Three Blind Mice records: The verge of Japanese jazz (& how to get them for cheap)

In the aftermath of the golden age of American Jazz, Japan arguably produced the most interesting and refined evolution of this noble art. Several labels recorded high quality sessions, from both an artistic and technical point of view. Three Blind Mice (TBM) is probably the label that collects most of these jewels!
LINKS:
Audio Lab record: • Audio Lab. Record: Jap...
Wikipedia TBM record list: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_B...)
An Audiophile in Japan: • An Audiophile in Japan
XRCDs: • XRCD: How a Compact Di...
CD types: • CD types & sonic quali...
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#jazz #japanjazz #tbmjazz

[@voenixrising]

Help! I've falled down the rabbit hole of Three Blind Mice Japanese jazz and I can't get up! Midnight Sugar is a helluva gateway drug!

[@stevendenherder1711]

3 years ago I found a '95 issue of Midnight Sugar in a local record store. An unknown label at that time, but the cover really appelaed to me. A whole new jazz-world has opened up since then! TBM is just sublime... In the meantime I have some original and some repressed LP's and a bunch of CD's. Not even 1 sounds bad, they're all just magical. Despite lots of very nice recordings on Blue Note, I reach for these very often.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

Bought my first blind mice vinyl 45 years ago ( Midnight sugar ) .....it was is still quite asthonishing !

[@anadialog]

Bravo!

[@StrangeBrewReviews]

I have a good collection of atleast 100 japanese jazz CDs and 50 jazz lps. Great stuff.

[@kcydm9725]

Thank you for your great video This was awesome, I just ordered the first 5 albums of this incredible label on Amazon Japan.

[@zeekbruno4869]

Could we ask for a list of these beautiful recordings

[@dimitrismanolakos8967]

I have many on original vinyl records. My favorite jazz record company.

[@anadialog]

Lucky guy!

[@anderssoderlind6183]

I have quite a few TBM's that I have found over the years that I have been collecting on my own but in recent years the interest has increased which has made those who are looking for them today believe that I will sell them just because they believe that I don't listen to them.

[@sviatoslavbogatyrev746]

Another Japanese labels to consider are East Wind , Electric Bird for fusion and jazz funk and audiophile Venus.

[@bryantlin4070]

strongly agree with Electric Bird, haven't heard East wind myself. Thanks for the tip!

[@anadialog]

Indeed, I will be doing more videos in the future also on other labels...

[@vincegg5405]

Venus released several albums of Eddie Higgins & Scott Hamilton. They are amazing. Definitely worth your search!

[@voicesofvinyl]

I discovered this label during the pandemic and I have managed to find original vinyl copies of several releases, including Misty, Midnight Sugar, Blow Up, and others. The first one I purchased was an original of The In Crowd by Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio and it is a live album. Even the sound quality of this album is truly incredible, but the original Misty and Midnight Sugar vinyl is on it's own level. Another amazing step they would take is that they included diagrams of the recording studios with layouts of instruments, microphones, etc. Also, they would include details on the mixing and cutting equipment. Great video and great label!

[@sammys_erLeben]

A warm greeting from Tyrol to our southern neighbor, it was my birthday in December and today I receive this wonderful gift, my first order is already on the way and the Rhino order has already arrived ;-) Thank you for this incredibly special work! It is so much fun and once again thank you, thank you, thank you, Sammy

[@anadialog]

Thank YOU Sammy!

[@ReedsRedactions]

I love the selection you showcased. Japanese Jazz seems to have a very simple, yet elegant form that's really great to hear.

[@retromusings]

This is so fascinating. Thanks for this wonderful video.

[@DKBoerner]

Very good music selection and very interesting lable. It'll be among my favorites for the next purchase.

[@chutgowdingo-loon3212]

Yes the TBM recordings were / are quite superb. I have the original imited edition, first 2000 pressings compilation disc of The TBM Sound by FIM (First Impressions Music) - UHD CD - 32bit masterong. Wonderful music and musicianship and amazing sound quality

[@moogoomoogoo5990]

I wasn’t sure what channel I was watching at first 😂

[@Vinyl-Movement]

Thank you so much for doing this video. Need to explore the Japanese Jazz more.

[@dell177]

Some of these tracks are on Qubuz for those who would like to sample them.

[@mickygeorgescu1]

Thank you for this video!

[@anadialog]

Thank YOU!

[@thefriendlymofo335]

Jazz Gold! 😎

[@lucapellegrino2190]

Stupendo, grazie!!!

[@nonickx]

Just bough a few of these TBM cds from Amz Japan shipped to Europe and it worked. No extra customs fees, fast delivery, amazing!

[@anadialog]

Thanks for your feedback!

