Hey boyz, we're back - or should I say Nik (Weston) – in full effect after a while with the latest developments fromthe ever boiling Japanese scene. And as if that was not enough, we've also managed to have a conv with someone who has made himself quite a name in Paris as well as in Tokyo. Well, you've guessed it : no one but Dimitri for the European release of his 'Cruising Attitude' album. Welcome on board !

JAPAN CORNER May 2004 by Nippon Nik

Konishi wa !

Especial Distribution recently pressed up 1,000 copies of live studio (and more jazzy) versions of "Samurai" and "Rita". They are both wicked....Catch'em whilst you can.... still a few shops with stock.... or failing that check herecordroom.co.uk  or Soulbrother Records in Putney London (++44 208 875 1018). Danny Krivit has also been caining the original version of ''Samurai'' and Peter Kruder called me a month ago searching for a copy (I kid you not....) ''Samurai'' will also see a release on Brighton label Disorient with a kind of ''best of'' compilation of tracks from the two Tokuma albums plus the last Flower Records release.The next Especial Distribution release will be Negrocan with ''Mare Baixa'' and a Jazztronik remix due in Europe in July. Speaking of Jazztronik, he's gotta be one of the busiest men in Tokyo of late. He's also just released a 11 track CD album on Tokuma. There's also another 3 track 12'' single with a decent samba version of ''Esta Com Voce''. Seek !

Also awaited on Especial is Sleepwalker ''The Voyage/Into The Sun". The first track features Pharoah Saunders and the flipside Bembe Segue....!! Double header ? You betcha !!! Check the stores in July. Gilles Peterson already caining The Voyage on national radio.....and if that wasnt all.....there's also the launch of a European edition series of past Especial releases through Goya Distribution in London. First release is the much sought after ''Endless Bow'' 12'' with Fauna Flash & Jimpster remixes and the series features the best of broken beat, best of Brazil, best of jazz, etc from past deleted titles out of the Especial label. For all those interested what it will mean is that these titles will get much more wider distribution than ever before and will be available all over the world, be cheaper than the normally hefty Japanese pricetags.....More details to follow....if you are a shop… email me for more details !

The most exciting Japanese record of the week award went to Jafrosax (a project of Yukihiro Fukutomi) for their second single on Raindog Records. The first release had the dolcet tones of Yukimi Nagano (Koop/Stateless/Similou/Swell Session) on vocals but single 2 has Philadelphia's finest,Vikter Duplaix… Not only that it's a Jazztronik re redit !! Look out for a Killer version of an earlier Jafrosax track remixed by Studio Apartment who incidently have dropped two great singles  under the guise of World Line EP 001 & 002.jazz a la Sleepwalker also turned  up on a 12'' in the shape of Dazai Yuri Sextet. Juergen from Jazzanova tells me he absolutely loves this EP, and too right too. It's killer dancefloor jazz ! Been along time since anything has ventured out of the Brasil Nights label but we get 3 12''s....Two of these releases are relevant...'Brasil Nights vol. 4' kicks in with a gorgeous Rhodes midtempo shuffler called...er....''Rhodes Song'' which 'Im told from my man in Sweden is a cover version but for the life of me I'm not sure who did the original. Any ideas people as there's no credits on the label ??? The other 12'' on Brasil Nights label to think about is Gats TKB Show. Shame really as 3 of the versions have Gats singing in Japanese which kinda puts a damper on any of us outside of Japan who dig this kind of stuff musically. Never mind though....Toshio Matsuura (ex United Future Organisation ) consistent as ever with his remixes saves the day with a bumpin latinish floorfiller with hardly any vocal and on a big system this works well.

