Beyond jazz-rock. Soul Media, led by Jiro Inagaki, arrived at the ultimate tight and cool groove.
As Inagaki himself stated, “We played Black Funk,” and by fusing the explosive energy of the jazz-rock they had cultivated up to that point with the tenacity and elasticity of Black music, their musicality leaped to a whole new dimension.

Combined with the masterful arrangements of virtuoso Hiromasa Suzuki, the groove is polished to a high shine, gaining a lustrous sheen and an alluring glow. Every track is a highlight, from “Painted Paradise,” brimming with dynamism and a sense of speed, to
“Breeze,” where funkiness and mellowness coexist, and the cover of Cool & the Gang’s “Funky Stuff,” with its low center of gravity and sharp, crisp sound.
It is now a definitive masterpiece in constant demand from around the world.
text by Yusuke Ogawa (UNIVERSOUND/DEEP JAZZ REALITY)