Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio – A Shade of Blue (2LPs, Evolution Music Group)

The Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio is a fixture in the collections of audiophile jazz piano enthusiasts. The releases on the Three Blind Mice label made Yamamoto, the former house musician at the Tokyo jazz club Misty, known worldwide in the scene, and his debut album Midnight Sugar from 1974 achieved cult status. With “A Shade of Blue”, the Evolution Music Group is now releasing a current treat from the trio, which was recorded live at the Gotanda Cultural Center in Tokyo in 2021. A mixture of timeless jazz standards, catchy pop songs and striking original compositions is played; the excellent chemistry between the three musicians is intensely noticeable in every track and is simply fun.