[@filmnarr163]

We had a lot of them in our Hifi store in Vienna (tons of CDs and a lot of vinyl - that happened in cooperation with ATR Germany, who had a direct deal with TBM). They weren't that easy to sell...maybe too demanding? Maybe interesting: From 1978 (!) on, TBM started to record digitally on U-matic. I own the vinyl of "Greensleeves" (1978) which has a big "PCM" written on its cover. Today I made a comparison with the CD (top equipment on both sides), and You can hear very good the difference between the 45 year old DAC and the transperency of my modern model. Nevertheless the vinyl sounds very satisfying as well. They did a good job to avoid the usual shortcomings. Do be honest, at the end I do not really know, what I prefer - even if the nod goes maybe slightly into the direction of the CD.

[@bigacorn6062]

Thank you for the tip. Just added 12 for CD's to my collection.

[@guyboisvert66]

Wow, thank you SO MUCH for this video and sharing your passion! The information you provided is really helpful, i'm always seeking good music / recordings And you're so right, always a true pleasure to listen music at night in a cozy atmosphere! I have "Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio - Midnight Sugar (SACD)" and it's just an example of a great recording / mixing / mastering. Thanks again!

[@drde4010]

Fantastic video thanks for all the recommendations. I’ll be getting as many of these albums you suggested as I can find. Love your channel and your passion. My friend is going to Japan in a couple of months and was also inspired by this video which he forwarded to me. We also enjoyed your Japan video. Great taste in music you have indeed. 😊 drD E

[@anadialog]

Thank you very much for these words. This is what keeps me going!

[@knockshinnoch1950]

Great video and I loved the intro! Personally I first paid close attention to Japanese Jazz couple of years ago and I love it! Trying to track down 3BM discs is expensive and takes a lot of searching and patience. I can't justify spending the asking prices on so many that appear on E Bay or Disgogs. You do a great job in bringing attention to the label and the artists but I'm afraid those prices are gonna spike!

[@bryantlin4070]

I have to say after hearing the original cd and the later "blue-spec" cd, I strongly prefer and recommend the original ones. The blue-specs seemed to just have volume boosted (not spared from the volume war). I've confirmed with programs that it is indeed louder and the tracks have their peaks leveled. The imaging is not as precise. They aren't bad by any means but I think its worth the extra effort to track down the original if possible.

[@alessandrograldi4334]

Ciao, ho un paio di Lp giapponesi trovati in mercatini, ogniuno di questi é pieno di informazioni riguardo la tecnica di registrazione mix e mastering, uno di questi é Count Buffalo And His Big Band* - Dynamic Big Band Plays Bacharach, é un 4phase stereo quindi una tecnica abbandonata, parliamo del 1970, un suono incredibile! un cofanetto con un sacco di info. l'altro é Blackbuster di Jiro Inagaki, (East Wind) con la rythm section di Chuck Rainey, incredibile il suono. Se trovo vinili di questa label non me li farò sfuggire, al momento i prezzi sono molto alti effettivamente e il CD (per mio vizio) li tengo come extrema ratio

[@sv1201]

This year's hybrid SACDs of TBM are mastered by Bernie Grundman. I wonder how different they sound from originals?

[@lukedermott1589]

I have most of those recording on vinyl. I understand that you don’t agree with the criticism. I agree the recording and packaging are magnificent but the music feels a bit sterile/lacking in soul. Very orchestral, but maybe missing the natural blues element and creativity of African American/original jazz. Interestingly, Japanese soul/funk has no such problem. The soul is there.

[@MrJasonMeans]

Great video! Question on your Focal headphones… do you have problems with them wearing glasses? I have some and wear glasses and find them very uncomfortable-don’t know if it’s just me or my odd shaped head.

[@anadialog]

I probably don't use them long enough to feel that but I agree that there are more comfortable cans out there, especially for 4-eyes like us.

[@StrangeBrewReviews]

TBM is just the surface....many more great Japanese jazz.

[@anadialog]

Indeed, and as I said in the video I will present them in future videos...

[@Raypirri]

Hey Guido. Many thanks for these. I am confused though. Only a couple of years ago, you were raving about and recommending XRCD. What has changed in your thinking? I actually love XRCD and it all started because of your advice! Love your work!

[@anadialog]

No, no! I L-O-V-E XRCDs. You got me wrong! I said the XRCD of TBM are not that much better than the normal CDs. All the rest, hell yeah!!

[@Raypirri]

@@anadialog ok! Thank you. I thought my ears were deceiving me with some “placebo” effect in quality…

[@Raypirri]

@@anadialog Hi again Guido. I’ve checked my collection of XRCDs and a lot are made in 2009 by Audio Wave. You mentioned that Audio Wave were not good. They sound excellent to me. What is happening ?!?

