You’d be forgiven for not knowing about these Studio Ghibli-commissioned jazz reworkings of much-loved classic soundtracks with the three-piece All That Jazz being one of Japan’s best kept secrets until now. Originally put together by the power-house animation studio for a series of jazzed-up covers, the group took off with their simple yet moving set-up of piano, bass and drums, and afterwards went on to do another record of anime classics. Sprinkled with complementary instruments, the project is tied together by the soothing vocals of Yukiko Kuwahara. On this first record you can find the hard-hitting main themes from My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind among other carefully curated tracks.
Music composed by Joe Hisaishi and arranged by Tomoo Nogami (ALL THAT JAZZ)
Tracklist
SIDE A
A1. Kimi wo Nosete (Castle in the Sky) A2. Umi no Mieru Machi (Kiki's Delivery Service) A3. Yasashisa ni Tsutsumaretanara (Kiki's Delivery Service) A4. Kaze no Torimichi (My Neighbor Totoro) A5. Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro) A6. Jinsei no Merrygoround (Howl's Moving Castle)
SIDE B B1. Country Road (Whisper of the Heart) B2. The Princess Mononoke (The Princess Mononoke) B3. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind) B4. Nausicaä Requiem (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind) B5. Tokiniwa Mukashino Hanashi wo (Porco Rosso) / B6. Gake no Ue no Ponyo (Ponyo)
