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Singles – 2012 in progress

Ritsuko Abe – 7inch “Ai no Kizuna / Dare…” – King 1970

Comes in a super sexy double faced cover…Ritsuko Abe is one of those sexy singers who has a few singles and some hunted down albums. If you are in Reiko Oshida, you know what type of music you’ll find here but Ritsuko Abe is a little more acomplished singer. typical of the kayo sound coming from the 70’s, fist side has harpsichord with percussions and heavy bass on a middle tempo for a lovely ballad; B side is more up beat / funky/ groovy with some slight psych guitars fllowing flutes, a bit like some Chinatsu Nakayama songs but it has the “hot” vibe. One name to discover, pretty sure you’ll be hooked within a few minutes.

EX+ (minor wears) / EX/mostly EX+

SOLD

 

Michi Aoyama – EP 7″ inch 33 rpm ” Crown Ace” – 1967

One of the very rare EP with Michi Aoyama, 4 titles : Manhattan Blues / Onna Blues / Otoko Blues / Jonetsu no Hatoba

comes in a glossy cover with obi

Cover is EX (some minor wrinkles) / vinyl has a few scuffs, plays EX

SOLD

Yukiji Asaoka 7″ 45 rpm red wax ” Janome no kage de / tsukiji akashi machi”Toshiba

rare single by Yukiji Asaoka,  one track is beautiful nagauta style song, with shamisen, strings and drums,, the other one is a lovely enka/minyo song veru typical of Asaoka’s early repertoire, definitiveley my favorite. Some others singles came with the same picture in all red or green but this one has not the same tracklist and it’s a RED WAX. For fetichists, this is a must.

EX+ / EX

 

SOLD

 

Yukiji Asaoka 7″ Furimuitemo Kurenai / Anata to watashi” – Crown 1965

One of the first single after Yukiji Asaoka left Toshiba for Crown, for a more crooning period, a mix of kayo and bossanova.

EX (minor wears) / vinyl plays EX to EX+

$25

Yukiji Asaoka 7″ – “Tomedonaku / Kageboshi no Blues” – Crown 1966

EX (some stains mostly on the back) / Vinyl plays EX to EX+

$30

Yukiji Asaoka 7″ – “Nagareboshi no Blues / Nagare no Onna” – Crown 1966

EX / EX to EX+

$40

Yukiji Asaoka 7″ – “Namida no kakera” / Wakare no bossa nova” – Crown 1966

EX / EX +

$50

Yukiji Asaoka 7″ – ” Onna no Tabiji / Watashi no Uta ” – Crown 1966

One of the most popular single taken from her album

EX+ / EX+

$25

Yukiji Asaoka 7″ – ” Nokoribi no blues / Suki nattandamon” – Crown 1967

EX / EX +

$40

 Misae Enomoto 7″ – “Toi-Hito / Shamisen Ichidai” – Victor 1964

Post war actress and singer, Misae Enomoto is one of best singer in straight enka style with shamisen, her nasal and high pitched  voice will bring you back in the black and white Mizoguchi pictures. One of most beautiful passionated  voice in my favorite repertoire. No hype just pure beauty, just like an older Sono Mari with a deeper vibrato.

EX+ / EX +

$40

Misae Enomoto 7″ – “Owakare sanosa / Naite, Naite, Naite” – Victor 1964

As good as the one above.

EX+ / EX +

$35

Meiko Kaji  7″  pinup cover “Jingi Komori Uta / Koi Ni Inochi O – Teichiku – Promo Copy

One of the rarest if not the rarest Meiko Kaji’s single and it’s one of my favorite with a picture taken from one of her role she had for Nikkatsu. A stunning mix of  enka/kayo songs with some psych elements.

Downpriced because of its condition.

VG+ (all angle have a small removed off  partbecause I guess the cover had some adhesive on each corner/ Plays EX/EX+

$85

Matsuo Kazuko 7″ 45 rpm “Shima no Musume ” – Victor 1962

sorry Because I can’t find the second title…I have a lot of Matsuo Kazuko and this single is extremey rare because of its cover and songs are not the most known and it’s really a shame !  “Shima…” is a well know title, here Matsuo is accompanied by male choirs, with some more winds & strings, everything is at its place.

One of my favorite, Matsuo Kazuko is a queen…

EX+/EX- (some suffs & a few static noise but nice copy overall)

$65

Keiko Mari 7″45 rpm  “Hadashi no mama de” – Victor 1969

Early single, Keiko Mari became famous under “Petite m’amie” nickname but musically she was at her top as a cutie GS girl.

Just a lovely single, I dream of vacations once more…and of some more innocent pop singers.

EX (2 tiny pinholes on the bottom right corner) / EX because it has a sticker and a few marks but it plays EX+

 

SOLD

 

Oh Ranfan 7″ 45 rpm “Itai, Itai, itai no yo / Senaka no hokuro” – Victor 1968

One of my favorite singer in the “erotic” repertoire, Oh ranfan was also an actress and had only 4 single on which she really sings, this one is her second. far better than any Ike reiko and other nymphettes, music finds its place in a kind of lounge jazzy styled of music and her punctuations, breath, whipers brings some hot insinuations without being caricatural. I really consider Oh Ranfan as the hotest singer, she sounds a little depraved but in a very musical manner. Very addictive, all recommendations

EX/EX+ / EX (has some scuffs) but plays EX to EX+

$75

Reiko Oshida 7″ double sided fold out cover  “School of Maidens / Your Girl” CBS 1970

First release by the famous sexy pinky  actress Reiko Oshida who subsequently appeared in all four of Toei Company’s Delinquent Girl Boss films, one of most sought after release of this pinky violent era. Oshida is not the best singer but these 2 songs are really nice for her amateurish style; Groovy R&B with organ with strings arrangements…HOT !!!

EX to EX+ (a very few clear stains) / EX to EX+

$75

 

Vinyls – VI

Ichiro Araki LP “Kimi ni sasageru horonigai burusu” – Trio

Very hard to describe this singer. Sounds like pop /kayo music with a melancholic voice, his style is a great mix of different styles of music, in a way it reminds me  Morio Agata. Some will find him superficial with a first listening but there’s a lot of personnal details to be heard here specifically in the folk/soft ballads. Deeply rooted in the mid 70’s, it’s just a well done album that sounds finer with time.

EX+/EX+

$40

Ruriko Asaoka – LP “Ruriko Asaoka no subete – kokoro no shasu” – Teichiku

Gatefold cover + facial obi + fold out booklet

Fantastic kayo album with Tanadori Yokoo cover, probably one of the best known album with Ruriko Asaoka from the early 70’s.  If you are into Kiyoko Itoh and Meiko Kaji, it’s probably for you.

EX (Cover and inside are  EX+, back has 2 scuffs, obi show some wears) / EX+

SOLD

   

    Ruriko Asaoka  EP  7 inch 33 rpm “Best song Deluxe” – Teichiku

Gatefold cover with obi

Nice EP with this early Ruriko Asaoka best, it has 4 lovely tracks that were recorded before her famous album with Yokoo’s cover.  Once again, open your ears, Meiko Kaji is a great singer but there amny more to discover.

EX+ / EX to EX+

$40

 

 Eri Chiemi  LP 10 inch “Mood in Chiemi’s Japanese folk songs 3”  – King 1964

My favorite with Chiemi’s minyo period and one of these 5 LPs which has probably the most stunning cover.

EX+ / EX (some visible scuffs but plays a solid EX to EX+)

$55

 

 Eri Chiemi LP “Deluxe” – King 1968

Gatefold cover with obi and attached pin up poster

Another piece in the minyo repertoire, this one sounds so fast with Chiemi singing like a cat. excellent collection with textured cover and nice pictures.

EX+ (a few stains) / EX+

SOLD

   

Eri Chiemi LP  “Deluxe” –  King 1969

Gatefold cover + obi + pin up poster

One more ! This is the first Chiemi taht hooked me to her music some years ago. Just perfect !

EX+ / EX+

SOLD

  

Eri Chiemi  7 inch 33rpm “chiemi no minyo” – King 1962

I love that stuff and this format, this one has 4 perfect songs and comes in a nice heavy and glossy cover, it’s always a miracle to find these EPs in a miraculous condition

EX+/ EX+ (near mint but has a few very minor static noise)

SOLD

Death Comes Along LP “Heavy psychedelic schizoid god” – Mangrove 1994

Inserts + obi

Leaded by CROW :

“Funeral March for Amebix, The Mob, Dirt, Antisect, Crude SS, May Blitz, Flower Travellin’ Band, Diamanda Galas, Ash Ra Tempel, Guru Guru, Amon Duul, Black Sabbath and German Oak.”

One great classic, jsut reading their dedication just before would give you a slight idea ! Very hard to describe, less caricatural than the pictures.

SOLD OUT

  

F.M.T.  LP  “You got a freedom” – ALM records 1979

Recorded on 27, 28 June 1978 at Tachikawa, Shakai-Kyoiku Kaikan. The group’s acronym was taken from the first letters of the members’ surnames (Fujikawa, Midorikawa, Toyozumi), but it also stood for Free Music Trio

EX (some stains) / EX+

SOLD

 

Ryohei Hirose “Kalavinka – the music of Hirose 1972-1973” – Columbia 1973

gatefold cover with attached booklet

Beautiful album by a still underrated composer, Hirose in the early 70’s has been attracted both by japanese and indian culture and explores her the woodwind instruments with a great elegance. Flutes, oboe, clarinet, bassoon with strings, percussions. If you are familiar with Makoto Moroi’s acoustic work, it will nicely complete your acoustic albums.

EX+/EX to EX+ (a few surface noise but still a very nice copy)

$75

  

Ryohei Hirose / Toshi Ichiyanagi / Maki Ishii LP “The concert of japanese contemporary music”

A recent but no easy to find release.

NM/NM

SOLD

 

Tomojiro Ikenouchi LP “Yuya” – King 1980

3 pieces from no drama “Yuya” pour soprano and orchestra + Quatuor à cordes

Excellent release, if you want a higher price with some more nice words, you can ask me.

New / Mint

$20

 

 

Carmen Maki LP “Poems in the midnight till the candle goes out” – Sony 1969

Gatefold cover with insert

One of the greatest album with Shuji Terayama lyrics and Carmen Maki icon. My love for the japanese stuff began with this album, it was one of the great classic you could afford for peanuts and now it just becomes hard to track a nice copy.

EX (minor wears and stains inside) / EX+

SOLD

  

Iuchi Kengo LP “Inagumi to Kachiku” Kubitsuri Tapes 1995

Gatefold cover with attached booklet and insert.

One of the  weirdest  record ever recorded. Known as performer and death-folk singer, Iuchi Kengo was regularly assisted by Chie Mukai, Makoto Kawabata, and noboday has surpassed him in the heart of madness.

Beating his guitar, with a howling and croaking voice, far from the usual noiser, he just doesn’t make a show, he brings you deeply in discomfort, endless nightmares.

If you want some extreme, darker than any Keiji Haino,

EX+/EX+

SOLD

 

  

 

Lily LP “Onion” – Express 1971

First pressing, comes in an outer cover and obi + insert

Very nice album with Lily’s husky styled voice that is reminiscent to a post-Carmen Maki folk and blues era style. The overall tone is folk-like with some psychedelic undertones, which get infused by some of her excellent backing musicians such as Foodbrain / Out Cast / Path Through Haze / People guitarist Kimio Mizutani and Jacks / Asakawa Maki drummer Tsunoda Hiro. Some tracks are embedded in a bluesy atmosphere, where her voice gets some effects that resemble singing through a telephone. Stunningly beautiful. Great acid folk-like bluesy and psychedelic album.

