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  WHAT ABOUT

  ULTRA VYBE · Apr 2025

  CD

  $19.49

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  CARICATURES

  UNIVERSAL JAPAN · Dec 2022

  CD

  $18.49

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MR BONGO EDITS VOLUME 4
MR BONGO
Vinyl
$25.36 Feb 06, 2026
Stepping up next in our Mr Bongo 12" Edits series, we've invited another legend of the game, DJ Nature, to craft a special EP of signature edits. Following editions by Dan Tyler and Nick The Record, Luke Una, and Danny Krivit, DJ Nature selects four prime cuts spanning modern soul, psychedelic funk, boogie, and leftfield disco, giving each his trademark tweak for today's dancefloor. In 1989, Bristol-born DJ Nature moved to New York, a city where he knew his raw and textured aesthetic would be more appreciated at the time. He immersed himself in the NY scene, frequently attending underground house and disco clubs to hear pioneers such as Larry Levan (The Choice), Louie Vega (Sound Factory Bar), and Tony Humphries (Zanzibar). That same year, being surrounded by a wealth of underground dance music, DJ Nature set up an export company to supply the Japanese market. "I have had a connection with Japan for over 40 years, beginning when I visited as part of Ray Petri's Buffalo fashion house as a DJ. From there, I linked up with the Major Force crew and others," he explains. Having already been a record collector for 20 years, DJ Nature launched his own label, Ruff Disco Records, in 1992, releasing productions under his early moniker, Natureboy. Since then, Nature has gone on to become an underground DJ/producer legend himself, touring the world and releasing records on esteemed labels such as Golf Channel Recordings, Jazzy Sport, Hot Biscuit Recordings, and Futureboogie Recordings. Reflecting his love of raw, independent disco, jazz fusion, and early house music, DJ Nature has chosen four tracks from the Mr Bongo archive that he felt had club-ready production ripe for an edit. First up, is an extended rework of the ultra-rare Chicago modern soul/disco joint 'Straight Forward (Non-Stop)' by P.J. City from 1986. Staying true and respectful to the original, DJ Nature tweaks and extends it so it feels like a longer take lifted from the original recording session. Next is a sublime version of Cuban band Grupo Los Yoyi's 1977 track 'Del Copacabana A 34'. Here, Nature extends and enhances the song, looping the more driving, hypnotic, spacey sections to let the energy brew and bubble to boiling point. On the B-side, DJ Nature revamps a lesser-known gem from the Elite Records catalogue. Originally produced by Andy Sojka, Antoniou's pulsating 1982 electronic disco groover 'Sound On Sound' is transformed into a peak-time cosmic boogie whirlwind. Rounding off the EP, he turns to the mysterious Marxist Love Disco Ensemble's 2022 album 'MLDE', re-editing the quirky leftfield disco winner 'Dust' into a more DJ-friendly club track.
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  Album Details

  MR BONGO EDITS VOLUME 4

  MR BONGO · Feb 2026

  Vinyl

  $25.36

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ONLY THE SOUND REMAINS
ERATO
Blu-Ray
$21.78 Nov 10, 2017
Angelic' is a word often used to describe Philippe Jaroussky's voice. The ethereal quality of his countertenor is intrinsic to his roles as both an angel and as a ghost in Only the Sound Remains, a double bill of operas by the distinguished Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, whose first opera L'Amour de loin has captivated audiences at such venues as the Salzburg Festival, Paris's Theatre du Chatelet, London's English National Opera and New York's Metropolitan Opera. Saariaho composed Only the Sound Remains with Jaroussky in mind. "I've been to many concerts that he's given in Paris and I love his voice and the way he sings," she told the Dutch website Cultuurpers when the opera received it's premiere in Spring 2016 at the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam, where this DVD and Blu-ray were recorded. She and Jaroussky worked together as she wrote the score, ensuring that it was tailor-made for his talents. The production - by the celebrated American director Peter Sellars, who declared that "Philippe Jaroussky sings like nobody else on the planet" - was subsequently seen in Helsinki (April 2017) and reaches Paris, again with Philippe Jaroussky, in early 2018. "Only theSound Remains is a profound and moving exploration of mortality and consciousness," wrote Classical Voice North America, "The score [conducted by Andre de Ridder, who has wide-ranging credentials in contemporary music] is a swirl of choral and instrumental colors layered over a subtle electronic foundation withantiphonal effects. Structured like a series of interlocking boxes and punctuated bydelicate word-painting, this opera marks a breakthrough in Saariaho's ability to bring astory to life, with vividly imagined details that focus on sensory experience and hint atthe inner emotions of the characters." The Financial Times described the opera in detail: "The ending of Kaija Saariaho's new double bill for the Netherlands Opera lives up to it's name. Her subtle and meticulous blend of live electronics with acoustic sound can create curtains and washes of sound, sensual and evocative in ways that have become her trademark.... Tsunemasa (Always Strong) and Hagoromo (Feather Mantle), 14th-century Japanese Noh theatre works brought to the US... in the early 20th century and later pieced together into English approximations by poet Ezra Pound, form the basis of a libretto for an evening of music theatre co-conceived by Saariaho and director Peter Sellars. Both works... are scored for small ensemble with two singers - baritone and countertenor. Both narrate encounters with the supernatural.... Saariaho uses the Finnish zither-like kantele rather than a Japanese koto in her ensemble, and western flutes in place of the shakuhachi [a Japanese flute], but the Japanese sound-world is a clear source of reference, with pentatonic scales and onomatopoeic percussion deployed generously. Baritone Davone Tines and countertenor Philippe Jaroussky are perfect as the earth/spirit counterparts of the two pieces (ghost and priest for the first opera, fisherman and angel for the second), Tines with his earthy, virile warmth, Jaroussky with his ethereal purity, the music tailored for these two exceptional voices. Sellars, as always, sets out with consummate sincerity and solid stagecraft to convey a highly spiritual message... It is meticulously crafted and superbly performed. Saariaho is in fine form." Philippe Jaroussky's performance was summed up by France's Opera magazine: "In Hagoromo the voice of the French countertenor blossoms with a wondrous freedom and expressivity," while the Suddeutsche Zeitung wrote that "Philippe Jaroussky is the noblest and most distinctive of countertenors... If he has gained fame as an exponent of virtuosic baroque arias, here
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  ONLY THE SOUND REMAINS

