Wewantsounds

Wewantsounds' Makoto Kubota retrospective continues with the reissue of "Sunset Gang" recorded in 1973 for Showboat. The album, co-produced by Kinji Yoshino (Haruomi Hosono, Akiko Yano, Sachiko Kanenobu) and featuring Haruomi Hosono, Minako Yoshida and Taeko Ohnuki, was released as Kubota had just recorded his classic first solo album, 'Machibouke'. It marks the start of the group's unique sound mixing Japanese music with R&B, Blues and New Orleans influences, a sound that would have a lasting impression on the Japanese music scene. This is the first time the album is released outside of Japan, remastered by Makoto Kubota himself

Third reissue in our Makoto Kubota reissue program with the release of "Dixie Fever" recorded in Hawaii in 1976 and co-produced by Haruomi Hosono. Like its predecessors, 'Sunset Gang' and 'Hawaii Champroo', 'Dixie Fever' continues to explore American and Island music through a Japanese prism with a skilful mix of blues, swamp funk and America adding an exotic edge to the whole. It is the first time the album is released outside of Japan and the LP features remastered audio by Makoto Kubota himself.

Wewantsounds is delighted to announce an ambitious Makoto Kubota reissue program with his three albums recorded with The Sunset Gang between 1973 and 1977. Makoto Kubota has been one of Japan’s true musical innovators and following his involvement with Les Rallizes Dénudés in the early 70s. the classic album 'Hawaii Champroo' from 1975 developes a unique sound bringing American, Hawaiian and Okinawan music influences to his own Japanese folk music mix. It was recorded in Honolulu in 1975 and co-produced by Haruomi Hosono, The album has been newly remastered by Makoto Kubota and this is the first time it is released outside of Japan.

Wewantsounds continue its extensive Meiko Kaji reissue program in partnership with Teichiku Records and Meiko Kaji herself, with the release of "Gincho Wataridori, her debut album from 1972. This is the first time the album is reissued in its original Japanese artwork and come with newly remastered audio. Famous for her 70s exploitation movies ('Lady Snowblood', the 'Female Prisoner Scorpion' and 'Stray Cat Rock' series) and revered by Tarantino, Meiko Kaji also released a string of great albums on Teichiku mixing Japanese Pop and cinematic grooves. This reissue comes with deluxe Gatefold sleeve LP, OBI strip and a 2-p insert featuring new liner notes by by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha.

FIRST EVER VINYL REISSUE OF ROY HAYNES'S 1971 LP 'HIP ENSEMBLE' MIXING SPIRITUAL JAZZ AND FUNK AND RELEASED ON MAINSTREAM RECORDS. FEATURING THE BONUS TRACK, "ROY'S TUNE," REMASTERED AUDIO, THE ORIGINAL GATEFOLD ARTWORK AND NEW LINER NOTES BY KEVIN LE GENDRE

Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue Roy Haynes' 1971 LP 'Hip Ensemble,' recorded in New York for Bob Shad's Mainstream Records and featuring Hannibal Marvin Peterson, George Adams, Teruo Nakamura and Lawrence Killian. Together the musicians create a superb mix of jazz funk and spiritual Jazz showcasing Haynes powerful drumming and creativity. "Hip Ensemble" is reissued here for the first time on vinyl since 1971, in its original gatefold artwork with first generation photos and includes the bonus track "Roy's Tune." It comes with newly remastered audio and a 2-page insert featuring new liner notes by Kevin Le Gendre.

Roy Haynes who passed away last November at age 99 is one of the undisputed giants of Jazz. Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1925, Haynes started drumming during his teenage years before moving to New York in 1945 where his career took off. He went on to play with the likes of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Lester Young, becoming an institution over the decades. 

In the late 60s, after a stint with the John Coltrane's quartet, he put together the Hip Ensemble, a small group featuring the young turks George Adams on sax, Hannibal Marvin Peterson on trumpet, Japanese bass player Teruo Nakamura, Lawrence Killian on percussion together with German pianist Carl Schroeder on Fender Rhodes.

Bob Shad, who had worked with Haynes in the 50s when he was running EmArcy, saw the group live in New York one night and decided to sign them on his label Mainstream Records as he was starting to produce jazz again after a few years releasing psychedelic rock. His idea was to plug into the new modal and jazz-funk scenes that was flourishing at the time and Haynes was also experimenting with.

The album "Hip Ensemble" reflects this new direction with a superb mix of spiritual jazz, as heard on the rendition of Stanley Cowell's theme "Equipoise" (which had originally appeared on Max Roach's 1968 album "Members Don't Git Weary") or the more uptempo "Nothing Ever Changes For You My Love" both drenched in Schroeder's Fender Rhodes and showcasing gorgeous solos by Schroeder, George Adams and Marvin Peterson. Complementing the group for this session were Mervin Bronson, adding a touch of Fender bass and a second percussionist, Elwood Johnson.

Side two is even groovier with the relentless "Satan's Mysterious Feeling" followed by "You Name It," two compositions by George Adams fuelled by the Funky Drumming of Haynes in full flight, the ideal backbone for the players to lay out their inspired solos (including Haynes' explosive one).

