Eastwind Import is proud to present
Atelier Sawano, another prominent independent jazz label from Japan. Like Marshmallow Records, Atelier Sawano is run by a serious jazz enthusiast who happens to own a non-music business. In this case, Mr. Yoshiaki Sawano is an owner of a shoe store in Osaka.
As with many owners of independent jazz label, his motto is to release what he wants to hear. He selects excellent, rare recordings for reissue, and produces new albums with unknown musicians all over the world. In addition to CDs, Mr. Sawano now produces vinyl records, DVDs and concert tours in Japan, inviting his favorite recording artists to his native country. His contributions in introducing
Vladimir Shafranov,
Giovanni Mirabassi,
Berndt Egerbladh and
Jos Van Beest--to name a few--to Japanese audience has been significant.
Mr. Sawano has tremendous ear to find great artists, and good taste to produce CDs that are accessible yet do not compromise artistic integrity. If you are curious about what is going on outside of the US in terms of jazz, and what Japanese fans are crazy about, listen to one of Mr. Sawano's CDs. I promise that you will be blown away.
Link to Atelier Sawano's website: Click
here. (Japanese only)