EX (some minor wears on the outside jacket and obi) / EX+

$65

  

Teizo Matsumura LP “Teizo Matsumura 1” – Victor – 1984

Symphony (1965) + Prelude pour orchestra (1968) with Hiroshi Wakasugi as conductor

M/New

$25

Teizo Matsumura LP “Teizo Matsumura II” – Victor 1984

Piano concerto N°1 (1973)  & Piano concerto N°2 (1978)

Mint / New

$25

Sally May LP ” Sally May – Kinpatsu Enka” – Victor 1969

gatefold cover

Excellent album by Sally May (half caucasian/half japanese) who’s better know as a Nikkatsu porn actress and concurrent to Kumi Taguchi in the early 70’s ,  music there is deeply rooted in enka songs with a gutural voice of her own. Very close to Yukiji Asaoka and Junko Fuji repertoire, but her voice is really a distinct one, these are really some great classics. Highly recommended, rare and reasonable price

EX+/  A FEW MARKS BUT PLAYS EX to EX+

$150

  

Kan Mikami LP  “live 1972” – URC

Mikami at his peak and cover’s too…Later reissue, that’s not the original pressing but this title doesn’t really turn anymore for a couple of years

EX- (Cover has a few stains and yellowed on the right corner +and a discreet 5 cm split seam on the superior spine) / obi and insert are EX+

 vinyl plays EX+

$60

Haruna Miyake + Yuji Takahashi  LP ” Ichimen Nanohana: On Two Pianos 1983″ – ALM records 2003

EX+/EX+

$40

 

Akira Miyoshi LP ” Contenporary music of Japan – 10″ – Victor 1979

Concerto for piano and orchestra + Concerto for violin and orchestra

Excellent release in an excellent collection, Akira Miyoshi is not well known in western countries, if you are in Takemitsu, you can open your door to some neglected composers such Miyoshi

M/NEW

$30

Akira Miyoshi / Akio Yashiro / Michio Mamiya 2LP  CBS / Sony 1979

Gatefold cover with attached booklet and obi

Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra

Akira Miyoshi : concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre

Akio Yashiro : concerto pour piano et orchestra

Michio Mamiya : violin concerto

EX+/NM

SOLD

  

Makoto Moroi LP “Music for shakuhachi” – Victor 1971

with insert & obi

Extremely rare and superb album, Moroi here is empolying traditional instruments with an avant-garde and experimental mindset. It leaves me breathless.

EX+/EX+

SOLD

 

Yuko Nagisa LP “Okinawa minyo o utau” – Toshiba

Gatefold cover

Nice kayo album from the 70’s with some minyo incursions, a nice mix of ballads/kayo with some shamisen inclusions, just perfect for the autumn.

EX+/EX+

SOLD

  

Yuji Takahashi LP “Contemporary music of  Japan -14” – Victor 1980

One of my favorite Yuji Takahashi’s album with “Chromamorphe II for piano” (1964) -” 6 elements” (with a great violin)  and “Tamaogi” with words by Mutsuro Takahashi & oboe, trumpet, percussions,…

EX+/EX+

$30

 

Teruyuki Noda LP ” Contemporary music of japan – 15″ – King 1979

Trio per violino, violoncello e piano (1971)

Live de Mort (1975)

mint/ new

$30

 

Toru Takemitsu LP “Contemporary music of Japan – 11” – Victor 1979

Maybe one of the most popular japanese release with Takemitsu, it’s just excellent with pieces such as Requiem for strings – ARC for piano and Orchestra

With Toshi Ichiyanagi on piano.

Mint /New

$45

 

Toru Takemitsu / Yoshinao Nakada LP  “November steps / Songs of praise to beauty” – King 1980

One famous piece with biwa and shakuhashi for Takemitsu’s “November steps” .

Cheap release but excellent music

New / Mint

$20

Akio Yashiro LP “Contemporary music of Japan – 5” –  Victor 1979

Quatuor à cordes (1968) + Sonate pour piano(1964) + sonate pour 2 flûtes et piano(1968)

M/NEW

SOLD

 

Yosuke Yamashita trio LP “Concert in new jazz” – Union records

Nice reissue of  a gig recorded live at “Sankei Hall”, Tokyo on 21st September, 1969 with Yosuke Yamashita,p /Seiichi Nakamura,ts,ss,cl /Takeo Moriyama,dr

EX+/EX+

$30

Vinyls – V

Gaku LP “Indivuality of four musicians” – promo white labels – ALM records 1981

Nice album with shakuhachi , shamisen, kotos

NM/NM

SOLD

Maki Ishii / Joji Yuasa / Shuko Mizuno LP “Music today of Japan – 18 – Denon – 1980

Maki Ishi : SO-GU I fur shakuhachi and klavier

Joji Yuasa : Projection Esemplastic for piano

Shuko Mizuno : provisional color for piano

Nice album in this nice collection who has a silver printing.

EX+ (has a slight bumped corner) / NM

SOLD

Kiyoaki Iwamoto EP “Sougi” – 7 inch 33rpm &  and 2 sided overlapping cover- Metronome / ALM records 1983

Rare and quite unknown release (strangely co-released by ALM) by one of Tori Kudo’s accolyte, this EP came out after Guys & Dolls album.

This nice artefact is a mix of rock with a cold wave touch for its rythm box and one of the  highlight here is a cover of Joy Division “Love will tears us apart”. METRONOMYC  –

EX (some minor wears) / EX+

$120

  

Itoh Kiyoko LP “Ballads of Love” – gatefold cover – CBS/Sony 1969

One great classic with the Happenings Four

our

EX+/EX+

SOLD

  

Carmen Maki LP “Adam & Eve” – Gatefold cover – Promo copy “Not for sale” – CBS /Sony

Something to say…That’s one of those records we could die for it…

EX+/EX+

SOLD

   

Carmen Maki LP “Goodbye, my memories” – Gatefold cover – CBS/Sony

Holy grail, this is a near perfect copy with the mega rare obi  – just impossible to find, it took years to find 2 copies

EX+ (a very few microscopic stains on the front) / Obi has some minor stains and wears / LP is EX+ to NM

SOLD

  

Meiko Kaji  LP “Gincho Wataridori” – Gatefold cover – Teichiku 1972

The first and one of the best

EX+/EX+

SOLD

  

Sono Mari LP “Sono Mari furusato no utau” – Gatefold cover – Polydor 1966

Mega rare and downpriced because of its condition. This one of the rarest and my favorite album because it sounds a bit different than her others albums. Tempos are slower and arrangements have less winds, a heavy warm bass with some neo classical arrangements mixed with a few tradionnal instruments like koto. This is definitively a nocturn album, almost dark by moments. Sono Mari has a husky voice, her beauty finds here more a cold austere character that leaves you with a very strange feeling :  you stay alone in your life ven if you have a family, friends.

One of the best enka/ Kayo recorded in my opinion along with another album from 1967, this album is the best Sono Mari recorded and sadly only a few songs were re-released on CD format. If you were unhappy with this album, I’ll accept return without any hesitation

EX+/ VG++ (some surface and crakling noise but you’ll fall in love with the music after 5 seconds)

$60

 

Sono Mari LP “Nanimo iwanaide” – Polydor

Early Sono Mari LP from the late 60’s around 67-68, has most of her hits. Hard to find in a such condition

EX+/EX to EX+

SOLD

Sono Mari LP “Mari Chan to Anata no yoru” – Gatefold cover with 4 pages booklet – Polydor

One of the most looked after album because of it’s stylish psychedelic lettering, I can find my words because all Sono Mari are good but this album is maybe one of the loveliest  for its cover. Very interesting to hear how it’s very close to another Sachiko Nishida’s Polydor album with soe narratives introduction and orchestra sounds the same. But Sono Mari has more nostalgic vibe because her voice is like suspended in the air, she’s like an angel.

EX+/EX to EX+

SOLD

 

Sono Mari LP “Kakinure te” – Gatefold cover wit hattached booklet – Polydor

Another one in Sono Mari’s temple, I think it was released around 1967-68

NM/EX+ (a few surface noise on B1)

SOLD

  

Sono Mari LP “Ai ha oshimi naku”- gatefold cover with attached booklet – Polydor

For those who are starving with Sono Mari this one was released around 1967, we need some grace in this world.

EX+ (Obi has some minor wears) / EX to EX+

$70

  

Ken Takakura LP “Deluxe”  – Gatefold cover with attached poster – King – 1969

One iconic actor and singer known for “Abashiri Bangaishi’ film and eponymous song, Ken Takakura has a deep and vibrant voice, he’s a straight enka /ballads singer ,  there’s nothing superficial, he’s vibrant and like most of albums in this collection, if you have a more “rocky” vibe like Jojo Hiroshige can have, you should try this one and you will be surprised how it’snt so far. Of course I don’t mean the noise à la Hijokaidan but his solos as a singer. This albu has a great “Abashir Bagaishi” version with accordion and percussions.

EX+/EX+

SOLD

 

Takekuni Hirayoshi / Teruyaki Noda LP “Music today of  japan – 17” – Denon 1980

Another piece in the puzzle with Hiroyuki Iwaki conducting

NM/NM

SOLD

Kazuki Tomokawa LP “Akita – Live Inu” – Bellwood – 1980

Great live recording by this legendary folk singer, there’s so much passion, so much of everything…Makes me feel lining among the humans.

EX+/EX+

SOLD

V/A Orchestral Space at Nissei Theatre 1966 – Vol 1 – Victor 1966

Toru Takemitsu / Yuji Takahashi / Joji Yuasa / Tochi Ichiyanagi

Great and historic album with a wild Ichiyangi’s piece and its modulators, tape and orchestra.

EX+/EX+

SOLD

 

V/A “Odori Kuwadesa” LP – Marufubu 1974

Lovely minyo, traditionnel dance songs music from Okinawa, very accessible and melodic with female choirs

EX+/EX+

SOLD

V/A “Okinawa O Utau” LP – gatefold cover – RBC – 1969

Another piece with Okinawa’s folklore but this one  is less traditionnal and has some backed female singers with guitar, farfisa, drums. A really stunning piece of cake, one of the best discovery of these recent months, music can be groovy with a typical 60’s sound but singers stay traditionnal. Some more sad songs and ballads, there’s no weakness, it  finds a good balance between tradition and modernity. I’m very charmed by this type of stuff, I can’t imagine this was only a local and confidential release. if you are in Molam and Thaï stuff , don’t hesitate to give a try. Comes also in a nice heavy gatefold cover.

NM/NM

SOLD

 

Joji Yuasa LP  “Interpenetration”- Denon 1982

One rare title in this excellent collection (Taj Mahal travellers, Masahiko Sato…) with Joji Yuasa aestro.

Has Interpenetration for flutes – Triplicity for contrabass – Cosmos Haptic – Project Topologic – On the Keyboard

Many people focuse on his electronic stuff but his work with strings is incredible, detailed  with some nice dynamics. Yuasa has a great sense of tensions and spacialization here is very nice because musicians are physicaly involved.

EX+/EX+

SOLD

Vinyls – IV

Morio Agata LP “Norimono Zukan” – Chop 1986

Nice limited reissue of an amzing album first released in 1980 on Vanity.  Morio Agata is an important name since the early 70’s but this album was something different. Some electronics from the 80’s with a new / cold wave touch added to the DIY spirit and Agata’s nasal voice. Phew and Chie Mukai are amongs the guests for this amazing album.

NM/ Near Mint

SOLD

 

Ruriko Asaoka  LP  “Ruri Chan no aishu kayo – Teichiku  1964

Very first album by this actress and model who became an icon in Japan now. This album is straight enka / kayo, Ruriko voice sounds young and high,  at that time she was known for some duets with Ishihara Yujiro and she became a star in the early 70’s for a couple of releases who were more in a kayo / soft pop styled vein. This album sounds definitively older, it’s a true classic album.  Ruriko voice was already so expressive and fragile…Absolutey a must, very rare in a such condition.

EX+ / LP plays EX / EX+

SOLD

Ché Shizu LP ” I can’t promise” – Zero Records 1984

First album by the folk psych band leaded by Chie Mukai with a cast of musicians such as Tori Kudo, Takuya Nishimura, Tsukasa Takahashi. Chie Mukai was a Takehisa Kosugi student and she’s mosty known as an improviser with her erhu / kyoku (chinese violin),  Che Shizu is probably one of the most accessible side of her work , songs are dreamy and  Mukai’s acid voice has a true singularity. She had later some CDS on P.S.F records but her 2 albums are among the best, maybe this one has also a more Tori Kudo touch.  Rare, comes 2 inserts

EX+ / EX to EX+

$70

Naomi Chiaki LP  “Besuto arubamu” – Columbia 1973 gatefold cover with insert

Nice release by one of the most famous voice, Naomi Chiaki and Sachiko Nishida are maybe the most well known voices, Chiaki has a more husky voice and music is deely rooted in kayo, soft ballad. This album has lot of hits such as ” X +Y = LOVE”  and more.

