Terumasa Hino - 1970s - Part 3

Here for our next 5 from Terumasa Hino. We'll stay in the 1970s for our next few.

Reminiscent Suite with Mal Waldron is next. Joining Hino on trumpet and Mal on piano, we also have Takao Uematsu on sax, Isao Suzuki on bass, Yuji Imamura on percussion with Moto on drums. 

Released in 1972, we again have 2 long tunes here in the title track and “Black Forest.” The title track however is made up of “Dig It Deep Down Baby”, “Echoes” and “Once More With Feeling.” While I prefer the second tune here, the last third of the title track is quite nice.

The same year brings us the release, Fuji, recorded at Masabumi Kikuchi’s Victor Studio in Tokyo. A sextet this time around and we have personal favorite Mikio Masuda on keys, Sugimoto on guitar, Uematsu on sax, Yoshio Ikeda on bass with Moto on drums.

This one starts off with another version of “Be And Know” we heard recently, this time featuring some hard playing from Uematsu and nice soloing from Sugimoto. More of the same here for the most part. The post-bop, sometimes still swinging, sometimes scattered sound we’ve heard so far this decade. Excellent stuff. I really dig Masuda’s playing on the title track.

We have our first vocal jazz album in 1973 with Hartman Meets Hino. Joining the legendary Johnny Hartman and Hino, we have Masuda on piano, Ikeda on bass with Moto on drums.

“S’posin’” and “Shadow Of Your Smile” are the highlights here for me. I did not make instrumentals for this one, but if anyone would like me to, don’t hesitate to ask.

A live record is next for us, conveniently titled Live! and released in 1973. Joining Hino we have Masuda on keys, Ikeda on bass, Imamura on percussion and Moto on drums. 

Only 3 tunes here, standard “Stella By Starlight” and originals “Sweet Lullaby” and a massive, 28.5 minute rendition of “Be And Know.” Which is mostly why we’re here as the first 2 tunes are a little boring to me. 

Recorded in Munich and released in 1973, Taro’s Mood features the same group as we heard on Live!. Masuda, Ikeda, Imamura and Moto. 

This one opens nicely with Masuda getting in some solo piano work on “Alone, Alone And Alone” before Hino comes in quite tastefully. The slightly scattered title track follows with great playing from Masuda, Moto and Hino. The original release closes with an excellent 25-minute “Pre-Dawn” but the copy I have here is the 2006 reissue with another 4 tunes.

The reissue blesses is with a nice version of Masuda tune "Black Daffodil." A softer song that naturally features great soloing from Mickey. A nice change of pace. The remainder of this one is a little tamer than what we've been hearing. A great record.

Enjoy!