Masaru Imada - 1970 - Now!!

Masaru Imada Quartet

1970

Now!!

01. Nostalgia 10:09
02. Alter 8:41
03. Gehi Dorian 9:56
04. The Shadow Of The Castle 9:49

Bass – Takashi Mizuhashi
Drums – Masahiko Ozu
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Ichiro Mimori
Piano – Masaru Imada

Recorded August 10 & 11, 1970 at AOI Studio, Tokyo. Originally released in 1970, TBM-2. This release is 2nd pressing with different cover and catalog number. Comes with obi and 2 little booklets with both English and Japanese.

Now!! by Masaru Imada was the second album released by the fledgling Three Blind Mice, and the pianist's first leader album for the label.

Side 1 gets us under way in languid late-night mood, with Nostalgia, a stately ballad that gives Mimori a chance to open up on tenor. Next up is Alter, which opens with the spotlight on Ozu and Mizuhashi before developing into free exploration with plenty more good work by Mimori. But it's Side 2 that really delivers, two fantastic tracks, the mighty modal Gehi Dorian, which really cuts loose with a righteous groove. To close Imada and his crew dial it back a bit, and go out in lyrical style with The Shadow.

All four tunes are Imada's original compositions. The two slow numbers -- "Nostalgia" and "The Shadow of the Castle" show his lyrical, "quiet but emotional," qualities. "Alter" is an adventurous tune whose focus is on free improvisation while "Gehi Dorian" is a modal composition as the title suggests.

Essential Japanese Jazz album recorded for the TBM japanese jazz label, the second as a leader by organist/pianist Masaru Imada featuring Ichiro Mimori, Takashi 'Gon' Mizuhashi & Masahiko Ozu. Masaru Imada is one of these Japanese Jazz masters involved in various "figurehead" groups of the Japanese Jazz, at the dawn of the 70s. Masaru played in particular, in the Takeshi Inomata's West Liners (alongside Ichiro Mimori), the Tadayuki Harada's group, but was best known as a member of Jiro Inagaki & The Soul Media ; later he also evolved in the Bingo Miki & Inner Galaxy Orchestra. Takashi Mizuhashi was sideman for Sadao Watanabe, George Otsuka, Isao Suzuki, Terumasa Hino and also member of the legendaries George Kawaguchi Big 4 & Kosuke Mine Quintet. The tracklist consist on four original compositions arranged by Masaru Imada including Modal Jazz & free improvisations.