EX+/EX (some surface noise)

$50

  

 

Eri Chiemi LP 10″  – “Chiemi sings japanese folk songs vol. 4” – King 1962

My favorite Eri Chiemi period with her covering some minyo songs wit a cuban vibe. She’s got an inimitable style and musicians interaction is  incredibly spontaneous and fantastic. You can hear they had fun during the sessions, these are Eri Chiemi Golden years, sadly it hasn’t been really  re-released on CDS. I think  price is quite reasonable because these 10″ are hard to find in good shape, this one has some surface noise but I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy this album anyway…it was released 50 years ago !

EX+/VG++

SOLD

Eri Chiemi 2LP “Gozonji ! Chiemi no dodotsu – Double deluxe” – King 1970 – Gatefold cover with attached booklet

I’ve discovered this album by a matter of coincidence and honestly I was pretty sure this double album would have been a loosy compilation of her last years. Even if I can’t write any bad words with Chiemi, her last years weren’t honestly  the best because she was already gone : her singing was still good but you can feel something has definitively gone, her vitality wasn’t anymore here and her presence was like a ghost,  making  me depressed with each listening. These 2LPs are really nice in a enka/kayo repertoire from the early 70’s, sounds is really rooted in these years, this period with Chiemi is maybe not so very well known and it’s quite good. Among the surprises, there’s some minyo / folk songs she interpreted some years before but here the orchestration is absolutetly different, more updated. I think it works fine too with bass leading the rythm. Artwork is gorgeous with its attached booklet, this release is not very popular and quite hard to find in a such condition. So I’ll never enough recommend Eri Chiemi !

EX+ /EX+

$75

   

Eri Chiemi LP “Chiemi no minyo” – King 1969 Gatefold cover with pin up poster

One of my favorite Chiemi, it ‘s one of the very first album I’ve bought and I’m back to it very frequently. These songs are folk / minyo oriented ,  same similar stuff than her well know 10″ wich were released in the early 60’s. This album is more produced but stays very close to the initial versions and their cuban vibe. If you dig Chiemi this the heart of her folkloric side and the “Deluxe” collection on King is more than recommended.

EX- (No tear, no crease but some stains on the cover and poster) / Looks VG+ with a few visible scuffs but plays really a nice EX, surface noise is acceptable, you’ll forget it after a few rotations. I think price is fair for the pleasure it will bring you.

SOLD

  

Yuriko Futaba LP “Rokyoku fu keizu” LP King 1966

Yuriko Futaba is famous name for the lovers of the so-called  rokyuku / naniwa bushi style. A style wich combines semi narrative parts, enka,  kabuki and audio roman photo, a style wich was very popular on the radio 50 years ago and more. Sometimes some environment sounds are mixed with shamisen / minyo style and the  whole affair sounds melodramatic. Yuriko Futabe is intense, she had some hundreds of releases, she has her own voice, she’s absolutely the rokyoku’s queen. If you are curious I’ll never enough recommend you her music because there’s so much in one single album and you’d be surprised to hear some similitudes with Kan Mikami. Excepted the lyrics, the intensity and time control, breaks, whispers are really close. If you want to go deeper in the traditionnal side, don’t hesitate, there’s a lot of surprises here and it seems nobody has any interest now for this music. Many musical themes have been covered later by artists such has Yukiji Asaoka, Sono Mari and  many others…

EX+/EX to EX+, some static clicks

$50

Yuriko Futaba LP “Nippon Kyukaku den” – King 1973

Another piece in her volcanic discography…

EX+/ EX to EX+ some noise on B1 and at a few occasionnal moments

$20

LSD March LP “Totsuzen hono no gotoku” – White Elephant 2002

Rare white vynil version with insert. First release by a well known band with Ikuro Takahashi from Fushitsusha / Ché Shizu, for a fuzzy psych album.

EX+ (A few minor wrinkles) / Near Mint

$90

Carmen Maki “Goodbye my memories ’70” – Sony – Gatefold cover

I think Carmen Maki doesn’t any introduction, this album is just one of her 3 essentials albums. Linked to Shuji Terayama this album is more varied than “Poems in the Midnight…”, some prog and a psych touch are  mixed with some strings arrangements. That’s one of these albums you’ll cherish year after year,  balancing between melancholia and elegance. Most of time copies aren’t so good, this copy is in excellent shape.

EX+ / EX to mostly EX+

$185

  

Carmen Maki 7inch EP 33 rpm “Sea-Gull” – CBS

4 titles that comes is a lovely and heavy carboard cover from the early 70’s with the legendary “Tokiniwa hahano…” title. 4 eternal tracks , PHEW has recently covered it on her last album…Carmen Maki is a  legend and she merits it.

EX+/EX to EX+

$45

 

Carmen Maki EP 7inch 33 rpm “Tokiwa Hahano – Clover series” – CBS/SONY

Rare and superb EP that comes in a heavy gatefold cover, 4 tracks, 4 great classics with Shuji Terayama lyrics, very hard to find in this beautiful condition.

EX to EX+ (a few stains inside, front and back are perfect) / EX to EX+

$60

 

Akihiro Maruyama ( Akihiro Miwa ) LP “Deluxe” – King 1968

Gatefold cover with attached pin up poster

Last album under his name before turning it into his female alter ego name,  Akihiro Miwa is a famous figure whose name became for most people for her links with Terayama/ Tenjo Sajijki (“Baramon”), and now is a popular singer in Japan. This album from the early years is in post cabaret style of music, it covers some classical french classics such as “Non, je ne ne regrette rien” by Edith Piaf and some more songs by Gilbert Becaud and more…But Akihiro Miwa’s voice is quite stunning and ambivalent as her  own identity, between male and female.

Cover is EX to EX+ (some shelfwears) / LP plays VG++ to EX

$65

  

 

Meiko Kaji LP “Syuki no uta” – Polydor 1980

Cover, insert and obi are EX / EX+ (a few stains on the upper right front cover)

Vynil plays EX to mostly EX+

$60

Meiko Kaji  LP”Akane gumo” – Polydor 1978 white promo labels

Late album by the STAR

Cover is EX+ / LP plays EX+

$55

Toshiro Mayuzumi  LP “Nirvana Symphonie”  – Toshiba TA-8012 with booklet

One great classic and one of the first version that came out in the 60’s I know there’s also a red wax version but this version with this beautiful artwork is pretty rare now. This album is influenced by voices of the buddhist priests recinting sutras with structures advocated by Varese. Some bells effects and drifting voices mixtures for buddhistic cantata…Superb, and comes with a rare booklet in a miraculous condition

EX+ / EX to EX+ (a few static noises)

SOLD

Hibari Misora 10″ LP “Hibari Uta no Hanamoyo” Eagle 1960

Hibari is one of the most important historic singer and actress, almost considered like a half godness. The late 50’s and 60’s are considered as the peak of her career. This one is a nice addtion to the enka repertoire…Immortal enka…

Cover is top clean with a black adhesive band on the front  (Maybe it was originally here) / LP is top clean ,  it plays a solid EX

$70

Hibari Misora LP “Onna no hanomichi” – Denon 1971

Gatefold cover with attached illustrated booklet.

Nice soundtrack by a legend.

EX- (some wears and a few stains but nothing serious) /LP plays EX-, still a decent copy

$30

  

Non Band 10″ LP “Non Band” – Telegraph Rec. 1982

Nice first release by a quite forgotten band leaded by Non singer  who sounds with her childish voice as almost a Junko-Pocket. Music is quite simple, quite rythmic with a no-wave touch but what makes it singular is a violin or clarinet mixed a with drums and guitar. Production was very nice, it doesn’t sound outdated as many bands from this period. If you need a simple energetic cocktail, that’s for you. Becomes harder to harder to find.

Cover is EX- / has some stains / LP plays a solid EX to EX+

$50

 

Somei Satoh LP ” Emerald Tablet ” – ALM records 1981 Gatefold cover

Recorded in 1978 in the NHK electronic studio with Akai Takahashi, this is one of the rarest Somei Satoh album, from minimal piano à la Charlemagne Palestine to some electronic avalanches.

EX+ (a very few stains) / EX to mostly EX+, a very few occasional surface noise

SOLD

 

Watari Tetsuya / Izumi Chidori / Junko Fuji LP  “Gikei Imuto – Watari / Chidori / Fuji ” – Teichiku

Glossy gatefold cover, early 70’s.  Fantastic split album with 2 famous stars known for their Yakuza’s filmography,  and Izumi Chidori as an unbelievable singer from the 70’s.  Also it has a cover of  the fantastic song “Abashiri Bangashi” , if you are familiar with Wakamatsu’s films, I’m pretty sure you can remember Abarishi prison song. Junko Fuji was not an accomplished singer it adds to her charm because she sounds sincere. Izumi Chidori in her early years was a amazing singer, she was singing like a sword in the air, an incredible verbal acrobat, you just need to close your eyes and you’ll see the film. If you are in rock stuff  or even noise, you should give a try, for my ears Jojo  from Hijokaidan is not so far from this vibe when he’s more in songs. Music style is different of course but has definitively a “bad boy” stamped quality.

EX+ / LP plays  a solid EX, some occasionnal surface/crackling noise

SOLD

 

Kumi Taguchi LP “Ga Kataru ai no henreki” – Teichiku

Mega rarity by actress Kumi Taguchi – “Emmanuelle Fuji” known for her album re-released by Tiliqua. This one is in my opinion really far better , maybe less erotic on a first degree but sounds more musical advanced. Some interludes with laid back music, environmental sounds and highlights here are some true enka/kayo songs from the 70’s.

SOLD

 

Tako LP 45 rpm “Second- live”  –  Chaos 1983

Second and last album by the legendary Harumi Yamazaki / Gaseneta, this album come out after their first Lp released on Pinacotheka.

This band was maybe the most interesting project from the 80’s, mixing a lot of influences with a punk attitude. Comes with the always missing insert.

EX+/EX+

$55

 

Sawa Tamaki LP “Bed de Tabacco wo suwanaide” – Victor 1971

Gatefold cover. A classic album by  actress and singer Sawa Tamaki linked to “playgirl” and later to Imamura film maker, she’s has a smokey voice and this album sounds like a late night cocktail of jazzy and lounge vibe mix.

EX/EX+ / LP plays EX- to EX

$30

 

Noriko Tsuwa LP “Majushage” – Philips 1977

Nice  folk album by a forgotten artist who played with Kazuki Tomokawa in his “Sakura…” album. Nice ballads with a voice not so far from Maki Asakawa assisted my Monkey House band, with a slight prog and psych touch, not jaz related as Maki Asakawa.

EX+/EX+

SOLD

V/A Experimental Music of Japan LP  – Victor VX-52 – 1966 gatefold cover – textured cover

Mayuzumi + Moroi / Takemitsu / Yuasa / Mayuzumi / Ichiyanagi / Ishii

Historic album with pieces conceived and recorded in the NHK studio, this is the FIRST TRUE EDITION (The second one came out one year later with SJV 1515 number). Fantastic release with some famous well known composers but te whole souds very coherent, there’s no weakness.  If yo uare familiar with Takemitsu, there’s is a  stunning and quite unknown concrete piece.

This album came out in Contemporary Music of Japan on Victor label, all the VX references are hard to find in any condition and this one has raised a cult status for years because of it’s artwork too.

EX+/  EX+

SOLD

 

 

Experimental Music of Japan ’69  LP – Victor 1969 VX – 99 – Textured cover with insert

Mayuzumi / Ishii / Moroi / Shibata

Second great classic of the japanese eletronic pionneers and as good as the first compilation. Mayuzumi “Mandara” piece is famous but this electronic version is not the best known. Makoto Moroi composition is for traditionnal instruments and electronics and i have to admit is one of y favorite composer. Maybe the biggest surprise here is Shibata 1968 piece for only electronic sounds. Quite a noisy and wild piece, almost sounds like Ferial Confine early work, I mean when some noise projects could be quite good, not like the shitty material over production of these days.

