Some people hate jazz. Something in the supposed tangle of instruments tells their ears to stave off the genre in its entirety. ‘Blues to East’ appears to answer that (bullshit) criticism, smoothing its edges and clinically arranging the instruments while not losing a shred of groove, or jazz fundamentals. Certainly, jazz cannot all be so neat—that would be boring—but when it is played so elegantly and with such unerring lustre, ‘Blues To East’ is difficult to reduce. The drum solos of Hiroshi Murukami are particularly enthralling (see minute 20:19). One playthrough will turn your cutlery into drumsticks and the tip of your tongue into ebony and ivory for days, even weeks.

25/30

A favourite: ‘Our Delight’

Listen here: https://youtu.be/onihdEKE_x4