Takeo Moriyama East Plants

Originally released in 1983 on the Japanese VAP
label, ‘East Plants’ is an essential album in the J
Jazz canon. It’s an album that distils several key
characteristics of Moriyama’s music: clearly
articulated and inventive rhythms, open yet orderly
arrangements, and an accessible groove balanced
with a graceful control.
‘East Plants’ features no piano, just percussion,
bass and reeds. From the luxurious raga-like build
of the album’s hypnotic title track and the fierce
post-bop workout of ‘Fields’, to the stately modal
track ‘Kaze’ ( as featured on the sell-out BBE
compilation, ‘J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz From Japan
1968-1984’), the album was, until now, a rarely
acknowledged masterpiece. ‘East Plants’ shows
Moriyama’s quintet at their most transcendent:
delicate layers of percussion by Yoji Sadanari, a
warm and pliant bass from Hideki Mochizuki, with
colour and texture provided by the eloquent reed
work of Shuichi Enomoto and Toshiko Inoue. And,
overseeing it all, Moriyama’s discreet yet
commanding drumming.
The BBE J Jazz Masterclass Series is curated by
Tony Higgins and Mike Peden and is dedicated to
presenting the very finest in Japanese jazz. The
series will feature rare, long-lost and unreleased
material presented in the highest quality
reproductions of the original releases, fully licensed
and authorised.