As I was coming over the hill from Miyashita Park where I’d ridden past Face Records at Miyashita Park and Tower Records behind it, with no luck on my side in spotting a record-collecting and record-store-bag-carrying Tokyo denize, as just and I rounded the top of Organ Slope and zooming down towards, HMV and Manhattan Records, up the street was walking Jasper from Hong Kong, who had just scored from Disc Union Parco a peculiar US Pressing of John Coltrane’s Blue Trane, but with a …”Hype Obi” – not quite an obi, or a hype sticker, and again, a US press, but with Japanese only this sticker. Quite cool, and according to Discogs, possibly quite rare.
Jasper is a HK-based artist who makes frequent trips, I’m guessing too many to count. Though we didn’t chat much about primary artistic mediums or interests, I did stalk him afterwards on IG a bit and I can see heaps and heaps of shared passions from music, art, family, and friends. Had we both had more time to connect (or if Jasper moves to Tokyo, as he mentioned he might do – echoing some of the sentiments of other of my Hongkongese friends, both there and here) (or if I ever go to Hong Kong again for a long overdue revisit) I think we could get on about a lot. God, I love meeting new people.
Jasper was traveling with his film/music-video-making pal, and I think the two of them were having a nice wrap-up hang hopping around the records stores to wind down. Nice! I mentioned to Jasper about “The Goldilocks Zone” a term I’ve coined for record stores that are in a ring just outside the city center that tend to have slightly different selections and slightly lower prices. Jasper seemed quite keen to know more, so I hope we stay connected and maybe we’ll meet again someday! Until then, enjoy that Blue Train, Jasper!
More Tokyo Record Style on the way!
John Coltrane – Blue Train
Label: Blue Note – LW-81577, Blue Note – BST 81577
Series: Jazz Right Now
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1967
Genre: Jazz
Style: Hard Bop
https://www.discogs.com/release/4566325-John-Coltrane-Blue-Train
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