George Kawaguchi’s The Big 4 – The Big 4 (1976) [SACD.ISO] 2006

George Kawaguchi’s The Big 4 – The Big 4 released by Three Blind Mice. Album recorded May 17, 1975  and it was DSD mastering from the original analogue master tapes. Japan’s legendary drummer steps out here with a killer combo – definitely a “big 4”, given that the group features excellent tenor work from Hidehiko “Sleepy” Matsumoto, plus Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano from Hideo Ichikawa! Kawaguchi’s famous sense of swing really gets the whole thing going – that big, round approach to the drums that was somewhere in a space between Art Blakey and Buddy Rich – and which was definitely hitting some of its hipper tones by the time of this 70s set. The group also features Takashi Mizuhashi on bass – and titles include “Invader 7”, “Albatross”, “Monday Samba”, and “Sleepy’s Funk”..