  ERATO · Nov 2017

  Blu-Ray

  $21.78

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Solo Piano
Storyville Records
Vinyl
$39.99 Nov 21, 2025
Tommy Flanagan was known for his tasteful, flawless and swinging piano playing. He added class to every session that he was involved with and fortunately it was well documented during the latter part of his career. Solo Piano was not initially released until decades after it's 1974 recording. It is significant historically because this outing was the pianist's first recording as a leader in 13 years and, most importantly, because it is very good music. Until the long delayed release of Solo Piano, it was believed that Tommy Flanagan's "comeback" began with 1975's The Tokyo Recital for the Pablo label and that his only full-length album of unaccompanied piano solos was 1977's Alone Too Long which was released by Denon in Japan. Solo Piano forced a slight readjustment of the jazz history books and, most importantly, offers listeners some very enjoyable music from the great pianist. It also includes a few surprises, particularly for those listeners who think of Flanagan as primarily a bop stylist. When swing was succeeded by bop as jazz's modern mainstream, the function of the piano changed from being a timekeeper to take part of the rhythm section. While the pre-1945 styles of jazz piano had the pianists keeping time with his or her left hand, usually by striding back and forth between bass notes and chords, in bebop that role is usually handled by the string bassist. Bop pianists use their left hands to hit chords on a more unpredictable basis, accenting beats like a drummer "dropping bombs, " while their right plays hornlike lines. That approach works perfectly in trio settings but can leave some pianists sounding incomplete when taking unaccompanied solos. Bud Powell, the leader in the field, was able to imply the beat and slightly adjust his style when playing solos. In the case of Tommy Flanagan, his ability to play swing was a major asset and in a solo setting he often added a modified stride, as can be heard on his version of Sleeping Bee. On swing-oriented numbers such as Isn't It Romantic, Sleeping Bee and Yesterdays, Flanagan always kept the melody close by even while creating improvised variations. One never has a problem knowing where the pianist is for he builds his improvisations off of the melody rather than simply discarding the theme in favor of jamming over it's chord changes. He follows those classic songs with an infectious version of Stompin' at the Savoy that manages to sound both vintage and modern. To conclude the enjoyable program, Flanagan performs a song apiece by three great composers of the bebop era (Dizzy Gillespie's Con Alma, Tadd Dameron's If You Could See Me Now, and Thelonious Monk's Ruby, My Dear) before ending the set with a joyful rendition of Lover. By the time Tommy Flanagan left Ella Fitzgerald's backup band in 1978, his series of trio recordings had reminded the jazz world that he was a brilliant and very musical pianist. He worked steadily during the next 23 years, touring Europe and Japan while being based in New York and remaining one of the most consistently satisfying of all jazz pianists. Flanagan passed away on Nov. 16, 2001 at the age of 71 but he has never been forgotten. Tommy Flanagan is remembered with love, respect and admiration for his playing and his classy nature. Solo Piano adds to his impressive musical legacy.
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  Solo Piano

  Storyville Records · Nov 2025

  Vinyl

  $39.99

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  Copland: Appalachian Spring, Billy The Kid; Britten / Ormandy

  RCA · Apr 2010

  CD

  $17.99

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  RACHMANINOV: PIANO CONCERTO 2

  WEA JAPAN · Aug 2018

  SACD

  $38.99

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1. 
2. 
Hovhaness: Symphonies No 1 & 50 / Schwarz, Seattle
Naxos
CD
$19.99 Jul 31, 2012
A wonderful introduction to this amazing composer’s music.

