A 1981 collaboration between legendary Japanese jazz bassist Isao Suzuki and tenor saxophonist Akira Miyazawa.
Long cherished by jazz fans as a hidden gem of Japanese jazz, the album captures thrilling, groove-driven performances.
Featuring acclaimed musicians including Motohiko Hino on drums and Yoshiaki Miyanoue on guitar, the album is marked by intense exchanges of improvisation. It is also known as Isao Suzuki’s first digital recording. Now receiving its long-awaited first-ever vinyl reissue.
Yusuke Ogawa (UNIVERSOUNDS):
Isao Suzuki was an incredibly compelling bassist. He had the individuality, skill, and conviction to turn anything he played into “Isao Suzuki music,” and that’s what made him so cool. That appeal remained unchanged from the time he began his professional career in the 1950s until his passing in 2022, captivating fans not only in Japan but around the world.
He left behind numerous standout recordings, including BLOW UP (1973), あこの夢 (AKO's DREAM) (1976), and 自画像 (SELF-PORTRAIT) (1981), but the album I especially want people to hear now is this 1981 recording, Three Cushion. Here, Isao Suzuki, who could make anything sound cool, takes on hard bop—both his musical roots and his true forte. Wanting to record with Akira Miyazawa, one of Japan’s tenor saxophone titans, Suzuki invited him to join the session.
On “Perhaps,” they stay true to the classic tradition; on “Together Again,” they push the possibilities further; and on his own composition, “ThreeCushion,” Suzuki takes things on with boldness. Traditional yet innovative.
Never flashy, but somehow incredibly stimulating. Before you know it, you find yourself completely drawn into its world. This is Isao Suzuki at his peak.