We've added "Roy's Tune" as a bonus track which was recorded at the same session but not included on the original album - it briefly came out on a low key Mainstream compilation two years after. The track is another fascinating breakbeat that has strangely never been sampled even if Roy Haynes' drums have appeared on many hip hop classics by De La Soul, Dilla, Pete Rock or Q Tip over the years. "Hip Ensemble" has been remastered for vinyl by Colorsound Studio in Paris and is a timely reminder that Haynes is one of the greatest jazz drummers of all times.
 

Following the success of the 'Tokyo Glow' and 'Funk Tide' sets, Wewantsounds once again teams up with Tokyo-based DJ Notoya for a breezy selection of Funk and Boogie recorded in Japan for King Records in the 70s and 80s. Most tracks here are making their debut on vinyl outside of Japan and the album, like its predecessors, has been designed by Optigram's Manuel Sepulveda and is annotated by DJ Notoya. The audio has been newly mastered in Tokyo by King Records and remastered for vinyl by Colorsound in Paris.

- New Addition in the Wewantsounds Japanese Music Compilation series
- Compiled and annotated in Tokyo by DJ Notoya
- Unique access to King Records' vault
- Most tracks Making their Debut Outside of Japan
- Artwork by Optigram's Manuel Sepulveda

Tracklist
A1 BUZZ - Garasumado ガラス窓 2.35 (1974)
A2 Mami Ayukawa - Sabita Gambler 錆びたギャンブラー 3.53 (1987)
A3 Johnny Yoshinaga - The Rain 雨 5.47 (1978)
A4 Keiko Toda – Fade In 溶明 4.15 (1983)
A5 Koji Kobayashi - Bokura no Date 僕らのデート 3.08 (1978)

B6 Yuko Imai – Hotel Twilight 4.49 (1988)
B7 Kumiko Sawada – Your Love’s Away ユア・ラブズ・アウェイ 4.23 (1979)
B8 Masatoshi Kanno - Day By Day デイ・バイ・デイ 3.32 (1976)
B9 Yuji Mitsuya – After Five At Café-Bar 4.49 (1984)
B10 Fujimaru Band - Paper machine 2.29 (1977)

'Khalik Hena' was recorded in 1973 by legendary Arabic Diva Warda who has been sampled by Jay Z and J Dilla. The album recorded in public mixes traditional Arabic music with a tinge of 70s grooves. Here Warda delivers a deep hypnotic performance backed by her full-size orchestra featuring those unparalleled Arabic strings that made recordings by Oum Khalthoum, Farid El Atrache and Abdel Halim Hafez so famous. 'Khalik Hena' is one of her all-time classics, written by equally legendary composer Baligh Hamdi and the audio has been newly remastered. This release features the LP original artwork with a 2 page insert featuring a new introduction by Mario Choueiry from Institut du Monde Arabe who curates Wewantsounds' Arabic series of reissues.

Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the release of one of Japan's most coveted albums of the 70s, "Mangekyou" by singer-songwriter Yoshiko Sai. Produced in 1975 by Master musician Yuji Ohno, the album features Yoshiko Sai's superbly crafted songs and crystal clear voice over Ohno's lush, funky sound and breezy arrangements. A strong buzz has been growing around the album over the years and original copies now change hands for large sums of money. This is the first time "Mangekyou" is available outside of Japan, featuring remastered audio, original artwork and a 4 page insert including new liner notes by Paul Bowler.

FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL RELEASE OF RYUICHI SAKAMOTO'S LANDMARK 1983 ALBUM "CODA," HIS RENDITION FOR SOLO PIANO OF THE 'MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. LAWRENCE' SOUNDTRACK. FEATURING REMASTERED AUDIO AND NEW LINER NOTES BY ANDY BETA.

Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the release of Ryuichi Sakamoto's classic LP "Coda”, issued in Japan in 1983 as a solo piano version of the "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" soundtrack. The album, which was never been released outside of Japan until now, sees Sakamoto on acoustic piano reinterpreting fascinating versions of his famous soundtrack including the classic theme and "Germination," which was later used in the "Call Me By Your Name" soundtrack. This reissue has been remastered by Seigen Ono's Saidera Mastering studio in Tokyo and boasts the original artwork plus a 4-page insert with new liner notes by Andy Beta.

- First international release of the album
- Audio remastered by Saidera Mastering in Tokyo
- Original artwork with OBI and 4 page colour insert
- New liner notes by Andy Beta

Tracklist
SIDE 1
1. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence 4:49
2. Batavia 0:50
3. Germination 2:09
4. A Hearty Breakfast 1:18
5. Before The War 1:44
6. The Seed And The Sower 3:55
7. A Brief Encounter 2:27

SIDE 2
1. Ride Ride Ride 1:02
2. The Fight 1:20
3. Dismissed! / Assembly 1:50
4. Beyond Reason 1:26
5. Sowing The Seed 1:31
6. Last Regrets 2:05
7. The Seed 1:06
8. Japan 2:58
9. Coda 5:32