ProJazz.net

A fantastic electric album from one of the most unique bassists of the 70s – Blow Up is one of the most sough-after titles from the acclaimed Three Blind Mice catalog. Isao Suzuki’s Blow-Up is virtuosity and class all rolled up into one. A great combination of upbeat blues and mellow grooves! The album was awarded “Jazz of Japan” Award and the Jazz Disc Award of “Swing Journal” in 1973.
“This adventurous set finds Suzuki and his band mates (drummer George Otsuka, pianist Kunihiko Sugano, and bassist Takashi Mizuhashi) working through three originals and three classic standards (“Everything Happens To Me”, “Like It Is”, and “I Can’t Get Started”), merging classic hard bop principles with unusual touches (scratching cello and found percussion sweeps on “Aqua Marine”), all captured with the kind of supreme fidelity Three Blind Mice would later be heralded for. – Impex

“Few, if any, international audiophile jazz recordings have maintained the kind of deep and profound influence over techniques and even entire label repertoire as Three Blind Mice’s. The of-the-moment realism of Yoshihiko Kannari’s recordings and production aesthetic of producer and label head Takeshi “Tee” Fujii have been the benchmark to match. It is to their immense credit that Blow Up, Midnight Sugar and Misty have yet to be matched, even 40 years later. …

Isao Suzuki’s Blow-Up is virtuosity and class all rolled up into one! A great combination of upbeat blues and mellow grooves, the album was awarded the ‘Jazz of Japan Award’ and the ‘Jazz Disk Award’ from Swing Journal in 1973.” – MusicDirect”

Track listing:
A1 Aqua Marine 4:55
A2 Everything Happens To Me 5:44
B1 Blow Up 7:29
C1 Like It Is 5:34
C2 I Can’t Get Started 4:59
D1 Low Flight 5:41

Personnel:

Takashi Mizuhashi – bass
Isao Suzuki – bass, cello
George Otsuka – drums
Kunihiko Sugano – piano
________________________

Label: Three Blind Mice ‎
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Repress
Country: Japan
Released: 1977
Recorded: March 29, 30, 1973