With over 500 works to his name Alan Hovhaness may well be the most prolific American composer as well as one of the most fascinating. His music cannot be pigeonholed since he drew influences from so many varied sources. That said, above all, he insisted on melody, having roundly rejected the path of ‘modernism’ that many others followed in the 20 ^th century. Among those influences was his Armenian heritage inherited through his father. These are very much to the fore in his First Symphony subtitled Exile which references the plight of Armenians who were forced to flee in their millions in the face of an onslaught by Ottoman Turks during the First World War. Lovers of big tunes will revel in the lush sonorities on display. They’re in evidence right from the first notes. These are given to the clarinet which introduces a plaintive tune taken up by other woodwind with the orchestra continuing the Middle Eastern-sounding scales and the music becoming disturbed and agitated. The second, short movement marked Grazioso is further demonstration of the melodies for which Hovhaness is rightly renowned. Woodwind sings out against a background of pizzicato from strings and harp. This allows for an interlude of calm before the third and final movement brings us back to agitation. Driving strings and winds recall the opening theme in chorale form which then becomes the main focus of the orchestra. The powerfully expressed message is that a whole people cannot be suppressed. Its spirit will reassert itself and prevail against all the odds.
 
One of the other influences Hovhaness exploits is his love and reverence of the music of the Far East, particularly Japan and Korea, having studied both. The second work, Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints, has a title that allows him to explore his own impressions of the music from this part of the world. It involves extremely creative ways of approximating the sounds of Japan through clever and inventive use of the instruments of a Western orchestra. The marimba is the instrument of choice to carry the main theme against a background of orchestral experimentation creating a convincing and effective ‘Japanese’ sound for Western ears.
 
Yet another influence which has shown itself in many of Hovhaness’s compositions are mountains. He once wrote “Mountains are symbols, like pyramids, of man’s attempt to know God. Mountains are symbolic meeting places between the mundane and spiritual worlds”. It was a natural thing therefore to have been moved to write a symphony that expresses those ideas following the huge explosion of Mount Saint Helens in Washington State in 1980. The first movement sets the scene and pays reverence to the majesty and mystery of the mountain through use of gorgeous harmonically and melodically rich tunes. These emphasise the mountain’s imperious eminence over its surroundings and its naturally serene nature prior to its being geographically changed by the explosion. The second movement is also calm since it describes the fabulous Spirit Lake in whose waters the mountain was often magically mirrored. Once again Hovhaness uses Japanese-sounding melodies to create the air of mystery and natural beauty of a place which was obliterated by the explosion. The finale opens with an almost hymn-like theme from the strings with tubular bells in the background. A sole flute precedes a representation of the cataclysmic events that rent the mountain asunder, and which continues for much of the movement’s 14 minutes. This musical depiction of the destructive power of nature is extremely potent with plenty of work for bass drums and gong as wave after wave of explosions tear the very fabric of the ground on which the mountain stood. Finally the opening hymn returns to re-establish a measure of calm. Hovhaness doesn’t end the symphony there. Instead he creates a coda to signify the “youthful power and grandeur of the Cascades Mountains” that, as he said, renews the vitality of “our peaceful planet, the living earth, the life-giving force building the majestic Cascades Mountains (,) rising, piercing the clouds of heaven”. This symphony represents an extremely satisfying journey that shows the composer’s unique view of how to use music to describe nature in all its creative as well as destructive power. The disc as a whole is a wonderful introduction to this amazing composer’s music that I for one am only beginning to discover. More of Hovhaness’s works are being recorded all the time. With 67 symphonies alone there’s plenty left to record and to discover and that’s an exciting prospect. Gerard Schwarz is a great advocate of American music and he and his orchestra help do the kind of justice Hovhaness deserves. Ron Johnson does a sterling job on the marimba in the disc’s second work. These recordings were originally made by Delos and they offer an extremely rewarding experience for a whole new audience to discover and revel in.
 