DJ Mitsu The Beats who's still riding on the sucess of his 'New Awakening' album is buisy in the studio doing mixes etc. The album incidently recently came out on double vinyl in vocal and instrumental formats. .He's just completed a Blue Note compilation, a remix of Average White Band, a rework of Diverse ''Ain't Right'', an Irma remix for Scott Jakoby and there's even soon to come a Restless Soul mix on ''Away''.Mitsu also did an amazing job on USA hip hop outfit Crown City Rockers with ''Weekend Soul''(which sounds better than the original !!!) There's also a dope vibes instrumental by Grooveman Spot (remember 'Sakura Aural Bliss' ?) on the re-issue classic of Raw Produce "Cycles''. The red vinyl 12'' sampler from the Soul Source Boogies EP has been exchanging hands for £50 and the Mark De Clive-Lowe version of Donald Byrd's ''Wind Parade'' featuring Bembe Segue  saw a price tag of 70 or so ! Big money but when you consider there's only 100 copies or so out there maybe that's to be expected…

There's a new version of Sirius B's "Samba Selvagem" remixed by Tatsuo Sunaga which looks like it could be a Brazilian summer smash. out on P Vine as we speak. And Tokyo vocalist Joi delivers his falsetto vocal on the Brazilian influenced ''The Rapture'' EP as his debut on USA label West End Records. Fans of Frankie Valentine take note....

I managed to cram in 7 DJ gigs in 10 days in Japan a couple of months ago and took in Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Hachioji & various gigs in Tokyo in the process and was lucky enough to spin with Calm, Grooveman Spot, Watusi, Soul Sauce crew, Yukihiro Fukutomi & hook up with Little Big Bee (Eitetsu Takamiya). Check his recent "Fly Away'' remix by MagicNumber that came out on Stereo Deluxe records from Nurnberg in Germany. Little Big Bee lift the track up for a sound that has ''classic'' written all over it.

Yukihiro Fukutomi completed ''It's Just'' for Italian imprint Head To Toe' which should be released soon. Also check out his ''Second Sight'' remix that's out on the Re Jazz Re Mixed compilation. 

Fat Jon from Ohio whose instrumental album 'Lightweight Heavy' that originally came out on Tokyo label Dimid will see a European release also on Exceptional Records (exceptionalrecords.co.uk) in the next month or so and look out for a mighty fine compilation called' 'Exceptionally Remixed' featuring Japanese artists United Future Organisation, Force Of Nature, Susumu Yokota & … Fat Jon. On the CD versions released commercially you get one CD of originals and one of remixes....value for money we thinks !

There's a brand new 12'' out soon from Lonesome Echo Production (Yasushi Ide)  from Tokyo featuring a Blaze mix of '"Sweet Dream'' with vocals by  Byron Stingly which should pick up a few soulful vocal fans...

For record diggers into the Nippon Sound you should check a new website (therecordroom.co.uk)that's started selling some illusive Japanese 12's of the nu jazz & electronic tip. They get fresh stuff in on a monthly basis (and lot of the Japanese stuff he doesnt list on his site, so ask him to send you the ''Japanese list'' list then if there's something you are after including the Especial material then you should e-mail him your wants list and see what he can find. Email him direct skip@therecordroom.co.uk and tell him Nippon Nik sent you !!! Also worth to mention the Forwardsbackwards show (milkaudio.com) where   Nigel Prankster as myself are playing a few Japanese beauties... Meanwhile the broadcasted from Tokyo samurai.fm show called Nippon & Speedy Express  that Dom Sevini & myself are doing and is on demand, so you don't have to get up in the middle of the night to listen to it !

JAPAN CORNER TENNERZ
SLEEPWALKER The Voyage featuring PHAROAH SAUNDERS/Into The Sun (Especial-Japan))
HAJIME YOSHIZAWA Endless Bow - Jimpster/Fauna Flash Mixes (Especial European Edition Series)
PLEASURE -Straight Ahead - Kyoto Jazz Massive Remix (Victor Japan/ Red Vinyl)
MARK DE CLIVE-LOWE featuring BEMBE SEGUE Wind Parade (Blue Note-Japan)
GAGLE  7'' (Jazzy Sport)
DJ MITSU THE BEATS New Awakenings - Instrumental  & vocal album 4 x 12'' (Planet Groove)
RAW PRODUCE Cycles - Grooveman Spot Instrumental (Subcontact)
JAFFROSAX featuring YUKIMI NAGANO Drawn To You - Studio Apartment Remix (NWR)
CROWN CITY ROCKERS Weekend Soul - DJ Mitsu Remix (P Vine)
STUDIO APARTMENT World Line EP's 001/002 (NWR)