Blue Note Japan LP Releases: 1968-1977 (Toshiba Musical Industries – Toshiba EMI)

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1966-1968: Toshiba Musical Industries era (1):
Toshiba started to release Blue Note LPs in 1966. However, they were not Japan pressings; U.S. pressings were imported and sold with OBIs (or stickers) along with inserts written in Japanese.
1968-1977: Toshiba Musical Industries era (2) – Toshiba EMI era (1):
It was in 1968 when Toshiba finally started to release own Japan pressings.
1977-1983: King era:
In 1977 distribution rights moved from Toshiba to King. King Records released a number of great pressings.
1983-1988: Toshiba EMI era (2):
Toshiba regained the distrubution rights in 1983, and started releasing comprehensive numbers of Blue Note LPs.
1989-now: Toshiba EMI (3) / EMI Music Japan / Universal Music Japan era
We must thank to Toshiba – they continued to release Japanese LP pressings again and again, even CDs eliminated lovable LPs.

Toshiba Musical Industries (would be renamed to Toshiba EMI sometime in early 1970s) released a number of Blue Note LPs in the late 1960s. However, they were not Japan pressings: but Toshiba imported U.S. pressings and simply pasted Japanese stickers over the seals. Sometimes they added OBI and paper insert to the imported U.S. pressings.

1968, Japan’s first own pressings, by Toshiba Musical Industries

The 1968 is the first year when Toshiba Musical Industries finally released their own pressings. Surprisingly it was NOT an LP issue but 45rpm single release (except NP-9020C, a 3LP box set). I heard that this series didn’t sell well, so these titles might be really collectable now.

Please note that these 45 rpms were released under the “Blue Note Best Series” (Discogs).

Released in Apr. 10, 1968 (10 titles)

NP-2001
 The Sidewinder, Part I c/w Part II
 Lee Morgan
NP-2002
 Moanin’, Part I c/w Part II
 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
NP-2003
 Blues March c/w Along Came Betty
 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
NP-2004
 Autumn Leaves, Part I c/w Part II
 Cannonball Adderley
NP-2005
 Sister Sadie c/w Break City
 Horace Silver Quintet
NP-2006
 Blowin’ The Blues Away c/w Senor Blues
 Horace Silver Quintet
NP-2007
 Song For My Father, Part I c/w Part II
 Horace Silver Quintet
NP-2008
 Blue Minor, Part I c/w Part II
 Sonny Clark
NP-2009
 Cleopatra’s Dream c/w The Scene Changes
 Bud Powell
NP-2010
 Alligator Boogaloo c/w Rev. Moses
 Lou Donaldson

Released in Nov. 10, 1968 (10 titles)

NP-2011
 A Night In Tunisia, Part I c/w Part II
 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
NP-2012
 Watermelon Man, Part I c/w Part II
 Herbie Hancock
NP-2013
 Somethin’ Else, Part I c/w Part II
 Cannonball Adderley
NP-2014
 Blue Train, Part I c/w Part II
 John Coltrane
NP-2015
 Amen c/w Fuego
 Donald Byrd Quintet
NP-2016
 Cool Struttin’
 Sonny Clark Quintet
NP-2017
 Opus De Funk c/w Ecaroh
 Horace Silver Trio
NP-2018
 Doodlin’ c/w The Preacher
 Horace Silver & The Jazz Messengers
NP-2019
 The Frown c/w Still I’m Sad
 The Three Sounds
NP-2020
 The Midnight Creeper c/w The Humpback
 Lou Donaldson



NP-9020C
 Blue Note Jazz (limited edition 3LP box?)
 Various Artists

1969-1971, Japan’s first own LP pressings,
by Toshiba Musical Industries

Finally, Toshiba Musical Industries started to release 16 LPs (NR-8800 series) pressed in their own plant. This series has NR prefix.

Sometime in the early 1970s (as far as I know it was in 1973), Toshiba Musical Industires changed its name to Toshiba EMI, so some of these copies have “Toshiba EMI” imprints on the liner-notes and back-cover. For example, the copy (which I took scanned photo as seen below) of NR-8832 has “Toshiba Musical Industries” imprint on the OBI, while the label and the cover have “Toshiba EMI”.

This series, complete with OBI, is really collectable nowadays.