EX+ / EX+

SOLD

 

V/A Contemporary Music of Japan Vol 22 LP – Victor 1973

Akio Yashiro / Toru Takemitsu / Akira Miyoshi

Another nice piece in this puzzle collection, VX serie, with “Masque pour  2 flutes” (1959) by Takemitsu and 2 sonates with flutes by Yashiro and Miyoshi

EX+/EX+

SOLD

 

V/A Underground Folk 2LP – Kan Mikami / Takashi Nishioka /  Nobuyasu Okabayashi / Wataru Takada – Victor 1979

Gatefold cover .Nice compilation with a side for each of these 4 singers know since the early 70’s. Kan Mikami doesn’t need any introduction, his live materials from the mid 70’s are fantastic, Nishioka is known as a member of Itsutsuno No Akai Fusen and became a famous producer, Okabayashi and Takadu are maybe the mess knows names for western ears. These last 2 were maybe more classic,  maybe as a japanese post Dylan equivalence.

EX+ / LPs play EX to EX+

$55

 

Kumiko Yokoi  LP “Akai Tsubaki To aoi gen bo shi” – Ongaku Center 1984

Kumiko Yokoi is a folk singer who started in 1974 with a first album and left Vietnam where she lived. Delicate compositions with a great cast of musicians and different instruments. Has an intimist psych touch for moments without falling into the excess.

EX+/EX+

$25

Yosuke Yamashita trio LP “Gugan” – Express

Nice reissue of a legendary album from 1971, Yamashita trio introducing Takeo Moriyama was recorded befor Yamashita became popular in Europe and many consider his best years were before 1975.  This album is considered as his finest masterpiece. The original LP is hard to find and you’re not willing to pay a few hundreds of euros, this copy could a be a nice substitution. Also it becomes harder and harder to find it these days.

EX+/ Near Mint

$40

Joji Yuasa LP “Triplicity for contrabass – Masahiko Tanaka electronic studio of the NHK” – RCA 1974

One of the rarest album of the early electronic japanese album,  despite its title most sounds are contrabass processed sounds and B side is the famous  “Voices coming”  electronic /tape piece. I’ve seen turning this album 4 times, I have one copy for my own collection, one was sold by Tiliqua for 700 euros and last copy has sold for more than $1000 in the japanese market. Wite noise, bleep sonar sounds, telephonic transmissions for a quite stunning universe. Yuasa doesn’t sound like everybody else, I like how his instinctive and wild approach and makes his stuff  harder to find than Kosugi, Taj Mahal travellers albums.

EX to EX+ (only some stains on the back) / EX to mostly EX+, a very few occasional surface noise

SOLD

 

 Joji Yuasa Box set 5LP “Projections” – Columbia 1975

Glossy box with obi and 20 pages booklet

Historic piece and the most complete Yuasa’s collector with pieces recorded in the legendary NHK studio known for his electronics equipment. Pieces have soe lectronic processed sounds and ring modulators, white noises.  Has “Voices coming” piece with snippets of telephone operators, a quite wild and non academic tape music piece. I know many are just ineterested with electronic but Yuasa’s compositions with orchestra are also fantastic for their recording,  details with strings and the whole stereo perception.

 EX+ / Near Mint

SOLD

  

Vinyls – III

Maki Asakawa LP “Hi Tomoshi Koro” – Express 1976

EX+/EX+

$35

 

Yukiji Asaoka LP “Love’s beginning & end” – CBS / Gatefold cover with poster

One of the last albums from the mid 70’s, some kayo songs and few covers such as “superstar” and  John Lennon’s “Love”. Honestly this is not the best one but Yukiji Asaoka was a great singer and actress since the early 60’s, in the 70’s she was a true sensual singer ans still remains as one of the great voice . This album will make you looking after her previous albums, let’s say it can be a good starter/appetizer.

Cover is clean excepted a few various discret removed-off on the back / vinyl plays a nice VG++/EX , some surface noise and a few cracklings but nothing unacceptable.

$30

Junko Fuji LP “Tosei kobore Bana” –  Minoruphon 1972

Gatefold cover with 4 pannels insert

Nice soundtrack with Junko Fuji, featuring the famous “Lady Yakuza” generic song with yakuzas stars like Nakakura…

The presiing wasn’t the best, many copies are in bad condition and the booklet is often missing

EX (Front cover is EX+, some stains inside and the booklet) / Vinyl plays  a  nice VG+ /EX

$40

  

Haruyo Matsuda LP “Kurenai Mugen” – Victor 1978

Fantastic and quite unknown album by a poetess who died prematurely, Haruyo Matsuda was linked to Shuji Terayama / Tenjo Sajiki and sadly she didn’t have enough time to make some other albums. It’s very hard to describe this album because it’s really a trip through a few styles of music, between folk, kabuki, rokyoku/naniwa bushi,  like  a  modern shamanic procession with some extra japanese elements. Her voice is the key element here, she can brings you with some whispers and sometimes she can howl and laugh as she was possessed by some devils or some yokai .  Some folk compositions with some shamisen interludes, talking, singing with sometimes some echo effects on the voice, some indian sitars opening on some brazilian rythms. This album is in my personnal top 10, it’s really an adventurous listening, it embraces some japanese traditions with a stunning personnal and modern and troubling aura. Almost unknown for most western ears she has a quite cult underground status and copies of this album are more than rare.

EX+ with insert /EX + WHITE PROMO LABELS

SOLD

 

Yoshida Minako LP “Fuyu no tobira” – Showboat / Tokuma 1996

Gatefold cover

Reissue of a 1970’s album with Caramel Mama / Haruomi Hosono and friends from Happy End, Yoshida has a lovely heavenly voice for some nice folk songs with some soft psych ornaments. A quite rare reissue if you’re not willing to pay $250 for the original issue.

EX+ (a very few stains inside) / EX to EX+

$30

 

Chikuzan Takahashi LP “Tsugaru Shamisen” – Crown 1973

Gatefold cover

Original release by a japanese legend who’s responsible for  the tsugaru shamisen boom after the war, coming from Aomori he became blind when he was 2 and since his death in 1998, his heritage is still very present in Japan.

EX to EX+ ( Obi has a few marks) / vinyl plays EX-mostly EX+

$35

 

Chikuzan Takahashi LP  “Tsugaru Shamisen 2” – CBS

Intense recording from the mid 70’s by the blind maestro.

EX+/EX to EX+

$25

 

Vinyls – II

Kan Mikami LP “Folk live Jamboree ’71” – SMS

A great addition to Mikami’s discography, I think it was released as a limited run in the 80’s, this live is pretty well recorded and has the same intensity than Live in Aomori or live 1972.  Mikami’s early years, one voice, one guitar, Mikami lyricism was so intense,  that makes a great and still unknown album…

EX+/EX+

$85

Kazuko Matsuo LP “Rhapsody” – 1975 Victor

Nice album from Matsuo Kazuko’s middle period, some more ballads, less jazz related and less night mood from the satin voice.

EX+/EX+

$30

Junko Fuji single”Onna no Inochi” – Teichiku

A nice addition to Junko Fuji’s discography from the early 70’s, honestly I love all her stuff, her singles are hard to find and even rarer in a decent condition. I’m pretty sure they’ll become hunted down in the next years.

Nice double face cover

EX (some stains, mostly visible on the back but still a clean cover) /EX, graded EX because a few scuffs are visible and there’s a discret pop on B side. Anyway the sound level is clear and strong, it plays mostly as EX+

$30

Kazuki Tomokawa single “Shinori San / Rancho Akita-Ondo” – Tokuma 1975

Superb single with 2 rare tracks, B-side is just fantastic, sound like a folkloric tune with percussions and some backing voices.

Promo  white labels, titles are stamped.

EX (some wears but mostly on the back cover but nothing too serious, still a nice cover)

plays EX-EX+

$65

Reiko Oshida single “No, no, no / I’m a bad girl” – CBS 1971

Reiko’s best single with 2 killer tracks taken from her first album, what a lovely bad girl !

EX+/ EX-EX+ (some scuffs but plays very nice)

SOLD

Meiko Kaji LP “Urami Bushi” – Teichiku  1973

Gatefold cover

I have to admit that’s not the most beautiful cover with Meiko Kaji  but this is one  is  my favorite for the songs.

Almost all her good repertoire is here…

EX- (some wears and stains, but no tear) / Plays EX-EX+

$50

Carmen Maki LP “Best of Carmen Maki” CBS

Early compilation with Carmen Maki  first 3 albums, that means the highlights. She’s one of my favorite singer of all time, I’ll ask to play her music  for my funeral. This compilation has no weakness and  I think it has 2 less popular songs that weren’t on the albums. Just essential and same picture used for “Poems in the midnight” album

Near mint (Cover has an original rounded sticker) /Near mint

SOLD 

Kumiko Akiyoshi LP with emponymous title – Elec 1975

Comes with in sert and poster rarely present

Nice actress backep up by Yonin Bayashi,  some psych songs and many strange,  dark sides with reading poetry through a telephone…

EX+ (obi has some wrinkles on the back) /Near mint

$45

Chinatsu Nakayama single “Tomara nai Kisha” Victor 1970

It’s a hit ! Masahiko Sato partner for a vital R&B  song, B side is a nice folk ballad

EX (a very few stains) / EX-mostly EX+

$30

 

Morio  Agata with Mako Midori single “昭和柔侠伝の唄” Bellwood 1974

Lovely single by Morio Agata augmented with her partner and actress Mako Midori, typical of Agata’s rythmic tune heard in “Les Misérables”. Rare and nice cover, Mako Midori is a so beautiful singer

EX (very slightly yellowing) / EX-EX+, some surface noise in the very first seconds

$50

Itoh Kiyoko single “Hoshi Kara no / Mishiranu  sekai” – CBS 1967

comes in a soft gatefold cover

Another single by the eternal lovely Itoh Kiyoko with a nice picture inside

EX+ / EX mostly EX+

$50

 

 

Eri Chiemi LP compilation – King -1976

Late compilation with the great Eri Chiemi. 1st side is the late kayo period, when energy had gone, B side is a nice addtion because it has some tracks of her fokloric period in more updated orchestration which is always a real pleasure.

Cover, obi and insert are NM/ LP plays EX/ mostly EX+

$40

Keiko Fuji – LP compilation 16 tracks – RCA – 1976

An excellent compilation with some rarer songs.

Near Mint  for cover and obi / EX-EX+

$40

 

Nagisa Yukiko 10″ –  Toshiba 1962 Red wax

Rare 10″, red wax, 1962 was a good period along withsome Yukiji Asaoka. This one sounds straight enka with high nasal voice, almost childish by moments. Very intense, she sings as it could be her last day,  straight enka, minyo, folkloric songs…

EX- (Some wears) / VG+ (some surface noise but good pressing)

$30

Les Rallizés Dénudés / Taj Mahal Travellers – LP OZ days 1973 BOOT

A classic boot with 2 legendary bands,  xeroxed pasted cover. archive copy…

EX+/EX (Has some marks but without incident on the playing)

The quality pressing was not too high, some there’s a little hiss and a few clicks, all my copies had some minor defautlts.

$70

 

Carmen Maki “Far away country / Just two alone” single CBS 1969

2 songs taken from Carmen Maki’s first album with lyrics by Terayama, 2 folk and melancholic ballads, all her songs were so perfect, one of my favorite album of all time.

Cover has some wrinkles, EX- / Plays VG++ in the beginning  to EX. Nice copy for a cheap price

$15

 

Junko Fuji single “Onna Tosei-Nin / Onna ippiki no blues” – Crown 1971

Superb single , one of the rarest released on Crown Label, most of them were released on Victor.

Similar stuff , passionate enka songs for this 5 stars actress, comes in a nice double face cover.

EX-EX+ (minor wrinkles) / EX-  to EX, some surface noise, a visible scuff but sounds very nice

$45

Itoh Kiyoko single “A man and a flower / a piece of love”- CBS 1967

Wonderful singel, just a piece of  love. Some alternative versions that came out later on her first album, sounds more acoustic.

EX (some slight wrinkles) / EX-EX+

$40

 

Junko Fuji / Meiko Kaji single “Urami Bushi” – Teichiku

Superb split singles by our 2 favorite Heroins : Lady Yakuza vs Sasori

EX+/EX+

$50

Jo Kondo “Sen No ongaku” LP Alm Records 1974

The first ALM – AL1 reference by the underrated Jo Kondo for a subtil acoustic spacialization.

