Born in 1942, trumpeter Terumasa Hino has been the leader of Japanese jazz for many decades, and one of the most internationally recognized among Japanese jazz musicians. His technique is amazing and his lyrical and emotional performance is something to behold. Recorded live in concert at Tokyo Yubin Chokin Hall on June 2, 1973, Hino and his quintet clearly showed that they were steeped in the "free" mode of operation, but their performance is engaging and does not leave the audience behind. Wild and unpredictable improvisations coexist with lyrical and rhythmic playing. A brilliant performance with many instances of amazing interplay.

Joji "George" Kawaguchi was a Japanese jazz drummer and bandleader. The Big Four had their debut concert in a large theater, Nichigeki in Yurakucho, Tokyo in May 1953. The Big Four was named the Number 1 combo in the 1954 by Swing Journal poll and created an all-time Jazz boom in Japan. George Kawaguchi was voted Number 1 drummer six years in a row. The Big Four played intermittently into the 1980s. George Kawaguchi played extensively with Art Blakey on tour in the 1980s. He also recorded extensively as a leader until his death in 2003.

Shoji Yokouchi was a skillful studio musician, composer and arranger who worked in pop and other genres of music, but at the core he was always a jazz guitarist. In this album, Yokouchi is paired with another guitarist, Toru Konishi, to form a piano-less, twin guitar quartet. In this collaborative and competitive setting, the two guitarists in turn take the lead, comp, play counterpoints and take simultaneous solos. The interplay between Yokouchi (heard from the right channel, with a fatter tone) and Konishi (the left channel) is effective and exciting.

From January to December 1974, pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto and his trio performed daily in a jazz club called Misty that had a full-size New York Steinway concert grand. Producer of Three Blind Mice Takeshi Fujii heard him there, fell in love, and made his hugely successful debut album Midnight Sugar in the spring of the same year. Yamamoto had already recorded his second album Misty, and his year at Misty was winding down. For the third album to be recorded in a year, Fujii decided to capture the trio live in their "everyday setting."

Bassist Hideto Kanai has been leading the progressive jazz scene in Japan since the 1960s, and this 1978 recording is considered as one of his major achievements. Kanai's regular group, consisting of three young Japanese musicians and an American expat drummer Michael Reznikoff, recorded four long numbers – ranging from six to 13 minutes each – within just six hours. "Mr. Gabe" and "Silk Road" are original compositions by Kanai. The searching and experimental quality of their performance clearly shows that they have gone through the free jazz movement, but it is not totally atonal nor without structure.

Masayuki 'Jojo' Takayanagi was a Japanese jazz / free improvisation / noise musician. He was active in the Japanese jazz scene from the late 1950s. New Century Music Institute is a translation of the Japanese 新世紀音楽研究所. Released in Japan as part of Three Blind Mouses' label collection, this live album features "Greensleeves" by Masayuki Takayanagi, the monumental work in Japanese Jazz history.

Isao Suzuki is undoubtedly one of the most talented Japanese bass (and cello) players. Before Orpheus, he has wowed the world with his earlier Three Blind Mice releases such as Blow Up! and Blue City. For this trio album, he is joined by another star player of the label, pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto.

In its many iterations, bassist Isao Suzuki's Blow Up has been used as a demonstration disc at many audio shows and audio shops ever since it was released in 1973. The piano trio (and occasionally a quartet with Suzuki playing cello) plays soulful and energetic jazz.

Born in 1942, trumpeter Terumasa Hino has been the leader of Japanese jazz for many decades, and one of the most internationally recognized among Japanese jazz musicians. His technique is amazing and his lyrical and emotional performance is something to behold. Recorded live in concert at Tokyo Yubin Chokin Hall on June 2, 1973, Hino and his quintet clearly showed that they were steeped in the "free" mode of operation, but their performance is engaging and does not leave the audience behind. Wild and unpredictable improvisations coexist with lyrical and rhythmic playing. A brilliant performance with many instances of amazing interplay.

Self-taught musician, Sunao Wada began playing the guitar at the age of 11, and at an early stage of his career decided to become the "No. 1 blues guitarist in Japan". Recorded in 1972, Coco's Blues, named after the jazz club Wada manages in addition to his concert tours, fulfills the desire of producer "Tee" Fujii, to create an all-blues album, "a quality piece of music that truly expresses artists' emotions".

Masaru Imada is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer. For his seventh record for the Three Blind Mice label, Imada decided to do an all standards album with his regular trio. Imada's piano style is straight forward and honest: He doesn't emply any gimmicks or pyrotechnics. Yet, his performance is very swinging and has a singing character. While firmly rooted in the American jazz piano tradition, his voicings and time-feel are uniquely his own.

The sixth album released by Three Blind Mice turned the spotlight on Hideto Kanai a veteran bassist who had been pursuing a very progressive, unique and uncompromising kind of jazz since the early 1960s. With his passion for educating young musicians and adventurous nature, Kanai has drawn some comparisons to another great leader, Charles Mingus, whom he respected.

In 1973, a new jazz club called "Misty" opened its doors in Tokyo, and young Tsuyoshi Yamamoto became its "house" pianist in January 1974. TBM producer Takeshi Fujii fell in love with Yamamoto's bluesy and lyrical playing, and decided to record his trio's first album. Recorded in March 1974, this album would become the "most exported" of all Three Blind Mice (TBM) titles. Beloved by jazz fans all over the world, this disc captures the trio's brilliant performance in superb sound quality. The of-the-moment realism of Yoshihiko Kannari's recordings and production aesthetic of producer and label head Takeshi "Tee" Fujii have been the benchmark to match. It earned the Best Engineering Award and Jazz Disc Award of Swing Journal in 1974. Don't miss out on this opportunity to add this very rare, limited SACD edition to your collection.

Hidefumi Toki is one of the prominent alto saxophonists in Japan. Born in 1950, he had formal and classical musical education on clarinet in high school and saxophone in college. Although he eventually quit school to become a full-time jazz musician, some say that his classical training helped him acquire his beautiful tone. Recorded in 1975 for Three Blind Mice, this debut album featured his superb regular group at the time, a pianoless quartet including the incredible Kazumi Watanabe on guitar, Nobuyoshi Ino on bass and an American expat Steve Jackson on drums.

Hidehiko "Sleepy" Matsumoto was one of the best jazz sax players in Japan. His nickname was given by an American soldier when he was playing in a US military camp after the war. A true giant on tenor and flute, his contributions to the jazz industry of Japan were many and recognized by many awards and honors. This record, made in 1976 in a one-horn quartet setting, showcases Matsumoto's brilliant playing on both tenor saxophone and flute. He is a true master of both instruments and it is a great pleasure to hear him beautifully recorded by the people of Three Blind Mice label. A masterpiece, with great sound.