Artist Feature: NUJABES - selected, collected works - The Late, Great, Elevated Soul.

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Jun Seba (瀬葉淳) was a Japanese hip-hop producer and DJ who recorded under the name 'Nujabes' (simplified pronunciation: Noo-Jah-Bess).
His alias was simply his (combined given+family) name "sebajun" spelled backwards. Nujabes was also owner of the Shibuya record stores, T Records and Guinness Records, as well as the founder of the independent label Hydeout Productions. For those individuals nearly familiar to his name and legacy, in addition to the above credits, he was also the musical producer, composer & architect to the anime series, "Samurai Champloo" (much in the same way Yoko Kanno was the "architect" to the Cowboy Bebop series' musical score).



This topic is my commemoration to his memory, his music, and his message.

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Metaphorical Music [2003]
- Next View (Ft. Uyama Hiroto on Sax)
- Lady Brown (Ft. Cise Starr)
- F.I.L.O. (Ft. Shing02)
- The Final View

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Modal Soul [2005]
- Feather (Ft. Akin & Cise Starr)
- Luv (sic) Pt.3 (Ft. Shing02)
- The Sign (Ft. Pase Rock)
- Horizon

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Mellow Beats, Friends & Lovers [2009]

- Kiss of Life (Ft. Giovanca, with Benny Sings)
- After It (Ft. No.9 - Pet Project by Joe Takayuki)
- #1 Dub (Ft. World Supreme Funky Fellows 2012)
- Vision Eyes (Ft. Golden Boy, with Uyama Hiroto on Piano, Sax)

[Manic_Skafe]

Man, if I didn't know better I'd think you were stealing my thoughts. I've just recently acquired the entire Nujabes discography and I've been poring my way through it starting (randomly enough) with Modal Soul. Great tunes - incredible vibes. It's a shame he's recently passed.

[Jetée]

Actually, what has come to be my signature method of sharing that what interests/captivates me, I come around just a tad after the opening berth of the exposition of works, then I wait ("bide" obliviously) entirely too long to come around to remembering that I wanted to detail, and share, any particular work/artist long after most people would consider an acceptable 'hinting towards a new find' period.

Truth is, I found out about Nujabes shortly after Modal Soul was released (2005), and have been enjoying his beautiful compositions in (near) secret since then, up 'til now. Also, I have had an idea to start this topic way back in Jan-Feb-March, but kept pushing it off because I didn't know which flash playlist embeddables still work here in the TFP., and also because I didn't know exactly how to structure it. As you've seen, though, I persevered, and eventually came round to finally opening up this feature, and did so in a manner of short, theme-centric playlists for those still unaware (guessing: many here) of who, indeed, Jun Seba was, and what he tried to bring forth to his audience.

One last mention: Manic; when you say you got a hold of his ENTIRE discography, what, exactly, does that entail? Officially, Nujabes released the 'main' line of album chronology for global independent markets, (Metaphorical, Modal Soul, & Mellow Beats, ver.1) and then the accompanying 'mixed/sub' chronology of albums (Hydeout Prod. Collections 1 & 2, + Modal Soul Classics), which of all I've read, could only be purchased through Japanese record shops, as they were only released locally. Plus, there were near or more than a dozen other singles, B-sides, compilations and vinyls that he released through his production company, or whilst collaborating amongst other artists, which include such recored as the Ristorant NUJABES series, along with the flip 'Mellow Beats' album ( called "Mellow Beats, Rhymes And Visions").

I'd be blown away, and beyond impressed, if some record and/or hobby shop actually carried his entire collected works, and that you actually managed to acquire it. I might even ask for the address of where you found it (unless, of course, you somehow stumbled onto a vendor online for those).

[Manic_Skafe]

Well then I suppose it's your thoughts that are being stolen. Here's what I have:

Hydeout Productions Collections 1 & 2
Metaphorical Music
Mellow Beats, Friends & Lovers
Modal Soul
Soul Classics
Modal Soul Classics

All digital files. Let me know if you don't have any of these and I'll send them your way.

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Miscellaneous Medley [Departure]
- Battlecry (Ft. Shing02)
- Kujaku
- Mystline
- Song of Four Seasons (Ft. MINMI)