-- Steve Arloff , MusicWeb International

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  Album Details

  Hovhaness: Symphonies No 1 & 50 / Schwarz, Seattle

  Naxos · Jul 2012

  CD

  $19.99

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  STAN GETZ & BILL EVANS

  UNIVERSAL JAPAN · Jun 2025

  CD

  $21.99

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  DANCING BY A RAINBOW

  IMPORTS · Feb 2021

  CD

  $14.49

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BACH: CANTATAS BWV 1/182/158
IMPORTS
CD
$13.49 Mar 04, 2026
Exclusive Japanese reissue from Universal. During his brief 54-year life, Carl Richter made an indelible mark on the history of Bach performance, recording 76 of Bach's church cantatas and one secular cantata, along with monumental works such as the Matthew Passion and the John Passion. His extraordinary achievements remain a benchmark for excellence in interpreting Bach's music.
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  BACH: CANTATAS BWV 1/182/158

  IMPORTS · Mar 2026

  CD

  $13.49

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  HEAD HUNTERS

  SONY / BMG JAPAN · Dec 2007

  CD

  $26.49

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  ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET

  IMPORTS · Nov 2020

  CD

  $12.99

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  KORNGOLD: VIOLIN CONCERTO & LALO

  IMPORTS · Jun 2015

  CD

  $11.99

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  OSCAR PETERSON PLAYS COUNT BASIE

  UNIVERSAL JAPAN · Jul 2025

  CD

  $18.49

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  OFF TO THE RACES

  UNIVERSAL JAPAN · Nov 2024

  CD

  $16.99

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  TRILOGY 3

  UNIVERSAL JAPAN · Mar 2025

  CD

  $27.99

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  LEGACY VOL 4

  ULTRA VYBE · Jun 2021

  CD

  $11.99

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  In A Persian Market - Favorite Orchestral Works / Fiedler, Boston Pops

  RCA · Mar 2008

  CD

  $17.99

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1. 
2. 
ANGEL EYES
SONY JAPAN
CD
$12.99 Mar 11, 2014
Angel Eyes is a 1965 studio album by Dave Brubeck and his quartet of music by Matt Dennis. The album peaked at 122 on the Billboard 200. Alto Saxophone – Paul Desmond Bass – Eugene Wright Drums – Joe Morello Piano – Dave Brubeck Producer – Teo Macero Japanese CD pressing. 2014.
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  ANGEL EYES

  SONY JAPAN · Mar 2014

  CD

  $12.99

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1. 
2. 
Bach: The French Suites / Xiao-Mei [Vinyl]
Accentus Music
Vinyl
$56.99 Mar 16, 2018
Zhu Xiao-Mei writes of this new release: “It is with children in mind that I recorded these French Suites, always having heartfelt simplicity and purity in their mind. Children see the world with hope, optimism, and cast in light – much like Miró sees the world. I find a childlike purity in him, similar to what I hear in the French Suites. There is a quote by Miró that touches me enormously and makes me think a lot whenever I play, as it reflects something that may be the most difficult aspect of musical interpretation – and of art in general: „To gain freedom is to gain simplicity.” This release was recorded at the Mendelssohnsaal of the Gewandhaus zu Leipzig, May 2016.
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  Bach: The French Suites / Xiao-Mei [Vinyl]

  Accentus Music · Mar 2018

  Vinyl

  $56.99

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  CORELLI: 12 CONCERTI GROSSI OP 6

  UNIVERSAL JAPAN · Jun 2018

  CD

  $21.99

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  WOODY SHAW WITH TONE JANSA QUARTET

  SOLID · Aug 2022

  CD

  $16.49

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1. 
2. 
Puccini: Tosca, S. 69 (Recorded 1961)
Walhall Eternity Series
CD
$10.99 Oct 09, 2015
It's his greatest, or at least his most popular, opera, and she one of the finest interpreters of it's title role. Though she seems somehow to have slipped from view when considering the greatest 20th c. sopranos, Renata Tebaldi is etched firmly into that mountainside with but few others. One of her great roles was, of course, Tosca, and she is heard here singing just this role in a 1961 live recording from Tokyo, Arturo Basile leading the NHK Symphony and Chorus. The cast is complementary to Tebaldi, with Giangiacomo Guelfi's Scarpia being the most notable. Remastered in 24bit/96kHs sound.
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  Puccini: Tosca, S. 69 (Recorded 1961)

  Walhall Eternity Series · Oct 2015

  CD

  $10.99

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BACH: MATTHAUS-PASSION
UNIVERSAL JAPAN
CD
$28.49 Feb 06, 2026
Features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format. A definitive recording of "St Matthew Passion" and an emblematic recording by Karl Richter. Includes a booklet with Japanese and English texts. Reissue due to the discontinuation of HR cutting specification manufacturing. [Performers] Ernst Haefliger (Evangelist, aria: tenor), Kieth Engen (Jesus: bass), Antony Faulberg (First Woman, Pilate's Wife: soprano), Max Preobstl (Judas, Peter, Pilate, High Priest: bass), Irmgard Seefried (aria: soprano), Hertha Toepper (aria, Second Woman: alto), Dietrich Fischer Dieskau (aria: bass), Munich Boys Choir, Munich Bach Orchestra and Choir, conductor: Karl Richter. Recording: June to August 1958, Munich, Herkulessa
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  BACH: MATTHAUS-PASSION

  UNIVERSAL JAPAN · Feb 2026

  CD

  $28.49

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