Solid Records and Ultra-Vybe from Japan are thrilled to present the official reissue of criminally overlooked Japanese jazz gem Mellow Dream (1977) by Hokkaido pianist wunderkind Ryo Fukui, sourced from the original masters and cut by Kitaro at Schnittstelle for true audiophile sound.

• Limited Edition
• Blue Vinyl Edition
• Deep Jazz Reality series
• Project Re:Vinyl edition from HMV Japan
• Presented by Universounds
• Produced by Yusuke Ogawa
• Deluxe cover Includes OBI Strip

Firmly standing on the foundation he laid down with Scenery, Ryo Fukui continues his exploration of modal, bop and cool jazz sounds with meticulous grace and absolute mastery. As its title suggests, Mellow Dream ventures into slightly mellower, more soulful, and sometimes more contemplative territories (the Bill Evans-reminiscent "Mellow Dream" and "My Foolish Heart") while still packing the commanding punch Fukui’s work is loved for, as heard on the amazingly bombastic "Baron Potato Blues" or the gigantic McCoy Tyner/John Coltrane-influenced "Horizon" which sees each member of the trio (Satoshi Denpo is on bass and Yoshinori Fukui is on drums) demonstrating their virtuosity for 9 exhilarating minutes. With his sophomore album, Ryo Fukui swings from melancholy to vibrant joy with ease, reminding us that jazz is best served with a pinch of blues, and displays an immensely rare combination of pure talent, unique personal approach and focused discipline. The man undeniably deserves a spot in the pantheon of all-time great jazz pianists.

Musicians:

Bass – Satoshi Denpo
Drums – Yoshinori Fukui
Piano – Ryo Fukui
Producer – Masataka Ito
Recorded By, Mixed By – Masayoshi Ohkawa

Track Listing:

01. Mellow Dream
02. My Foolish Heart
03. Baron Potato Blues
04. What’s New
05. Horizon
06. My Funny Valentine

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