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Hajime Yoshizawa   / artists (H) Profile: Stage name: 吉澤 はじめ (Yoshizawa Hajime) Hajime is part of a Japanese renaissance in jazz viewed through the eyes of modern dance music, post London acid jazz, often termed 'nu-jazz'. Best exemplified since artists like the United Future Organization in the early-mid '90s. Cosmic Village, a band consisting of Hajime with four other members (including one of the Okino brothers, Shuya Okino, who set-up Especial Records with brother Yoshi later formed the Kyoto Jazz Massive), was the formative platform for his keyboard playing and production talents defining the nu-jazz territory of the late '90s as it went. Cosmic Village releases, like a cover LP of Yellow Magic Orchestra tunes titled "Nice Age" have lead through to a more recent track "Free" done for "The Room 10th Anniversary" project. Various production credits on small releases led to the amazing highlight in a 12-inch called "Ai-No-Kawa/Resurrection" on Especial Records. On this 12, whilst one of the tracks was under the name 'Hajime Yoshizawa' the other was under the name 'Sleep Walker', but both are straight jazz numbers. From here we get his next projects. The Sleep Walker band kept the straight ahead jazz project going, whereas productions under his own name tend to head towards more of an electronic soulful nu-jazz perspective. 'Hajime Yoshizawa' monikered projects include an LP for Far Out Records' offshoot label Solaria entitled "Violet Lounge", remixes galore on various labels, plus more 12's on Especial Records under the name Hajime Yoshizawa leading to the CD only release "Hajime Yoshizawa", which grouped the 12's done for Especial Records together with new material. 'Sleep Walker' moniker, however, culminated in the self-titled LP "Sleep Walker". A note should also be made about another moniker of his 'Electric Sheep', first used as a self-done remix name on a Cosmic Village 12-inch "You Can See The Light". Originally more of a beat heavy sound, more recent use of this moniker has resulted in more of an ambient sound/experimental project along the lines of fellow Japanese producer Calm (aka Farr) productions. The track "Amniotic" is worth hearing, as is another from the Shibuya HMV 5th anniversary 12-inch called "Naked Noon". And three remixes of note: one for the Jackson 5 remixes project (vol.2); one done for Jazzanova's "Takes You Back" featuring Lori Fine, released on Jazzanova's "In Between EP" on Sony SMEJ Japan only CD single (later put on the Jazzanova "Remixed" CD -not on the vinyl edition unfortunately, in fact never put out on vinyl, come to think of it !?); and the third one done for Riviera's "Never Stay Long", put out on Japanese label Philter Records on a five track remixes 12-inch, and a remixes CD. His latest Sleep Walker 12-inch "The Voyage/Into The Sun" features Pharoah Sanders on sax and Bembe Segue on vocal duty. URLs: http://www.hajimeyoshizawa.com/ http://www.myspace.com/hajimeyoshizawa http://www.extra-freedom.co.jp/ Aliases: Bossa Free In Groups: Cosmic Village, Electric Sheep (2), Sleep Walker Name Variations: All | Hajime Yoshizawa | H. Yoshizawa | Hajime

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User Reviews:

jimthing, Nov 12, 2004

Not only is he one of Japan's best electronic producers, but like Ryota Nozaki (aka Jazztronik), hear him playing piano on any of his Sleep Walker releases and you will truely understand just why he can get the likes of Pharoah Sanders to play sax with the band on the lastest release.
Quality assured accross all his projects.
...if you see them in a shop, purchase immediately !

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