Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio – Blues for K (2LPs, AudioNautes) [One Step]

Since his impressive 1974 debut on the legendary Three Blind Mice label, Japanese pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto has built a career spanning four decades. On “Blues For K,” the spirit of the legendary TBM era is palpable in every note played by his trio. This reunion session, dedicated to the legendary TBM sound engineer Yoshihiko Kannari, was recorded on June 20, 2022, at Kannari’s private studio (Studio Lion) in Nasu, Tochigi. No one captures the magic of this exceptional trio, which also includes Hiroshi Kagawa (bass) and Hisao Osumi (drums), quite like Kannari. On “Blues For K,” they deliver a captivating performance, showcasing their unparalleled musical synergy.

The trio delivers a thrilling performance and demonstrates their unparalleled musical synergy. The trio captivates with exquisite interpretations of diverse jazz styles, radiating a timeless elegance that blends melodic sophistication with rhythmic finesse. Every note is imbued with emotion, transporting the listener to a mesmerizing soundscape. Of course, it is Yamamoto who holds the reins, demonstrating that his sense of space and timing has only grown more remarkable over the years. For him, it’s never about the material he selects, but rather how he and his trio tease out the essence of the piece and how that trio is recorded—a crucial aspect of Tsuyoshi’s recordings in the 1970s.

Yamamoto is, of course, the driving force, demonstrating that his sense of space and timing has only grown more remarkable over the years. AudioNautes celebrates the collaboration between the Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio and Yoshihiko Kannari, who revolutionized the jazz sound, with a sonically outstanding, limited-edition, numbered double LP (1,000 copies). This release brings together the two original vinyl versions, “Blues For K, Vol. 1” and “Blues For K, Vol. 2,” for the first time in an elaborate box set – including a comprehensive booklet with photos of the featured artists and insightful liner notes about the musicians and the recording sessions by AudioNautes head Fabio Camorani. The vinyl was pressed in a one-step process at Optimal Media on 180-gram vinyl and is cut at 45 rpm. Scott Hull (Masterdisk) is responsible for the sonically brilliant remastering from the original master tapes.