NAUTILUS Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Japanese jazz masters Nautilus strike back again with their first release of 2024, 'Georgy Porgy', a special label collaboration between Oonops Drops and their Japanese label Urban Discos (Diskunion). The title number is a cover version of the yacht rock classic 'Georgy Porgy', with Nautilus' version heard performed alongside UK-based vocalist songwriter and vocalist John Turrell, one half of Smoove & Turrell, and German legend Toni-L. Theirs is a slick and maximised rendition. On the flipside is a similar classic versioning; a sweet cover version of Al Green's 'Let's Stay Together', albeit this time coming with the vocal talents of Japanese singer Keyco and brought with it a crisp, headroomy neo-soulful bent.

Review: You can always count on Nautilus to deliver the most sophisticated covers of soul and jazz standards. The Japanese jazz funk outfit have a pristine approach to their craft, but they also know how to edge their own personality into the versions they lay down. So it goes as they approach the monumental 'Move On Up' by Curtis Mayfield, which is no small task. The actual cut on this 7" is the DJ JIN re-edit, which makes the track fit comfortably on a 45 but also makes sure it works for the DJs out there. On the flip 'Beyond The Redemption' has a more uptempo feel thanks to the sharp angles of the drums and the ascendant keys gliding over the dynamic low end.

Review: During their first European tour in May 2023, Tokyo-based Jazz trio Nautilus received a raucous response from concert visitors. In response, Japanese label Oonops Drops decided to press their last gig of the tour at the legendary King Georg in Cologne, Germany on limited mixed media. This one's for all the concert-goers, who'll now get to soak up the very same vibes heard back in May. This cross-section of songs spans the old to the new, though all originate from a fresh multitrack recording session; going so far as to recapture the mood of the event with canned clapping and whistles, the vibe of "being there" is emulated to a T, with 'Stone Ground Seven' and 'Expansions' coming as exemplary bottlings of Nautilus' joie de vivre.

Review: Prolific Japanese jazzers Nautilus - made up of drummer Toshiyuki Sasaki, keyboardist Daisuke Takeuchi, and bassist Shigeki Umezawa - present their latest 7" release 'A Story About You'. It's an emotive A-and-B-sider of mournful mood, with the A-side cemented by rolling pianos and a central lyric-melody performed by Mariko's talkbox, and B-sider 'Sweet Power Your Embrace' coming as a cover of the 1977 classic by James Mason. Signaling news of a full-length album to come - you'd better fasten your seatbelts.

Review: For the latest offering on his jazz-dance friendly Jazz Room Records imprint, Paul Murphy has decided to mine the back catalogue of Japanese jazz-funk trio Nautilus, and specifically the organ-loving combo's 2015 album Nautiloid Matter. Kicking things off on the A-side is the band's version of Gil Scott-Heron's 1972 classic 'Lady Day & John Coltrane'. Featuring fine lead vocals from Kei Owada and plenty of the band's trademark electric piano solos, their take on the track is far more dancefloor focussed than Scott-Heron's original, with much more energetic drumming and fast-fingered bass guitar. Turn to the flip for their take on Jessica Lauren's acid-jazz era fusion classic 'Serengeti', which sees Nautilus add infectious, life-affirming Fender Rhodes solos to another killer jazz-funk groove.

Review: Japanese rare groove merchants Nautilus are back in the wake of their Reconnection album with a new 7" of sweet and smooth jazz funk in their signature style. There's an endlessly crisp quality to the playing and production on Nautilus records which ensures they land with maximum effect. The A side on this new single is 'We Gettin Down', a bright and breezy confection with some choice talk box action, Rhodes and synths in conversation and sprightly beats. 'Nautical Table' gets a little craftier, dealing in skittering drums and nimble piano without losing that clarity we've come to expect from this highly talented group.

Review: Japan's premier jazz funk covers outfit Nautilus are back on the scene with another 7" of those pristine grooves they lay down so well. They've been busy lately, recording the Serendipity album with Lisa Decker and just releasing the Reconnection album amongst other singles and EPs, but once again they've got more beautifully executed music to impart to the world. 'Skyscrapers' rides on a taut breakbeat and features some slinky bass guitar, striking an ever-so-slightly moody tone. 'Another World' is all about the snappy piano hooks, with the band following dutifully behind each melodic passage and winding up in something sweet and funky - as if you expect any less from this band.

Review: We've become accustomed to hearing Nautilus offer-up authentic, Hammond-rich jazz-funk of the sort associated with such 1970s titans of the genre as Lonnie Liston Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jimmy Smith and Herbie Hancock. On 'Caught Up', the flip the script, recruiting vocalist Emi Tawata to help conjure up a wonderfully starry, warming, organic and mood-enhancing slab of R&B-influenced modern soul. Their Rhodes-laden (and genuinely inspired) original mix comes accompanied by an alternative take from Jazzy Sport regular Grooveman Spot, who brilliantly re-imagines the song as a squelchy, synth-laden slab of slipped soul rich in colourful electronics, bold electronic bass and crunchy machine beats.