently departed Ryuichi Sakamoto and fine musician in her own right, collaborating with Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi, David Sylvian, Mick Karn, Charlie Haden, Bill Frisell, Thomas Dolby, and a host of others. From the label’s Bandcamp site:

“Wewantsounds continues its Akiko Yano reissue programme with the release of “Iroha Ni Konpeitou,” another superb Akiko Yano album and one of her funkiest, highlighting her unmissable singing and songwriting talents. Recorded in Tokyo and New York City, the album features a superb line up of the best musicians from both cities including Haruomi Hosono, Shigeru Suzuki, Tatsuo Hayashi, Rick Marotta and Will Lee. It sees Yano mixing Japanese pop with funk and a touch of electronics, playing a wide array of keyboards programmed by YMO synth wizard Hideki Matsutake. This is the first time the album is released outside of Japan and this deluxe LP edition includes an OBI card, remastered sound plus the original 4-page insert with poster, lyrics and full line-up.”