Scenery (Pure Vinyl)

Even though Ryo prioritizes composition, he still manages to show his virtuosity. His unbelievable playing displays dexterity and skill but also exhibits melodic and rhythmic awareness. On Scenery, the piano directed the band’s harmonic focus as it also added a cool, vocal-esque layer on top. A perfect example is “Early Summer,” in which Ryo crafts beautiful melodies and soon plays one of the greatest piano solos in all of jazz. However, he somehow leaves room for his group to show off as well. This is clearly seen by the fantastic drum solo later in the aforementioned song and on “Autumn Leaves.” Towards the last third of the latter, every instrument lays back to make way to an exquisite bass driven section. Clearly, all musicians shine, but the pianist’s unmistakable playing steals the show.
Scenery marks the evolution of Jap-Jazz from experimentalism to a fully fleshed-out form of expression. Ryo’s decision to acknowledge what's already done and build on top of the shoulders of giants only took the quality of Japanese music to a level never seen before. Upon its release, it received massive praise and deeply influenced Japan’s music: to this day, people cite it as an undeniable game changer. Looking back at the lovely scenery, it's hard to disagree.