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Review: BBE's on going love for Japanese jazz has spawned several superb compilations of late. This is the fourth such volume of their J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan series and it is sub-titled The Nippon Columbia label 1968 - 1981. It's a tasteful collection that arrives here on double CD and is again packed with classy sounds from a range of key players. Takashi Mizuhashi joins forces with seminal American talent Herbie Hancock on 'Samba De Negrito' and Hiromasa Suzuki, Jiro Inagaki & His Big Soul Media make a lasting impression with the hard bop of 'By The Red Stream' and the likes of Nobuo Hara & His Sharps & Flats, Hozan Yamamoto go wild on 'Chakkiri-Bushi.' Essential.

Review: You might know Airto Moreira and Flora Purim as the King and Queen of Brazilian Jazz and for good reason. They have spent more than the last half decade putting out some of their homeland's finest and most richly rewarding jazz albums as well as playing exhilarating live shows all over the world. They have found favour with jazz lovers everywhere as a result, from Japan's concert halls to the UK's jazz-funk scenes. If You Will was their last album back in 2022 and it got a Grammy, and now A Celebration: 60 Years - Sounds, Dreams & Other Stories brings together some of their best work from over the last 60 odd years. Essential stuff.