NR8832-1
Bottom part of the OBI.
The Japanese Kana letters in yellow colour
“ブルーノートレコード”
means “Blue Note Records”,
while other white-coloured Kanji letters
“発売元 東芝音楽工業株式会社”
stands for “Distributed by Toshiba Musical Industries Co. Ltd.”.
NP-9734 This Is Blue Note Jazz Various Artists (compilation)
Released in 1969
NR-8101 Memorable Sessions Charlie Christian, Edmond Hall Released on Mar. 21, 1969
NR-8102 Jamming In Jazz Edmond Hall & Sidney De Paris Blue Note Jazz Men Released on Apr. 10, 1969
NR-8104 Swing Sessions Blue Note All Star Jazz Men Releaed on Jul. 10, 1969

Released on Oct. 25, 1970 (5 titles)

NR-8830 Miles Davis, Vol.1 Miles Davis 1501
NR-8831 Miles Davis, Vol.2 Miles Davis 1502
NR-8832 The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol.1 Bud Powell 1503
NR-8833 The Jazz Messengers At The Cafe Bohemia, Vol.1 The Jazz Messengers 1507
NR-8834 The Jazz Messengers At The Cafe Bohemia, Vol.2 The Jazz Messengers 1508

Released on Nov. 25, 1970 (5 titles)

NR-8835 Milt Jackson Milt Jackson 1509
NR-8836 Genius Of Modern Music, Vol.1 Thelonious Monk 1510
NR-8837 Horace Silver And The Jazz Messengers Horace Silver 1518
NR-8838
A Night At Birdland, Vol.1 Art Blakey Quintet 1521
NR-8839
A Night At Birdland, Vol.2 Art Blakey Quintet 1522

Released on Jan. 25, 1971 (5 titles)

NR-8840 Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins 1542
NR-8841 Sonny Rollins, Vol.2 Sonny Rollins 1558
NR-8842 Bass On Top Paul Chambers 1569
NR-8843 A Night At The Village Vanguard Sonny Rollins 1581
NR-8844 The Scene Changes – The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol.5 Bud Powell 84009
NR-8845 Candy Lee Morgan 1590

1976-1977 “Blue Note Jazz” Series, by Toshiba EMI

Then in the middle 1970s, Toshiba EMI released a number of Blue Note LPs, until the distribution right was moved to King Records. Although I sorted these titles by release number, the actual release sequence was “at random” : at least, I confirmed that the very first release was LNJ-80064.

Some of them includes “unreleased materials” at that time.

I haven’t confirmed all titles yet.