EX+/EX-mostly EX+

SOLD

Les Rallizes Denudes – 2LP Fucked & Naked 2003

Cover is EX-EX+ has some minor shelf wear / LP are EX-EX+

$65

 

Mimi Hiyoshi LP Victor – 197?

Gatefold cover for this LP released in the early-mid 70’s.  A quite varied album, some kayo ballads with strings section, some more up beat songs, makes this album very pleasant, sometimes not so far from Ruriko Asaoka. Mimi Hiyoshi is best known for singing some Shuji Terayama lyrics and for a collaboration with Kan mikami.

Near Mint /Near Mint

$60

 

Shuji Terayama (Tenjo Sajiki) 33 1/3 RPM EP “Hitoribochi no Anata Ni / Poems- For your melancholy night” – CBS 1971

With Naito Yooko &  Ogiwara Sakumi

Hardcover gatefold cover and  overlapping booklet by Aquirax

Lovely EP close to Carmen Maki “Poems in the Midnight”  and Tenjo Sajiko “Hatsukoi Jigioku” album, the atmosphere is like the title suggests it…

Cover is EX-EX+ inside has a few stains / EP is EX- /EX, some surface noise but nothing unacceptable, still a nice copy

SOLD

 

Motohiko Adachi / Joji Yuasa / Yoshiro Irino

Ni Hon Gendai Sakkyoka Shiriezu – Modern Japanese Composers Series” (Toshiba – TA-9302)

1970

Red Wax

Mega rare and fantastic, I can’t find my words.

EX/EX+ (with avery few stains) / LP has  a few surface noise and 4 pops for a couple of rotations  but the whole LP generally plays  EX/EX+

$225

 

Keiko Mari “Folk Song O Utau” Victor- 1971

Rare LP by Keiko Mari aka Petite M’amie, in a rather different style because this album belongs to folk /kayo music and in my opinion is even more interesting. Keiko Mari covers some Carmen Maki songs, Takeshi Nishioka /Itsutsuno No Akai Fusen and also The Folk Crusaders. Her voice is clear, arrangements are nice with strings and sometimes some field recordings.

EX+ (a very few stains inside) / EX-EX+

SOLD

 

Momoyama Harue with Ryuichi Sakamoto “Hikiyomigusa” – Victor / Invitation 1979

Lovely album with one traditionnal side with shamisen and the second one with electronics by Sakamoto, colouring the rural music with dark and alienish landscapes

EX+  (Obi has one tiny tear) / EX+

$65

Miura Fumiko LP Crown 1968

Rare LP on the mythic Crow Label. Straight enka and folkloric songs with shamisen & percussions.

EX+ / EX-Mostly EX+, a few clicks

$30

Sachiko Nishida – LP + red flexi 7inch Polydor 1967

Gatefold embossed cover LP

Well, Almost all Sachiko Nishida are lovely and the Polydor orchestra and arrangements were among the best one during the 60’s.

EX+ / EX, a few surface noise but still a nice copy

$55

Hibari Misora “Hibari Hauta Zoshi” 10inch – Columbia 1958

A great classic by a legend…

EX/VG++ / EX-

Great condition for its age, a few marks but plays very fine without too much noise. Price is a gift.

$50

 

Tenjo Sajiki / Shuji Terayama “hatsukoi jigoku hen” LP CBS 1970

With Kei Ogura, Carmen Maki…

Gatefold cover

EX+/EX+

$75

 

Makoto Moroi “concertos” – Victor 1971

Gatefold cover – Quadraphonic LP

2 pieces with “3 concerto Movements for shakuhachi, percussion and strings” & “concerto for piano & orchestra”

Many spaces with these pieces, mixing some traditionnal instruments with a great sense of mystery…

Both Cover and LP are Near mint

$100

 

Satoshi Ishikawa Wave notation 2 – Still Way – Sound process 1982

Manufactured by Kojima

Delicate music with piano, harp,  definitively an autumn’s album, not sa far from some ALM acoustics albums

Near Mint for cover and LP

SOLD

 

Kazuki Tomokawa “Umi shizuka”  King – 1981

Cover (EX+ , afew stains if you turn it to the light) / insert + obi + LP are EX+

SOLD

 

Kazuki Tomokawa “Ore no Uchide Nariymanai Uta” LP  1978 Bellwood

Cover, insert and obi are EX+ / LP plays EX/EX+

SOLD

Kan Mikami “Kan” Victor 1975

Cover, obi and insert are EX+ / LP plays EX/EX+

$60

Akiko Nakamura “Nijiiro no Mizuumi”  1968 – Victor

Gatefold cover with pinup poster

No obi, Cover is EX/EX+  and LP plays EX

Beat girl backed up by The Jaguars, some Kayo influenced songs, sound is lovely, reverbs are cool….first edition

$85

Michi Aoyama “Naku Onna / Onna Nano” single Crown 1969

EX+/EX-EX+

Super rare single by Michi, she was a queen during the Crown label years, deep enka,

SOLD

Itoh Kiyoko “When the apples blossoms /Ho Paura” single Toshiba 1968

Great single by the lovely Itoh Kiyoko assisted by The Happenings Four / Kuni Kawachi

Alternative versions released later on her 1st album – 1969

EX+/EX-EX+

$30

Itoh Kiyoko “Hana no Madonna” single 1967 CBS

Same similar stuff than the one mentioned before. recommended

EX+/EX+

$45

Vinyls – I

Mari Amachi / Reiko Oshida  2LP “Color pack Serie – Local” – CBS /Sony 1973 – Gatefold cover with attached booklet

1 Lp for each singer, Reiko Oshida tracks are taken from her first 3 albums,  she was an actress linked to the pinky violence, she sings with some approximations in a depraved manner a bit like Ike Reiko  that makes her so sexy, a great erotic figure from the 70’s. Mari Amachi is more like a  typical coquetish singer from this period, a good balance between up beat songs and some kayo ballads.

EX (Some stains) / EX, some surface noise, mostly for a couple of rotations, that’s not a perfect copy but still nice for this bargain price.

$40

          

Keiko Fuji LP “Keiko no Jinsei” – CBS – Quad 1973

Originally this 4th album was released in 1971, this version is rarer with a superior and wider stereo field, All Quadraphonic albums are hard to track down and become collectibles in JapanStill a nice album with a few tracks from the rokyoku /naniwa bushi repertoire mostly known by Yuriko Futaba.
Cover and obi are EX+ / LP plays EX, some surface noise but still nice
$65

Kiyoshi Maekawa (Cool Five) / Keiko Fuji“3” – RCA – Gatefold cover

EX+ / EX

$40

Sono Mari 2LP “Ai o anata ni” – Polydor – Gatefold Cover with attached pin up poster /booklet

A nice compilation of Sono Mari late 60’s songs…Husky and hypnotic voice…You’ll have some nice moments with your loneliness.

EX/EX+ for the cover / EX-EX+ for vinyls

$65

 

Sono Mari LP “Ai ha oshimi naku” Polydor 1968 – Gatefold cover with attached booklet
One of greatest voice of the mid-late 60’s, some similarities with Sachiko  Nishida who was signed on the same label, but Sono Mari has a more husky and hypnotic voice. Songs are embellished by the great Polydor Orchestra, if you need some elegance, charm and grace, Sono Mari is  one name you’ll definitively fall in love with. All her albums are rare and sadly Polydor pressing aren’t the best, so finding a good copy at a decent price is really difficult.

EX-EX+ / vinyl plays a solid EX, a few surface noise

SOLD


Sono Mari2LP “Ai o anata ni” – Polydor 1971 – Gatefold cover with obi, attached booklet

One of best kind of compilation with the lovely Sono Mari, one of the most gracious voice of the mid -late 60’s, she was one of the most talented singer, everything is at its place,  probably the most gracious and high skilled singer. If your ears need some honey without falling in the insignifiance, you’ll become hypnotisized  and would probably look after all her stuff. Many tracks here, would make a nice Christmas present to yourself.

EX+/EX , mostly EX+

$85

 

Kazuko Matsuo LP ” Hi-Light” – Victor 1964

One of the best Matsuo Kazuko, she was at her peak in the early 60’s, laid back -night ambiance with a husky and intimist voice.  Some duos with Frank Nagai & Hiroshi Wada /Mahina Stars, some jazzy late night songs with some strange voices harmonies and hawaian – steel guitar. You can end your night while listening  “goodnight “, believe you’ll experience a whole dreamy night.

EX (some stains on the back) / EX , considering its age that’s really a nice copy.

SOLD

Kazuko Matsuo LP “Saikai” – Victor 1972
Another piece in the puzzle, this one is a bit like a compilation but has alternative versions of some well known songs, if you don’t cry while listening “Saikai” song, that means you’re probably deaf and I can’t do nothing else for you !
EX+/EX  (A few surface noise but this copy is very clean indeed)
$40
Chako Miyaki LP “Utagatari” – Harvest
Nice sof  folk  with 2 compositions by Kazuki Tomokawa, you can hear it through a couple of beat songs.
EX /EX+(Slight ringwear) / EX+
$30
Shinichi Mori LP “Mujo No Yume” –  Victor – Gatefold cover
One of the best album by a legend, comes in a nice cover…Top copy and rare to find it with obi.
EX+ (some satins inside) / EX+
$45
Shinichi Mori LP “Onnagokoro wo utau”-   1969  – Gatefold cover
Early period and pretty rare, this one is a nice one too with some up beat songs usually covered by some female singers(Akiko Nakamura), Mori’s voice wasn’t so deep as later but his energy was already there.
$40
Shinichi Mori / Mina AoeLP “Yoru to kokotsu to kameiki…” RCA
Sometimes popular songs and popular artists can deliver a great album like this one…
2 great voices from the late 60’s early 70’s for a recommended split LP
Textured gatefold cover.
EX+/EX-EX+
$45
Makoto Moroi LP “Piano Concerto NO.1” – Victor 1970
One early album but Makoto Moroi composer who’s better known now for his tape music and that’s a pity because he’s a great and still unknown composer with orchestra. Piano NO.1 has been released a few times but this version is different with  “Alpha & Omega for piano op 12 / eight parables for piano” parts. Nice cover too, still an underrated composer.
EX+ / Side A plays EX+ / Side B plays EX/EX+ (a few surface noise)
SOLD
Sachiko Nishida LP “Myrioku no subete” Polydor
Nice album from the late 60’s,  as almost all Sachiko nishida’s stuff, enka/showa kayo with everything in its place, she’s really one of the ost charming singer from these years.
EX/EX
$35
Sachiko NishidaLP “Ai no owari no toki ni” – Polydor 1968
Gatefold cover with attached booklet
Superbe album with some more upbeat songs, not so far from Sono Mari albums on the same label.
Some spoken interludes and as always Sachiko Nishida’s magical voice
EX+/EX (a few surface noice but this is a solid copy)
SOLD
Reiko Oshida LP “Love’s sweet errors” gatefold cover – CBS 1973
Maybe her best album after the sexy first abum even if this one has more maturity. Some kayo ballads but Reiko Oshida is not the best singer and that’s what it makes her so lovely. She was mostly known as an actress, you probably know that…
Cover is EX , face is perfect, back and inside have some stains / LP plays EX mostly EX+
$60
Hiromi Sairaiji LP “Hatoba to fune to minato machi” – Columbia 1972 – Gatefold cover
Second album by the crazy and weird Hiromi Sairaiji. True enka compositions but her nasal and howling singing makes somethingvery atypical. She’s one of  my favorite singer even if the second LP is a bit less wild, it makes again an essential release witha  more varied approach. Some great songs by Funumura, also coverEd by Hibari Misora.
Cover is EX+, Obi is EX- (small creases) / Lp plays EX
$70
V/A Manatsu no yoru no dobutsuen – Love sounds in nippon – Victor 1997
Nice compilation with GS tracks and some sexy singer rarities like Yukiko Kuwabara, Reiko Ohara…
This a recent limited serie that immediately sold out. Honestly I was quite defiant but this is a nice release with beating songs by The House Rockers, Helpful Soul and some other unknown names. Looks a compilation for “hype” but very well done.
near mint /near mint
$80
V/A Orchestral Space Orchestra Space at Nissei Theatre 1966 LP – Victor 1966
Conductor is Seiji Ozawa, organised by Takemitsu and Ichiyanagi
With Toru Takemitsu – Yuji Takahashi – Toshi Ichiyanagi – Joji Yuasa
Fantastic and historic release, highlight is Ichiyanagi “Life music” for various modulators, magnetic tape & orchestra.
Cover is EX (minor wears and a library sticker on the back) / LP plays EX- , some surface noise but the sound is clear and detailed,  listening is still pleasant with dynamics.
Quite a bargain price for a true rarity
SOLD
V/A Transformation of piano / The contemporary music of Japan
LP with Mayuzumi / Takahashi / Yuasa / Ichiyanagi
gatefold cover with 8 pages attached booklet – Columbia 1970
This is the first edition , this historic album is better know with its later release on Denon.
Electronic piece “Music for piano” by Ichiyanagi
Cover is EX (clean but has a library sticker on the back) / inside is top clean
LP plays EX- / stickers on the labels /some surface noise
Downpriced  because of its condition
$100

Catalogues, books and more

Creating Enka ” The Soul of Japan” in the postwar Era

Wajima Yusuke translated by Kato David Hopkins

Public Bath Press

“This is the prize-winning history of the music known as Enka, one of the dominant forms of postwar popular music, that rearranged everyone’s understanding of the history of postwar pop. Love it or hate it, Enka is a necessary background for anyone hoping to understand the music of Japan. With a new introduction by the author and full color printing (unlike the Japanese original), this is a must-have for your collection.”