[@anadialog]

@@Raypirri Yes, I confirm that. I have about 8 Audiowave XRCDs and compared to the older XRCDs they are quite bad. I was completely shocked!

[@osirismarbles5177]

I'm going to suggest another volume of jazz to you, but Latin jazz from the 80s-90s ONLY on CD - Shades of Jade volumes 1 - 6. If you dig Latin jazz, you will not be disappointed. Excellent recordings. I think only one of them is pretty rare and may be in the $30-40USD range. Grab them from wherever you can obviously before they run out because they are no longer in production. They are not on any streaming service and there is no vinyl. My favorites are volumes 1 - 3, but they ALL have something special on them and each have a character of their own.

[@anadialog]

Nice!

[@andretraylor7418]

Good overview of 3 Bind mice! A hip little label. I have a question in the market for the EMT Tondose broadcast cartridge? The one with the rectangle body? I see that you used one in the past with your EMT table?. What's your take on them? How do you characterize the sonics? I appreciate your help before purchasing!

[@anadialog]

Excellent cart! I haven't used it for some time now but I remember that I liked it a lot. I have the new superfine line version. The cart is also the headshell and it goes with an EMT arm (or the SME type with an adapter but at that point I would change cart).

[@andretraylor7418]

@anadialog Thanks for your reply. I've never heard one, but I was told it's on the warm side of neutral? Is that true? Is there enough detail?

[@third2891]

Have any idea how Black Orpheus was recorded? With only Isao Suzuki credited as the bassist/cellist, how were the bass and cello parts playing simultaneously? Overdubs, perhaps?

[@anadialog]

I don’t know but yes, it could be

[@francishuang8411]

The original issue records are really really good

[@MikeyN6IL]

There have been quite a few TBM albums released on SACD. If you have any of them in multiple formats how do you think the SACDs compare to the CD releases?

[@anadialog]

Can't say. I have only Misty.

[@trevorbartram5473]

If you are bored with the Bluenote/RVG house sound there were plenty of other quality 50s NY studios (& recording engineers) to choose from, my favorites being: Reeves, Plaza, Nola, Fine, Bell & Atlantic. Discogs has a better TBM listing than Wikipedia. Regarding Amazon Japan, it's pointless to search on TBM or Three Blind Mice & most of the individual titles are unavailable on CD. Which streaming services carry TBM? Thanks!

[@gotham61]

Digitized. Digitalized isn't a word. The sound of Blue Note records had more to do with the preferences of Alfred Lion than it did with RvG or his HACKensack studio. (note RvG moved his studio from Hackensack to Englewood Cliffs in 1959). If you listen to the recordings RvG made for Impulse, Presitge, or CTI in the same studio, they really don't have the same "Blue Note Sound". TBM suffers from J Gordon Holt's Law. Yes, they are fantastic recordings, but if Tsuyoshi Yamamoto or Hidehiko Matsumoto was booked at the Village Vanguard in New York, would anyone come?

[@anadialog]

Actually digitalized IS a word, look it up on the dictionary! Yes, I agree that Lion had a big role but clearly Rudy was the engineer and gave a specific sound signature that I indeed hear on the other labels where Rudy recorded. I think the different types of music created a different effect but I do perceive a common substrate IMHO.

[@claudioportugalli4352]

Di Tsuyoshi Yamamoto ho: Midnight Sugar (1974) [SACD] (2006 TBM) , Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio - MISTY for Direct Cutting (2021) [DSD128], Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, Ken Kaneko, Toshio Osumi - Autumn In Seattle dsd64. Fantastici! Soprattutto Misty ,in dsd 128, penso sia anche meglio dell'LP.

[@olivierdeneef37]

Is there a way to get these legally through download ?

[@anadialog]

I saw some on Qobuz and they also sell their versions…

[@sauberf1372]

You forgot Switzerland Intaktrecords!

[@taufiqhariyadi1888]

[@alanrogs3990]

1970's jazz albums by Japanese artist are big $$

[@nickbitten9910]

Have to admit most of these sound good, but they are not always easy to find in my area.

[@anadialog]

I explain in the video where to get them easily and for 10$ each!

[@dougg1075]

You might be able to get a task rabbit to find some for you. Artificial intelligence.

[@marcinwilk5718]

I have spent a couple of years in East Asia and I the only country I like music-wise in the entire region is Japan. Japanese jazz is excellent. There is so much other great music coming out of this country. Korea is kind of OK, too, but not as much as Japan in that regard. The music in China on the other hand is pretty terrible and that is one of the reason why I left the country as I cannot live without good music (good concerts, clubs, etc.).

[@simonyap4660]

Honestly. They sound better on records.

[@anadialog]

Of course, but quite expensive and difficult to find although there are some reissues here and there but only of the more famous titles

[@mafi211]

Vinyl sucks