LNJ-60006 Portrait Of Sheila Sheila Jordan 89002
LNJ-70067 Introducing Kenny Burrell Kenny Burrell 1523
LNJ-70068 Curtis Fuller, Vol.3 Curtis Fuller 1583
LNJ-70071 The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Vol.1 Fats Navarro 1531
LNJ-70072 Jazz Advance Cecil Taylor Transition TRLP-19
LNJ-70074 The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Vol.2 Fats Navarro 1532
LNJ-70075 The Eminent J. J. Johnson, Vol.1 J. J. Johnson 1505
LNJ-70076 The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol.2 Bud Powell 1504
LNJ-70077 Clifford Brown Memorial Album Clifford Brown 1526
LNJ-70078 Wailin’ With Lou Lou Donaldson 1545
LNJ-70079 The Immortal Session From Blue Note Sonny Clark, Wynton Kelly will be included in BNJ-61017 and BNJ-71001
LNJ-70080 Modern Art Art Pepper Intro ILP-606
LNJ-70081 Bass On Top Paul Chambers 1569? 81569?
LNJ-70082 Miles Davis, Vol.1 Miles Davis 1501
LNJ-70083 Miles Davis, Vol.2 Miles Davis 1502
LNJ-70084 Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins 1542
LNJ-70085 The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol.1 Bud Powell 1503
LNJ-70086 Sonny Rollins, Vol.2 Sonny Rollins 1558
LNJ-70087 Candy Lee Morgan 1590
LNJ-70088 Watkins At Large Doug Watkins Transition TRLP-20
LNJ-70089 Milt Jackson Milt Jackson 1509
LNJ-70090 Genius Of Modern Music, Vol.1 Thelonious Monk 1510
LNJ-70091 A Night At Birdland, Vol.1 Art Blakey Quintet 1521
LNJ-70092 A Night At Birdland, Vol.2 Art Blakey Quintet 1522
LNJ-70093 Sonny Clark Quintet Sonny Clark 1592 (unissued), will be included in BNJ-61016
LNJ-70094 Peckin’ Time Hank Mobley 1574
LNJ-70096 Genius Of Modern Music, Vol.2 Thelonious Monk 1511
LNJ-70097 A Night At The Village Vanguard Sonny Rollins 1581
LNJ-70098 ‘Round About Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia Kenny Dorham 1524
LNJ-70102 The Eminent J. J. Johnson, Vol.2 J. J. Johnson 1506
LNJ-70104 Byrd’s Eye View Donald Byrd Transition TRLP-4
LNJ-70108 Horace Silver Trio And Art Blakey – Sabu Horace Silver 1520
LNJ-70109 Byrd Blows On Beacon Hill Donald Byrd Transition TRLP-17
LNJ-70112 Sonny’s Crib Sonny Clark 1576
LNJ-70113 Lee Morgan, Vol.2 Lee Morgan 1541
LNJ-70125 The Jazz Messengers At The Cafe Bohemia, Vol.1 The Jazz Messengers 1507
LNJ-70126 The Jazz Messengers At The Cafe Bohemia, Vol.2 The Jazz Messengers 1508
LNJ-70127 6 Pieces Of Silver Horace Silver 1539
LNJ-70128 Whims Of Chambers Paul Chambers 1534
LNJ-70129 Introducing Kenny Burrell Kenny Burrell 1523
LNJ-70130 Hank Mobley With Donald Byrd And Lee Morgan Hank Mobley 1540
LNJ-80064 Somethin’ Else Cannonball Adderley 81595
LNJ-80066 Out To Lunch Eric Dolphy 81463
LNJ-80067 Blue Train John Coltrane 81577
LNJ-80068 Time Waits – The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol.4 Bud Powell 81598
LNJ-80071 Moanin’ Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers 84003
LNJ-80072 Cool Struttin’ Sonny Clark 81588
LNJ-80073 New Soil Jackie McLean 84013
LNJ-80075 Song For My Father Horace Silver 84185
LNJ-80076 The Sidewinder Lee Morgan 84157
LNJ-80077 Maiden Voyage Herbie Hancock 84195
LNJ-80080 Soul Station Hank Mobley 84031
LNJ-80086 Newk’s Time Sonny Rollins 84001
LNJ-80088 A Night In Tunisia Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers 84049
LNJ-80087 Blowin’ The Blues Away Horace Silver 84017
LNJ-80091 Takin’ Off Herbie Hancock 84109
LNJ-80092 Undercurrent Kenny Drew 84059
LNJ-80093 Byrd In Hand Donald Byrd 84019
LNJ-80095 Our Man In Paris Dexter Gordon 84146
LNJ-80096 Midnight Blue Kenny Burrell 84123
LNJ-80097 The Scene Changes – The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol.5 Bud Powell 84009
LNJ-80099 The Real McCoy McCoy Tyner 84264
LNJ-80100 Hub Cap Freddie Hubbard 84073
LNJ-80101 Sunday Mornin’ Grant Green 84099
LNJ-80104 A.T.’s Delight Art Taylor 84047
LNJ-80105 Hey There The Three Sounds 84102
LNJ-80118 The Jackie McLean Quintet Jackie McLean 4116 (unissued)
LNJ-80124 Speak Like A Child Herbie Hancock 84279
LNJ-80125 Sonny Clark Trio Sonny Clark 81579
LNJ-80126 Tender Feelin’ Duke Pearson 84035
LNJ-80133 Us Three Horace Parlan 84037
LNJ-80139 Flight To Jordan Duke Jordan 84046
LNJ-80146 Bud! – The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol.3 Bud Powell 81571
LNJ-80147 Feelin’ The Spirit Grant Green 84132
LNJ-80156 Leapin’ And Lopin’ Sonny Clark 84091
LNJ-80157 A Fickle Sonnance Jackie McLean 84089
LNJ-80158 It’s Time Jackie McLean 84179

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