I still haven’t dived into but you cannot imagine how this book is essential for any people who’s in popular songs, in the heart of  the japanese’s culture. After Gaseneta, Mikami Kan,  Public bath Press is slowly becoming essential for the non japanese readers and needs all our support to bring us some more surprises.

$24

creating enka

Kiyoshi Awazu ” Makurihirogeru” exhibition catalogue + 2DVD 21st  / Century Museum, Kanazawa / Gendaikikakushitsu

Graphic Designer Kiyoshi Awazu (1929-2009) was one of superstar of Japan’s avant-garde era in 1960-70’s. This large retrospective exhibition was carried out at 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa between Nov. 2007 and March 2008. All of Awazu collection and all related performances for this exhibition (excerpt) are recorded on 2 DVDs. Exhibition catalog is specially designed as documentary of this event – unfortunately texts are written in Japanese mainly (some descriptions are in Japanese and English). 2nd DVD includes some live concerts, for example, Yosuke Yamashita’s “Piano on Fire”, Toshi Ichiyanagi’s piano playing and Takehisa Kosugi’s live performance “Mano-Dharma Concert”

A4 format / Heavy

New $80 SOLD OUT

kiyoshi awazuKiyoshi Awazu kiyoshi awazu 2 Kiyoshi Awazu

Takehisa Kosugi

Waves – Takehisa Kosugi Sound Installation – Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura

Signed by Kosugi in 2001 on the front page

A4 size, 33 pages with coloured pictures + Flyer

The cover has some minor wears, inside is tight and clean

$150

Unsigned copy / Near Mint copy

$65

Takehisa Kosugi

Daad galerie catalogue – signed copy

some minor wears  – EX copy

$125

(unsigned EX+ copy : $75)

Takehisa Kosugi

Four Devices

11x13cm published in 1991 by P-3 Art and Environement, Tochoji Zen Temple, Tokyo, JapanEmbossed carton box with 24 art/scores cards,  7 paged doublesided info and works foldout booklet and a glass

Portfolio / catalogue

$125

Vinyls – Singles & EPs – I

Mari Atsumi single 45rpm “Kawai Akuma /Mayonaka no terasu” – Daiei records

Lovely single probably released in 1970, comes in a sexy double side cover

EX+/EX

SOLD

Itoh Kiyoko / Takahiko Ishikawa EP ” Peace & Love 7″ 33rpm – Sony

This was only a promo release in the early 70’s with 2 Titles for each singer. An amazing side with the lovely Itoh Kiyoko covering 2 Paul Simon’s song : “Scarborough Fair” and “el Condor Pasa” with an amazing multitracked voice effect

It seems nobody knows it but Itoh Kiyoko had a whole album with some Paul Simon’s cover, but forget about finding it.

B side are²2 covers wit ha nice singer : “Alice’s restaurant” & “Blowin’in the wind”, I guess everybody know these.

Hardbound cover with a nice insert.

EX+/EX+

SOLD

Nana Maki

single 7″ 45rpm  “Neon Machi burusu / Anchikisho no Burusu” – Columbia 1970

Mega rarity, this single was included in the Teichiku 6CD boxset “Oiroke-kayō wa Doko e Iku” released in 2000, a collection of rare artefact & erotic singles…Just imagine a kind of voice such as Michi Aoyama growling mixed with Hiromi Sairaiji weirdness, punctuated by a few ecstatic moanings…

EX-EX+ / EX-EX+

$70

Keiko Mari single 7”45rpm “Moonlight Rendez vous/Yasuharu Konishi” – Victor 1968

Very early single by Keiko Mari aka Petite Mamie (it was re-released by Tiliqua), one track with Rio Alma. The whole is more popish and really song oriented but you can hear Keiko trademark as  a young girl having fun..

Bargain price because of its state, makes anyway a good document…

VG+ (some stains and some wrinkles) / VG+ (some surface noise and crackling)

$50

Keiko Mari single 7″ 45rpm “Sign V” – Victor 1969 gatefold cover

Early single by Keiko Mari better known as Petit’ Mamie, this single was a song for a TV program on TBS.

Side A sounds like a generic song, B side is a lovely ballad and that’s the highlight of this rare piece. Comes in a gatefold cover.

I think for it’s price that’s an opportunity to get a rare document.

Vinyl plays EX/EX+ on side A / Side B is EX- with a “sh” entering for a fraction of second

$50

Kan Mikami single promo 7″ 45rpm “Noriko Wa ima” – Victor 1981

One unknown piece by the legendary Mikami Kan, this was written for a film, he’s on the picture on the back cover

EX (Has a small punch hole on the bottom left corner) / EX+

SOLD

Oh Ranfan single 7″ 45rpm ” Hiasoni no blues / Nagisa no ecstasy” -Victor 1968

The first Oh Ranfan single, she’s one of my favorite singer, what makes her so sexy is how the sound recording is so  detailed and closed from her mouth and throat, you can hear  her saliva and many mouth details… Super rare and still underrated

EX (minor wrinkles and a few stains if you hold it to the light) /  The single has a few scuffs but it plays like EX+

$70

Hiromi Sairaiji single 45 rpm “Tsushima Ryojou / Tsuchima Ondo”  Columbia 1978

Rare promo copy, alternative cover for this late Hiromi Sairaiji’s  collectible single.

Highlight is B side, like a minyo rythmic song with percussions and back up vocals. A side is a ballad with Sairaiji’s high pitch vocal trademark, this one sounds like she had some great days in Aloha.

EX-EX+ (minor wrinkles) / EX-mostly EX+

$50

Sawa Tomomi single 45rpm “Morning blues / Koi no Kagami” – Columbia 1969

If you are in the kayo-groovy styles like Mari Tsutsui, this one is a nice complement with its amateurish kind of voice, would make another nice addition in your erotic kayo collection…Quite rare and not very known ouside of the japanese market.

EX- (some wrinkles and minor wears) / EX

$25

Mari Tsutsui single 45rpm “Ningyo no koi / Warui na anata” RCA 1970

One of the famous erotic Kayokyoku single mostly known by its cover…Kayo rythmic songs with the sensual Mari Tsutsui…Very rare and listed at a low price because of the cover’s state.

VG+ (some wrinkles  & stains mostly around the top right corner and back) / Plays EX, sounds really nice

$25

Vinyls

 Eri Chiemi – “Geisha ondo” – King 1966

(Rare Lp with Chiemi’s covering some folkloric songs for whose are familiar with her 4 x 10″ released around 1964 and some more us and european standards, orchestration is at its peak, B side is just fantastic)

Cover and LP are EX+

SOLD

Matsuo Kazuko LP  Compilation – Victor 1976

(Wonderful compilation covering the early 60’s , orchestration is laid back and superb, late night ambiance and features a great duo with Frank Nagai…Satin voice, just lovely and recommended…)

Cover, obi and vinyl are EX+

$50

Les Rallizes Dénudes : Etcetera magazine +  purple clear single 33RPM – 1993

Magazine has some minor wears, vinyl is EX/EX+

SOLD

CDs & cassettes

富樫雅彦- Steve Lacy – 高橋悠治 CD 富樫雅彦 Steve Lacy 高橋悠治 – Studio Songs $20

(Togashi Masahiko- Steve Lacy – Takahashi Yuji) Recorded on Oct 16, 2000 at Hall Egg Farm

steve lacy togashi

YBO2 CD 太陽の皇子 Super Fuji $17

Originally released in 1986, this new edition has an extra track Kitamura Masashi, Yoshida Tatsuya and K.K. Null

YBO2transrec002

Arington de Dyoniso & Tori Kudo CDR “Yama Neko Improvisations” $13

Tori Kudo- pump organ
Arrington de Dionyso- bass clarinet, some voice, membrane horns

Recorded in February 2007 at Tsuru’s home studio in Matsuyama Japan during the Maher Shalal Hash Baz/Arrington de Dionyso/Karl Blau joint tour organized by 7ep and K Records to celebrate the release of the KLP/7ep album “L’Autre Cap” by Maher Shalal Hash Baz. Only a few !

Masami Kawaguchi CS “Live  2016” Albert’s Basement $9

Ltd to 70 – one man, one voice, one guitar, one soul and that’s enough.

Masami Kawaguchi Cs masami kawaguchi cs001

Tashi Dorji cassette “But a night that ends..” Moone records $10

Ltd to 150 with download coupon –  “But a night that ends,  as all nights end,  when the sun rises” –

“Tashi Dorji is a celebrated free-form/improvisational guitarist. Born and raised in Bhutan, but transplanted to Ashville, NC in the early 2000’s. He is a musical force that is in a caliber of his own. The amount of originality in his playing could have only been summoned when one is forced to confront limitations and raise a big middle finger to the ‘status quo’….

Tashi’s latest album but a night that ends, as all nights end, when the sun rises is pieced together in a non-linear/non-hierarchical form. Every segment equal part fragile and intense. The album feels like it is addressing a dark political climate but from an anti-establishment perspective. It is a transmission from another dimension, to let us know we aren’t doing this “humanity thing” right. However, in its confrontation, it still arouses hope for a brighter future.”

Tashi Dorji CS

Doronco Gumo CS “Man Star” Selection Rec $10

Excellent ltd cassetten sometiems sounds abit like MSHB with

Colin Molter : Trumpet & Vocal
Doronco : Bass & Vocal
HIiragi Fukuda Guitar & Vocal
Mako Hasegawa : Drums
Reina Higa : Melodica & Vocal
Itsuki Suizu : Melodica & Vocal
Hainezumi Nishimiya : Banjo & Vocal
Osamu Karita : Cowbell & Scream

doronco gumo cs

Kan Mikami CD+DVD  “Blog, tweet, Facebook” Chaotic Noise 2013 NM $24

Double digipak with obi

Kan Mikami CD Tweet001

Angkanang Kunchai CD “Mae Baeb Pleng Morlum vol 2″  $15

Nice compilation of one of the best singer from Thailand, luk Thung is a popular style of music coming from the countyside that emerged after WW2, having from its beginnings drawn upon northeastern musical traditions and the northeastern Isan language. Instrumentation is a nice mix of western instruments with some traditional khaen, phin. Hard to resist,  we’re terribly hooked to this style of music. For a couple of years Em records from Japan dived into Luk Thung and Molam musics.  Here aresome typical thai cheap CDs with a lot of exclusive songs.If you are interested with some more singers, you can ask as weare also huge fans of Bubpar Saichol, Dao Bando , Pongsri Woranuch (Absolutely great !) and a few more.

