Fumio Itabashi - Watarase -VOICE-

FUMIO ITABASHI 'Watarase -VOICE-' LP

★First Press Limited Edition
★With Obi Strip
★Latest Digital Remastering

"Watarase," a representative work by jazz pianist Fumio Itabashi, is a crucial piece that ignited the current global boom in Japanese jazz. Following the highly acclaimed first installment, "Watarase ~ECHO~," which covered the best of "Watarase," comes the new release, "Watarase ~VOICE~," a compilation of tracks featuring a diverse range of vocalists!

Following the success of "Watarase ~ECHO~," which compiled previously unknown takes of "Watarase," a representative work by jazz pianist Fumio Itabashi—now garnering attention from jazz fans worldwide—from the perspective of Minoru Wakasugi, a pioneer of the Japanese jazz scene, the second installment, "Watarase ~VOICE~," is set for release! This work compiles tracks that focus on "voices," primarily unreleased songs featuring a diverse range of vocalists. This series will include recordings of Watarase featuring jazz vocalist Shigeo Maruyama, folk singer Jungmi Lee, and folk singer Yuki Kaneko. Looking back on 40 years of history, this series carefully selects the most noteworthy recordings of Watarase, offering a glimpse into the life of Fumio Itabashi, who continues to wholeheartedly express the pinnacle of jazz as an art form.

Now that Watarase has become a global phenomenon, every sound carried by the river comes alive. To gather and bring together these "voices," the second installment is titled "VOICE." Focusing primarily on previously unreleased tracks, it will highlight the "vocal versions" of Watarase, including versions infused with Japanese spirit by Yuki Kaneko, versions by Jungmi Lee with Asian heritage, a performance by Shigeo Maruyama (lyricist), and rare recordings incorporating exotic voicings. Furthermore, the long-lost complete version (planned) of the masterpiece "Symphonic Poem 'Watarase'," which became the origin of "Watarase of the World," will finally be unveiled! -- Minoru Wakasugi