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).

Blue Note / Toshiba Musical Industries NP-2013 — Picture Sleeve for NP-2013

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)

Blue Note / Toshiba Musical Industries NP-9020C (3LP Box Set)

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 May 1969?
NP-9748	This Is Blue Note Jazz Vol. 2	Various Artists	(compilation) Released in December 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.~~

Release date was confirmed with the Toshiba EMI’s ads on the back issue of Japanese “Swing Journal” magazine.

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

I haven’t confirmed all titles yet.

LNJ70080A — LNJ-70080: center label
(white label promo issue)

Jan. 20, 1976
LNJ-80064	Somethin’ Else	Cannonball Adderley	81595
Feb. 20, 1976
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
Mar. 20, 1976
LNJ-70067	Introducing Kenny Burrell	Kenny Burrell	1523
LNJ-70068	Curtis Fuller, Vol.3	Curtis Fuller	1583
LNJ-80071	Moanin’	Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers	84003
LNJ-80072	Cool Struttin’	Sonny Clark	81588
LNJ-80073	New Soil	Jackie McLean	84013
Apr. 20, 1976
LNJ-70071	The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Vol.1	Fats Navarro	1531
LNJ-70072	Jazz Advance	Cecil Taylor	Transition TRLP-19
LNJ-80075	Song For My Father	Horace Silver	84185
LNJ-80076	The Sidewinder	Lee Morgan	84157
LNJ-80077	Maiden Voyage	Herbie Hancock	84195
May 20, 1976
LNJ-60006	Portrait Of Sheila	Sheila Jordan	89002
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-80080	Soul Station	Hank Mobley	84031
Jul. 5, 1976
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-80086	Newk’s Time	Sonny Rollins	84001
LNJ-80088	A Night In Tunisia	Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers	84049
Aug 5, 1976?
LNJ-70080	Modern Art	Art Pepper	Intro ILP-606
LNJ-70081	Bass On Top	Paul Chambers	1569
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
Sep. 5, 1976?
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-70082	Miles Davis, Vol.1	Miles Davis	1501
Oct. 5, 1976?
LNJ-80099	The Real McCoy	McCoy Tyner	84264
LNJ-80100	Hub Cap	Freddie Hubbard	84073
LNJ-80101	Sunday Mornin’	Grant Green	84099
LNJ-70083	Miles Davis, Vol.2	Miles Davis	1502
LNJ-70084	Sonny Rollins	Sonny Rollins	1542
Nov. 5, 1976?
LNJ-80104	A.T.’s Delight	Art Taylor	84047
LNJ-80105	Hey There	The Three Sounds	84102
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
Nov. 20, 1976
LNS-65049/50	Golden Double 32: Blue Note Jazz	V.A.	(2LP compilation)
Dec. 5, 1976?
LNJ-70089	Milt Jackson	Milt Jackson	1509
LNJ-70090	Genius Of Modern Music, Vol.1	Thelonious Monk	1510
Dec. 20, 1976
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-80118	The Jackie McLean Quintet	Jackie McLean	4116 (unissued)
Jan. 5, 1977?
LNJ-70094	Peckin’ Time	Hank Mobley	1574
LNJ-80124	Speak Like A Child	Herbie Hancock	84279
LNJ-80125	Sonny Clark Trio	Sonny Clark	81579
LNJ-80126	Tender Feelin’	Duke Pearson	84035
Apr. 5, 1977?
LNJ-70088	Watkins At Large	Doug Watkins	Transition TRLP-20
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-80133	Us Three	Horace Parlan	84037
LNJ-80139	Flight To Jordan	Duke Jordan	84046
May 5, 1977?
LNJ-70104	Byrd’s Eye View	Donald Byrd	Transition TRLP-4
LNJ-80146	Bud! – The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol.3	Bud Powell	81571
LNJ-80147	Feelin’ The Spirit	Grant Green	84132
Jun. 5, 1977?
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
Jul. 5, 1977?
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-80156	Leapin’ And Lopin’	Sonny Clark	84091
LNJ-80157	A Fickle Sonnance	Jackie McLean	84089
LNJ-80158	It’s Time	Jackie McLean	84179

Jul. 1977: Distributorship moves from Toshiba EMI to King

“Prestigious Blue Note moves to King” article, on Swing Journal, Jul. 1977, pp.258.

The article says:
“Since its founding in 1939, the jazz-specialized label Blue Note has produced numerous classic albums, including ‘Somethin’ Else’ and “Blue Train”. It has been decided that the domestic distribution rights for Blue Note will transfer from Toshiba to King Records starting July 1st.”
“This is due to the conclusion of a comprehensive agreement with the catalog owned by United Artists, the parent company of Blue Note Records. As a result, King acquired the Japanese distribution rights for Liberty, Pacific Jazz, Transition and Intro, in addition to the existing United Artists label.”