Motohiko Hino Quartet - 1975 - Toko Motohiko Hino Quartet At Nemu Jazz Inn

Motohiko Hino Quartet 

1975

Toko Motohiko Hino Quartet At Nemu Jazz Inn

01. You Make Me So Sad 16:33
02. Olive's Step 10:02
03. Endless Way 16:46

Bass – Isao Suzuki
Drums – Motohiko Hino
Electric Guitar – Kazumi Watanabe
Keyboards – Mikio Masuda

Recorded on July 20, 1975 at Nemu no Sato

A concert (captured very well ) from late 70s recorded in Japan, homeland of the drummer/leader. Slightly fusion-y styled jazz...at the core of it's electrified free-ish hard bop with great dynamics and energy from all but specially Hino & Kazumi Watanabe (who you would not believe it's the same guitarist from many 80's albums as here he's got a completely biting tone and jazzier approach to his playing). Hot-cha! This reminded me of some of the jazzier moments of fusion greats like Area from Italy, some of the hot early CMP albums by Mark Naussef, and the best albums from Larry Coryell...yet these guys manage to come up with their own brand of high-voltage jazz that was so popular in the 70s...and one immediately understands why when listening to a great album like this one! Recommended.

This is one of the many great electric jazz albums from Japan from the 70s, but it's notable because (1) it's a lesser known album from that already lesser known scene and (2) it's a total smoker that you probably aren't aware of, but should be. This was originally released in 1975 and has been a real rarity until this recent reissue and when this CD disappears, it will be a real rarity again!

This was recorded live by a quartet of Katsumi Watanabe-guitar, Mikio Masuda-electric piano & organ, Isao Suzuki-bass and Motohiko Hino-drums.

This has some attractive themes, but the emphasis is on the group interplay and the incredible stretching out these themes and these musicians afford the music to do. 

It reminds me of some of Larry Coryell's earliest and best electric work, but with a better rest of the band than the Eleventh House (sorry, Eleventh House fans!) and also a bit of Isotope. If you dig that free-ish, jammy, early period of exploratory electric jazz, this will curl your toes in a happy frenzy. Highly recommended!