Haruomi Hosono, Takahiko Ishikawa, Masataka Matsutoya ‎/ THE AEGEAN SEA

1979’s The Aegean Sea is somewhat of a companion piece to the previous year’s Pacific. A beautiful piece of Japanese smooth fusion-jazz with elements of traditional Greek music and Balearic grooves, it’s one of Hosono’s cleanest and most focused works to date. Long sought after by collectors this record is nearly impossible to find in original pressings outside of Japan and this is a welcome reissue of one of the greatest titles in Hosono’s seemingly infinite catalog. Essential Japanese jazz fusion.