Back catalogue: Funk

Review: ***B-STOCK: Record has light surface marks/scratches, otherwise in excellent working condition***


Jazz collectors rejoice, as this incredibly rare and sought after 1975 release is finally getting its first western release. Previously a Japan-exclusive with soaring resale prices, now everyone can enjoy the bumping bass and clean brass of this Jazz-rock classic. The instrumentation is as crisp as they come from the very first note on 'Painted Paradise' with its head bumping saxophone solos. Inagaki's Soul Media crafted a soulful masterpiece at the height of Japan's obsession with American music in the 70s, with this record even including a cover of Kool & The Gang's 'Funky Stuff', turning the disco-jazz into a slow funk-filled jam. A much-needed repressing of a must-listen record.

Review: Fresh reissued magic of Funky Stuff, formerly a rare exquisite by jazzmaster Jiro Inagaki, originally released in 1975. An enduring, pioneering fusion of jazz, funk, soul and rock - with influences from Herbie Hancock, James Brown and Santana - the album features some of the best and most acclaimed Japanese musicians of the time, enlisting the talent-wares of Hiromasa Suzuki on keyboards, Akira Ishikawa on drums and Takeru Muraoka on sax. Now on a unique clear pink vinyl, it too could be yours.

Review: Jazz collectors rejoice, as this incredibly rare and sought after 1975 release is finally getting its first western release. Previously a Japan-exclusive with soaring resale prices, now everyone can enjoy the bumping bass and clean brass of this Jazz-rock classic. The instrumentation is as crisp as they come from the very first note on 'Painted Paradise' with its head bumping saxophone solos. Inagaki's Soul Media crafted a soulful masterpiece at the height of Japan's obsession with American music in the 70s, with this record even including a cover of Kool & The Gang's 'Funky Stuff', turning the disco-jazz into a slow funk-filled jam. A much-needed repressing of a must-listen record.

Review: A long-time-coming reissue of a lesser known live funk album, showcasing the deft J-funk stylings of the genre's foremost legend Jiro Inagaki on the A - as well as lesser-spotted curios from fellow artists Taeko Morino, Eddy Clan and Akira Ishikawa on the B. Packed with futuristic synths and boasting a rather dry, untainted sound, we're most impressed by Morino's slow Anglophone ballad, which we'd describe as most haunting and mesmerising.

Review: Little is documented about the creators of 1975's Funky Stuff. Jiro Inagaki and his band's legacy is almost entirely musical, devoid of the personal details that often accompany jazz musicians. To understand this album, it must be placed within its cultural context. Japan's jazz scene, one of the largest per capita, has faced accusations of imitation and unoriginality. However, Inagaki's work, particularly in the late '60s and early '70s fusion era, defies these stereotypes. Inagaki's genre-blending began with 1970's Head Rock, less experimental than Bitches Brew but equally dynamic. By 1975, Inagaki had embraced funk, culminating in Funky Stuff. The album, laden with rich bass-lines, wah-wah pedals, and layered percussion, opens with the danceable 'Painted Paradise'. Pianist Hiromasa Suzuki, who wrote most tracks, shines, especially on the melancholic 'Breeze' and the bossa-nova 'Gentle Wave'. Covers like Kool & The Gang's 'Funky Stuff' and Wayne Henderson's 'Scratch' are highlights. Funky Stuff joyously engages with funk's rhythms, making it a delightful hidden gem.

Review: Japan meets funky disco in an explosive fusion led by maestro Jiro Inagaki here on a classic album that gets a worthy reissue. In a particularly inspired year during which he also released Funky Stuff on Nippon Columbia, Inagaki masterfully reinterprets tracks by Quincy Jones, Commodores, Graham Central Station, B.T. Express, Kool and The Gang, Stevie Wonder, Sly and The Family Stone, Ohio Players, Ripple, and Billy Preston on this one. He does so in collaboration with Hiromasa Suzuki, a prominent name in Japanese jazz, and seasoned session musicians who add their own spice. Inagaki brings a fresh, danceable sound here with a broad mix of inspirations from jazz to city pop all shining through.

Review: Japanese jazzmasuta Jiro Inagaki is graced by a stunning new tribute album via 180g, Legends, which celebrates his 90th birthday in 16-track compilation form. Made up entirely of works made between 1968 and 1980, and selected by DJ and producer Yusuke Ogawa, this is an album made almost entirely of Jiro's best-known instrumentals, not least a formerly unreleased version of the standout 'Express'. The recordings are impeccable, and this is a standard which does not waver over the entire 12-year period this LP spans.