- TOP PAGE
- 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).
- Picture Sleeve for NP-2013
- Sleeve, Label Side-A of 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.
- NR-8845: cover and OBI
- NR-8845: centre label
-
NR-8845: centre label (closeup)
“MFD. UNDER LICENSE BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN”
this may indicate the pressings in 1970-1973
-
NR-8832: centre label (closeup)
“MFD. UNDER LICENSE BY TOSHIBA-EMI LTD. IN JAPAN”
this may indicate the pressings in 1973-1976
![| microgroove.jp NR8832-1](https://microgroove.jp/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/NR8832-1.png)
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.
- LNG-80100: cover and OBI
- LNJ-80100: centre label
-
LNJ-70080: center label
(white label promo issue)
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 |