Angkhanang Khunchai CD 2001

Eddie Marcon CDR EP “Feruto No Tsuki” Pong Kong  $14

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Red Shoes CDR “6.26 (sun) 7 : 0.0 Muon” Cragale $24

Red shoes002

Harutaka Mochizuki CD “Through the Glass” Armageddon Nova $15

Well, what ca nI say as I consider Harutaka as one of the best howler coming from Japan for a couple of years. This album is the first one recorded in studio, it’s direct, gracile without any artifice. That’s only the expression of a true soul.

harutaka-through-the-glass001

Oyauchi CD “Hikureteyomowakuraku” Armageddon Nova SOLD

Aishi Oyauchi is a radical alto saxophonist in the tradition of Kaoru Abe and who hails from the same first generation of Japanese free improvisers and he regularly plays with Deku bassist who comes out of the whole Motoharu Yoshizawa school of radical free improvisation and rigorous sound art and was a student of legendary percussionist Masahiko Togashi. Here Oyauchi plays soft, no reed torture and this release offers one more missing part of the japanese free music underground. Unrecorded despite being in his 60s and playing out for several decades so this is the only 3rd recorded evidence of the invention Oyaushi is capable of and that has attracted regular collaborators such Kan Mikami and drummer Sabu Toyozumi.

Aishi Oyaushi003

Makoto Kawashima – Naoto Nishizawa duo CD”Hamachidori” Homosacer records $18

Great duo with Kawashima on alto sax and Nishizawa  (Exias-J) who’s a percussionist and sound artist. Far from the usual ferocious playing, music has her a lot of space with Kawashima’s singular melodic and lyrical vibe.

Makoto Kawashima duo005

Andrew Chalk CD “Everyone Goes Home When the Sun Sets” Faraway Press $16

New album from Andrew and once again it comes in a lovely handmade gatefold jacket, please once again think about the amount of love and work.

andrew-chalk-everyone-goes-cd

Andrew Chalk CD “Everyone Goes Home When the Sun Sets” Faraway Press $30

This is the portfolio edition (multi panels), once again it’s handmade. Only a few !

andrew-chalk-everyone-goes003

Elodie CD ” Odyssee” Faraway Press SOLD OUT

Andrew Chalk + Timo Van Luijk

Comes in a handmade gatefold jacket with obi

elodie-2016002

Aoi Swimming CD “Top of the fancy” $20 only a few

Coming from the Sapporo  scene and now newly located in Tokyo, we have here the first true CD with the great diva of avant pop also known for her  funny videos.  She’s an idiosyncratic singer-songwriter cum performance artist playing toy keyboards, her weirdly plastic neon voice bounces witty, observant lyrics over pumping toy house rhythms.

Absolutely nuts and creative,  almost unknown on the western shores she was recently on a european tour co-starring with Otaco and Cup & Saucers  native friends  from Hokkaido.

Aoi Swimming CD009

Bibi & Tenniscoats 7′ “Tamashi / Akuma made todoku koe” Majikick $10

bibi tenniscoats

Makoto Kawashima CDR “Unification” Self Release $12

One more excellent release and quite intense performance from Kawashima, maybe a bit more physical from the previous releases.One new howler who slowly finds his own way…

Makoto Kawashima unification CD010

Junji Hirose “SSI-4” Hitorri $14

Junji Hirose became active on the free jazz/improvised music scene at the end of the 1970s. He has played the saxophone in a variety of groups and projects, including Masahiko Togashi’s band and Otomo Yoshihide’s Ground-Zero. But Hirose’s work is not limited to sax playing: in the 1980s he started performing noise music on his SSI (self-made sound instrument), an apparatus made from his collection of bicycle wheels and other everyday odds and ends. The sounds produced by hitting and scraping the objects are amplified via installed pickups, turning into complex, intricate layers of sound clusters that reverberate through the space. This is a live recording of two pieces performed by Hirose in January 2013 at Ftarri, Suidobashi, Tokyo, on version 4 of the SSI. You’re sure to be caught up in the whirlpool of dazzling sound produced by his truly unique self-made instrument.

Junji Hirose SSI 4

Miyanishi Keizo The Hundred Devils 2CD “Japanese Original rock style” Pataphysique rec.$17

Comes in gatefold mini LP jacket with extensive bookletIt is a compilation and new front of the long-time artist (drawing) and musician, Miyanishi Keizo’s art work, music and poems till the present.
The Hundred Devils is his new band, and this first album is the absolute genre-less music.

Keiz o miyanishi003

Itaru Oki – Axel Dörner CD “Root of Bohemian” Improvised Beings $10

itaru oki dorner

《《》》 [Metsu] featuring Saya(from Tenniscoats)& Shibata Satoko CD “Relay” Doubt $15

Oshima Teruyuki – guitar, bugeffects
Takeshita Yuma – electro-bass
Kayu Nakada- bugsynthesizer
Yuji Ishihara – drums, percussions
Saya – vocal
Shibata Satoko – vocal, acoustic Guitar

Relay003

Taco 4CD “Box vol2 ” Super Fuji Comes with 47 pages booklet NM  sold

Second box with unreleased tracks from this crazy band centered around Harumi Yamazaki (Gaseneta), OHsato Toshiharu, Lolita Junko and Shiraishi Tamio

Their famous and mythic first album was released in 1983 on Pinakotheca label with the help of Ryuichi Sakamoto..Music is hard to describe because you don’t know what is coming track after track.

This second volume gathers some live performances from 1982 to 1985 with a lot of participants such Tori Kudo, Machida Machizo, Sato Kaoru, Fumio Kosakai, Goitsuka Ryo, Narita Munehiro and a lot more forgotten names from the underground scene. Chaotic, wild, funny, stupid, just enough to catch the breeze from the 80’s !

Taco box 2003

Tori Kudo / M. Suzuki / No. Plum / T. Mochizuki   CDR “O Caroline”  Live at Barasoo 2015/4/12 $25

Once again what an odd release with Tori, when the song is good, you can keep on playing it for hours (here it clocks around 35 minutes) Only a few, private and limited release

Tori kudo o Caroline001

Andrew Chalk CD  ‘A Light At The Edge Of The World’  Faraway Press : FP 025 $18

‘A Light At The Edge Of The World’ captures the fading essences and glow of ‘Forty-Nine Views In Rhapsodies’ Wave Serene’ (2012), in a single 40 minute piece for electric piano atmospherics.Its predecessor being an album of romanticised vistas, is concluded here in a restrained and delicate homage of poetic impressionism.

Mini CD slipcase with wooden spine on inner sleeve, clothbound spines, offset printed papers. Debossed motifs.These are all handmade,  no plastic, it’s really a given price for a such amount of work. Please think about it.

You can also order directly from Faraway Press in order to support directly the artist http://farawaypress.info/

Andrew Chalk CD2015 cut *

Naoki Miyamoto / Chie Mukai – Tetragrammaton CD “Ftarri Collection ” New $15

Ftarri 5001

Kito Mizukumi Rouber cs “Yumeno Kippuutino KMR” second pressing $12

Kito-Mizukumi Rouber cs Yume No Kippuuri Pas KMR

Yakouchu CD “Yakouchu” Veltz New SOLD OUT

First CD with this band that appeared on PSF Tokyo Flashback 6 in 2007 and toured since with Overhang Party, Keiko Higuchi. Centered around female singer Madoka and Louis Image guitar + drums and organ, music is rooted in psychedelism with a light touch of Quicksilver Messenger Service influence, or like White Heaven with dreamy mid tempos. For psychedelic life, psychedelic people, a new name to discover !

Yakouchu CD001

Angkanang Kunchai with Ubon-Pattana Ban CD  Em records NMint  sold

If you are in Luk Thung and Molam music, this is probably the release of the year, if you dig  thai voice with tremolo, khaen …Can’t stop playing it since it arrived.  This album represents a crucial moment in Thai musical history when the performance styles of Molam and Luk Thung were fused together for the very first time. Born in the province of Ubon Ratchathani in Isan (the northeastern region of Thailand), Angkanang Kunchai was a young female prodigy who emerged on the Molam scene, and became one of the first generations of Molam performers who were able to “sing” popular music.

Angkanang Kunchai  

Kiyoshi Mizutani & Kiyoharu Kuwayama CD ” Interlude” And-Oar $15 Kiyoshi Mizutani: feedback / Kiyoharu Kuwayama: handmade electronics, contact mic & mix

“and/OAR (via either/OAR) is very pleased to present what is without a doubt among the very best of both artist’s electronic-based work.
Throughout much of this highly charged release, brooding clouds of swarming tones and drones envelope the listener, either inducing a hypnotic trance or a deep contemplative listening state.”
 I totaly agree with the label,  this is the best music I’ve heard from these 2 muscians, like ferry boats lost in deep seas, some alienish birds falling in warm oceans, a nice ballet of feedbacks, very present but not too agressive.
mizutani kuwayama cd

Toshi Tsuchitori CD “the songs of the civil rights movements at Meiji period (1868-1926) –  Ryuko Gakusha NM SOLD One more beautiful release by Tsuchitori who sings and play all instruments : shamisen, percussions…Know as a free musician he had collaborated with Momoyama Harue and has been deeper in ancient instruments and now in old forgotten songs. Not experimental but if you are in minyo, in deep folkloric waters.

Toshi Tsuchitori CD

Chie Mukai & Che Chen CDR”2.23.11″ Ltd New $25

Very ltd tour CDr before the Lp…Nice collaboration, Che Chen is a young & talented musician.

Chie Mukai - Che Chen CDR Chie Mukai - Che Chen CDR

Toshi Tsuchitori 2CD “Azembo & Chido’s enka” – Ryuko Gakusha 2013 $48

beautiful release with some old enka tunes (pre WW2), vocal, shamisen and a lot more all played by Tsuchitori. This the heart of japanese soul with some minyo, folk incursions. Nothing experimental, just beautiful.

Tsuchitori Tsuchitori back

Nakahara Masaya CD “The Mix CD” Black Smoker records New $15

Masahaya Nakara  Masahaya Nakara

Kito-Mizukumi Rouber cassette ” Yume No Kippuuri No KMR”  Papa records / Chocolate Monk $15 Ltd to 100,  stupid, weird and funny

Kito-Mizukumi Rouber cassette

Zuno Keisatsu CD “Zuno Keisatusu 1” Hayabusa Landings 2012 NM $30 Comes in a CD-sized papersleeve album replica, with obi-strip and two inserts of notes. Japanese ur-punk/rock band formed in 1970 by Panta and Toshiaki Ishizuka ( who’s still playing with Tomokawa kazuki and has produced some of his early albums), known for their extreme left wings opinions.

Zuno Keisatsu CD

Zuno Keisatsu CD “Zuno Keisatusu 2” Hayabusa Landings 2012 NM $30 Comes in a MINi LP gatefold jacket

Zuno Keisatsu CD

Zuno Keisatsu CD “3” Hayabusa Landings 2012 NM $30 comes in a mini Lp gatefold jacket

Zuno Keisatsu 3

Jacks CD “Second Session” promo Disk Union Toshiba 2004 Mint $30 Originally released in 1968 Comes in a mini LP jacket with 2 obis

Jacks super session promo Jacks super session promo 2

Dohshimasu-Symphonia CDR “At kongoh juin 2011” NM  $15 Nice improvised ensemble conducted by Onnyk,  Morita Yasumasa, Kakusika Noziuke…Comes in a nice cover with vinyl like black CDR

Dohshimasu-Sinfonia

Yuriko Futaba CD “Kuradashi Rokyoku meijin sen 4” – 2000 King  NM with Obi $18 Originally released  in 1972. Futaba Yuriko is probably one of the most emblematic japanese singer, she’s just considered as a national treasure, she’s the queen or rokyoku / naniwa bushi style that was popular in the Meiji period (it ended in 1912). This music is very popular in Japan and was mainly played in radio programs until the  60’s, in fact it’s a mix of narrative ballads and enka songs with shamisen interludes and sometiems with a lot of environemental sounds. Futaba is just a monument, she’s probably hundreds of recordings and she’s not so well considered by theyoung generations because with her cheap kimonos she became the symbol of conservative ideas. On a musical level, it’s just unbelievable, it’s really melodramatic and very odd because it gathers so many things, even for non japanese readers you understand tragic stories, Futaba is a singer, an actress, hard to belive she’s behind all voices. Strangely with years, I can hear a lot of similitudes Mikami Kan, of course his lyrics are absolutely modern, personnal and poetic but on a formal aspect you can really hear where are his roots. I mean the actual Mikami, and the one’s from the late PSF period. Also, Futaba is a name to discover if you are in theatre and Cinéma for L’oreille, just close the eyes and you’ll see a movie. For those who aren’t  vinyls fetichists, I think these relases are a good start for cheap. Recommended

