Shuya Okino and Yoshihiro Okino aka Kyoto Jazz Massive may have the longest anniversary in history. In 2004 Shuya released FOR KJM, RE KJM and BY KJM on his own Quality Records imprint in Japan. FOR KJM was reviewed almost one year ago on jazz-not-jazz. So another 10th anniversary album may be a little bit late but that’s really nitpicking. It’s the music that counts. And this double album, which will soon be released by the German Compost Records label, features more than enough to keep any discerning fan of quality house, dance and even jazz music happy and grooving.
Most of the tracks from the FOR KJM album appear here as well so if you’ve missed it because it was only available as an obscure and expensive Japanese copy then here’s your chance to finally get the tunes I raved about last year. Don’t worry they still sound fresh and great like Da Lata’s latinesque Ronco Da Cuica, Reel People’s epic Tomorrow Never Comes with Vanessa Freeman at her best, Restless Soul’s delightful Time To Fly, Louie Vega’s classic latin instrumental jazz song Aphrodite or Kyoto Jazz Massive’s own Endless Flight.
Even if you have a copy of FOR KJM (or BY KJM or RE KJM which also feature some songs that appear on this double CD) you want this compilation because it features songs that have been previously available on sometimes hard-to-find 12″es only. There’s the inspiring Quantic remix of KJM’s The Brightness Of These Days (again with vocals by the ubiquitous Vanessa Freeman), the soulful and deep Blaze remix of KJM’s Mind Expansions with vocals by Maiya James or Kenny Dope’s remix of KJM’s Shine with Chris Franck and Guida De Palma on vocals.
One of the many highlights is A Calamaria by Japan’s best female jazz singer Monday Michiru. The epic Sailing Into The Unknown Version with its nine and a half minutes is an enchanting and deep track that starts (and ends) on the cill-out side with waves, piano and Monday’s talking to turn into a great jazz-house song with additional scatting by Monday.
Sleep Walker’s Eclipse is a fast instrumental jazz song with a driving saxophone by Masato Nakamura and an uplifting piano solo by Hajime Yoshizawa.
Behind The Shadow adds a welcome spirituality to this compilation. The song reminds me a lot of songs Alice Coltrane recorded in the late 60s/early 70s. Here we have Earl Zinger (pianica), Ski Oakenfull (piano), Simon Richmond (theremin, percussion) and Pentagon (programming and mix) under the production guidance of Toshio Matsuura (of United Future Organization fame) creating a song that’s already one of my most valuable finds this year. Stunning!
Although this 10th Anniversary compilation combines the best tracks of the previous Japan only released FOR, BY and RE KJM with some additional songs, the result is nevertheless an inspiring and coherent journey into the music of the Kyoto Jazz Massive and like-minded artists. You will hardly find a compilation this year that is musically as diverse as this one.

Tracklisting of 10th Anniversary:
CD1:
01. Kyoto Jazz Massive - “The Brightness Of These Days” - Quantic RMX/ 02. Incognito - “Where Love Shines” - Kyoto Jazz Massive RMX/ 03. Kyoto Jazz Massive - “Endless Flight”/ 04. Restless Soul feat. Rasiyah - “Time To Fly”/ 05. Kyoto Jazz Massive - “Mind Expansions” - Blaze Shelter Sundae Mix/ 06. Kyoto Jazz Massive feat. Chris Franck & Guida De Palma - “Shine” - Kenny Dope RMX/ 07. Domu - “Taking Flight”/ 08. Afronaught feat. Alison David - “Now Or Never”/ 09. Dego & Kaidi Tatham - “Come With Me”/ 10. Reel People feat. Vanessa Freeman - “Tomorrow Never Comes”

CD2:
01. Da Lata - “Ronco Da Cuica”/ 02. Jazztronik - “Shine”/ 03. Louie Vega & The EOL Band - “Aphrodite”/ 04. Monday Michiru - “A Calamaria” - Sailing Into The Unknown Version/ 05. DJ Mitsu The Beats - “Spireedom 2004″/ 06. Sleep Walker - “Eclipse”/ 07. Toshio Matsuura Group - “Behind The Shadow”/ 08. Electric Sheep feat. UA - “The Brightness Of These Days”/ 09. Aurora - “Nacel Do Sol”
released May, 8th 2006 by Compost Records

For more infos visit kyotojazzmassive.com and compost-rec.com.

[If you want to discuss the music on this sampler, you can leave your comment below and also use the forum]