Various Artists - Jazz Rock (Vinyl)

Vinyl LP pressing. Digitally remastered edition. They say you can't judge a book by it's cover, and going by Jazz Rock, nor a record by it's title. Though entering into jazz territory and featuring some distorted guitar, Jazz Rock is more a beautiful marriage of funky breakbeat drumming and spiritual jazz instrumentation, combined with traditional Min'y music performed on the koto and shakuhachi. Originally released in 1973, the record sounds simultaneously vintage and contemporary. It is akin to something Madlib might dream up whilst lost in Japan collaborating with Min'y players at a recording session. The record features some amazing shakuhachi (bamboo flute) playing by Hozan Yamamoto, which gives the music a haunting, dreamlike atmosphere. You can almost visualize the long grass blowing in the wind and ear the bamboo rustling in the distance on a long hot summer's day. Takeshi Inomata, Tadao Sawai and Kazue Sawai anchor the session. Takeshi's exceptionally funky-drum work will almo