Yuriko Futaba 4

Yuriko Futaba CD “Kuradashi Rokyoku Meijin sen 27” KIng – NM with obi $18 Originally released in 1978

Yuriko Futaba CD 27

Yuriko Futaba CD “Futaba Yuriko Rokyoku no Miryoku 10 ganpaki no Haha” – 2007 – NM with obi $18 Originally released in 1977

Yuriko Futaba CD

 

Taco 4 CD box “Vol. 1 / amachan” – Super Fuji – Like new $55 DVD box size, comes with a 56 pages booklet. Harumi Yamazaki and Toshiharu Ohsato….A legendary band mostly known for Gasaneta and Taco first album on Pinakotheca. Materials here is rawer with some contributions from Tamio Shiraishi recorded in 1980 just after Gaseneta stopped, Tamio became then a major contribution to their noisy aspect. Dense, wild, amazing and with Ohsato box 4CD, one of the most true interesting  archives coming from the 80’s underground.

 taco box 2 taco box 3

 Sono Mari 3CD box ” Derrakusu – Mari Chan to deto” – 2007 USM – EX+without obi – $65 Nice out of print box with a lot of early songs from 1962, Sono Mari was one of the most nice gifted voice singer, she was one of the most lovely enka/kayo singer between 1965 & 1970, also signed on Polydor like Sachiko Nishida. Very interesting box because tracks from 1962 are not well known whereas the 2 others CDs are a nice compilation of her hits when she was at her peak. Already a collector, price is reasonable…

 

Kaga Mariko CD “Aishiau Futari No Tame Ni Ai No Resson”- Warner 1999 – NM -$35 Originally released in 1971, one excellent and hard to find erotic release,  a nice soft pop album with french arrangements à la française, this highly addictive. Comes in nicely illustrated booklet, one of Tiliqua’s favorite and it’s quite easy to understand why… “Kaga Mariko was and still is a very famous actress in Japan but what hardly anyone knows is that while she was still a young nymphet she recorded this one off LP in 1971 when she was 28 years old. The album whose title translates itself as “Lessons in Love” sees Mariko embarking on an erotic French inspired vibe but instead of singing songs into being she fills up the whole of the compositions with private pillow talk, erotic one liners, girlie sexy mumblings and so forth. She knew she wasn’t cut out as a chanteuse and instead embarked on what she was strong in, becoming a love tainted young girl, exploring love in all its aspects through a journey towards the true one. Her voice is bewitchingly beautiful and even if she just fills every composition with her soft talking, it comes over as singing to these ears. Mariko was a vamp, one can her it and also judge it from the sexy pictures filling the gatefold. Coquette, ultra feminine, erotically charged and highly individualistic, she was the femme fatale of 1971 downtown Tokyo. The whole vibe reminds me a bit of the Kuwabara Yukiko LP, only that Kaga Mariko takes it a step further as far as talent, girl power, erotic vibrations and professionalism goes. One of the most obscure and highly sought after erotic records to seep out of Japan, copies just never surface – especially ones in top condition like this one here complete with obi and pin up poster. To make it even more mouth watering, this is the blue label promo copy. Fantastic LP, it took me only a decade to dig up my own personal copy and here is the first ever-complete copy I have to spare. Mint all the way, stunning both to behold and to get soaked into. Kaga Mariko is my personal Iroke Queen ” – Tiliqua

 

  Itoh Kiyoko & The Happenings Four CD “O Ganso” – Shinseido 2000 – ex+ / $35

Excellent and out of print with a lot of unreleased mixes with the lovely Itoh Kiyoko and nicely produced by Kuni Kawachi and his band. A lot of acoustic details with a slight touch of psych .

 

Sachiko Kanenobu Cd “Misora” mini Lp gatefold – EMI – EX+ $30 One great classic but this is the rare japanese edition CD,  this album was released during  the Japanese ‘folk boom’ and featured seminal figures Happy End and  Haruomi Hosono. Kanenobu was labeled the ‘Japanese Joni Mitchell’.

Ruriko Asaoka CD “Best” – Teichiku 2001 – Mint/ sealed  $20 Ruriko Asaoka has reached a cult status for year in Japan. She was a model,  an accomplished and well known actress and also one of the best singer since the 60’s. This compilation is a short introduction, there are only 7 tracks but that’s enough to go in heavens. These are true kayo songs with a lot of varied influences but Ruriko Asaoka has really a true voice, romantic and melancholic, someone you’d like to cherish. One of my favorite kayo singer, she even surpasses Meiko Kaji and consorts. Very rare,  if you wer disappointed with her, I’d accept a return !

V/A “Midnight Shinjuku” 2CD box – Coulumbia 2009 – NM – $40 Great idea with this box centered on Shinjuku…With Keiko Fuji (of course), Ogi Hiroko (one name to discover), Shinichi Mori, Matsuo Kazuko and many more…A lot of tracks,  34 to get immersed in the night with an extensive booklet.

Emergency CD “Homage to peace” – Digipak -America / Numbered – New  – $20 Nice collection by Universal side label. Glenn Spearman, Toyozumi, Takashi Kako, Bob Reid, Boulou Ferret recorded in 1970

V/A Psychedelic Atmosphere Beatnik Tour CD – C & P by Manifatture Criminali under license from La Musica – EX+ – $15

One forgotten and nice compilation with Mainliner, Musica Transonic, Tatsuya Yoshida, Ohkami No Yikan, Toho Sara…

Sweet Inspirations cassette “Life Affair Trust Music I” La Musica – NM $70

Les Rallizes Dénudés 2CD box “Critical Trip” – Univive – Mint $55

One of the last release by Univive and already sold out, this one has one gig from 1987.05.13 and another from 1974.07.13
Marble Sheep meet Maru Sankaku Shikaku 2CD Captain trip 2003 / NEW / $15
Naomi Tani CD “Modae no Heya” – Tiliqua – Mini Lp gatefold – EX+ / $50
Kahashi Katsumi CD “Paris 2” (1972) – Mini LP – USM / NM – $20
Kahashi Katsumi CD ” Paris – 1969″ – mini gatefold cover/ USM  – NM – $20
Masahiko Sato and Soundbreakers CD “Amalgamation” – Drone Syndicate / NM /$15
Bootleg, this one maybe a little more needed because the P-Vine edition is OOP for years and it’s a real curiosity if you are in free jazz psych funky rock things…and helicopters
 
Sono Mari CD “Hit Collection” 1998 Warner – EX+, obi is missing – $20
One rare compilation with 18 tracks part of a J-pop Hit parade collection, this is the best compilation in my opinion.
Well Sono Mari is one of great voice voice from the 60’s, delicate, graceful, it was the best Polydor years with Sachiko Nishida iconic singer. One of the loveliest singer, makes here a good appetizer…
Matsuo Kazuko CD “Husky voice at night” – Think/Victor 2006  no obi- $15
This album if one the most well know , it has a higher production than her “night mood collection” volumes, out in 1966 it became a classic japanese jazz release with its US post war mood with covers such like “my funny Valentine”. A Matsuo’s complement, music is laid back, lounge, an historic key piece but personnally I’m more in her earlier stuff.
Judy Ongg CD “Umi Kamome” – Hai San Records Taiwan 2007- NM – $25
Rare reissue a of a rare taiwanese album, with Judy Ongg starring in 1973 in the musical movie “Seagull /world of love”. Not the best sound quality, has some hiss but this 12 tracks album has a folk rural taste for moments, it akes a nice addition to Judy Ongg’s discography, far from her early years, closer to her native country.
 
Takako Uchida CD”Anata To Shinitai Watashi+Bonus tracks” – Teichiku 1996 – NM- SOLD
Sorry for te high price but this CD is very rare, first printing and rarer than Iany erotic release such as Ike Reiko’s Tiliqua CD.
The music is quite intimist and is quite unique if yo uare in erotic artefacts. Better than most of well known other nuded actresses with a more late night ambiance. Highly recommended, one of the best with Oh Ranfan & Ike Reiko CDS.
Ako Midorikawa CD “Yoidore onna no nagareuta” mini lp gatefold – P-Vine – EX+ -$60
Nice album by a great and quite unknown singer, a mix between Keiko Fuji and Michi Aoyama with some backed up voices from the Crown trademark.
Toru Takemitsu CD ” requiem of strings” – JVC 1988 – EX+$30
Second CD in this wonderful serie (came without obi) with Toshi Ichiyanagi on piano.  Tracklisting is really nice and sound is excellent, along with “In an Autumn Garden” volume this second volume is one of the best with “Solitude, “Textures”, “Arc for piano and orchestra”…
 Sono Mari 5CD+100 pages booklet “CD-Box” – Victor 2005 – Near Mint – $85
Fantastic rare and out of print Box with one of the greatest voice. Many early singles from the early/mid 60’s with Sono mari’s husky voice. A great and important piece if you are in enka/kayo music at its best.Out of print and essential if you are not in vinyls.
Reiko Oshida CD in slimcase with obi “Onna Ha Sore Wo Gaman Dekinai” CBS Sony – 1994 NM $50
 – Rare CD of Reiko Oshida 1971 album. Terrible sexy actress and singer linked to the Pinky era period.  With such titles like I’m not a bad girl, No no no, what more could you ask for ?
Reiko Oshida “Love sweet’s error” – Sony /CBS
Cd version of  her 1973 album. Sounds more like soft pop than her first album but there’s a melancolic vibe all along the tracks .EX+ condition but Obi is missing $40
 
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JUNKO – Masayoshi URABE – “Swing Low, Sweet Silence” CD

JUNKO

Masayoshi URABE

“Swing Low, Sweet Silence”

Label : An’archives

CD ltd to 300 copies

3 silkscreened panels (fold out) with obi and insert

SOLD OUT

 

“ Swing Low, Sweet Silence”

Recorded live on september 29, 2004  at Super Deluxe, Tokyo, during the 20th anniversary celebration night of PSF and Alchemy labels.

Even the less skilled orator, even the worst speaker can give substance to the sounds coming out of their mouth, whether it be ramshackle, aphasic or even frigid” Jean-Jacques Lebel « Poésie en Action », Loques/Nèpe.

Here, on this record, the screamer and the whisperer sail away toward the worst, expelling from their bodies shredded songs whereon our senses shatter. Such a poetic extremity is not drawn from the cultural landscape, but from the breath of the living world. Raw poetry or a poetic racket made of copper whispers and screams of terror, erotic glossolalia and ramshackle choirs. They stand like two narrators, burnt in the hullabaloo of an infinitely melancholic melody, dislocating in great devouring rests, tuning back to an unheard of pitch, swirling in close combat. Tightrope walkers dancing above our inner abyss. lovers call and respond in the electric night.

Masayoshi Urabe. Lips split in two by the alto sax. Bag full of burning air blowing into brass. Dancing hysterically in the sound. When he plays the heavens are forced to lie at his feet, our listening experience swinging, spitting sticky melodies until beauty lies exhausted. He walks on the wild side to reach asphyxia, ending breathless, as testified by the recording. A brother only to Kaoru Abe and Albert Ayler. The same tragedian, the same single jealous chord to go swinging in sound. His art is reminiscent of a sonic Seppuku, splitting his body in half as well as our understanding. Sublime and tragic, with a murky erotic charge. Nothing remains after the music fades but a burning fire.

Junko is like a white shade after Hiroshima. Her overexposed diaphanous body, her scream, miles away from the hysteria of other yellers in the noise music landscape. It is just terror, or call it beauty. She almost appears disconnected from herself, as if her voice were detached from her body, each evolving in a separate space. Her punctured tongue giving access to the unutterable and  unspeakable. Dyslexic, monstrous voice, rising to inhuman high pitches, held on the threshold of auditory pain, almost endlessly. Junko’s scream recalls the phrasing of free music saxophonists, a common musical naivety devoid of academicism and technique. Her voice is her own erotic body, her “music”, to quote Mishima.

Voice and alto sax magnetically unite under the white lights of the stage, abolishing space and time like lovers do. Bound to one another in a beautiful confusion of timbres, whispers, phrases and stories.

A story of noise and fury told by two idiots

Michel Henritzi 

Translated by Jean Noël Rebilly, Fergus Cullen and Graham