Album Notes

''Nobuki gets to exhibit some fine chops in each of these tunes as he displays a keen sense of melody and taste.''
—Lyle Robinson, Jazz Guitar Life

''... the compositions are engaging, and the group dynamic is never less than brilliant. Takamen has given us a great first album and left us with the anticipation of his successes to come.''
—Matthew Warnock, Just Jazz Guitar

''Takamen transmits a jazz vibe, steeped within good cheer and excellence in execution throughout this appealing set.''
—Glenn Astarita, eJazzNews.com

"These 9 songs are flow into the ears in the most natural manner as they all seem to have been written with a great sensibility.''
—Pascal Dorban, Radio ARA Luxembourg


Bull's Blues (What's New Records) is the first release by guitarist/composer Nobuki Takamen. This album, with Ro Hasegawa on tenor sax (on track 1-4, 8), Hitoshi Kanda on piano (except track 9), Toshiyuki Tanahashi on bass and Makoto Kikuchi on drums features nine of his compositions and has been featured in publications such as Just Jazz Guitar, Jazz Life Magazine, Swing Journal and Audio Basic.

Guitarist Nobuki Takamen was born in Hiroshima, Japan in 1977. A jazz historian Scott Yanow describes him as ''an excellent improviser in his own bop-inspired style''. John Heidt of Vintage Guitar Magazine has also written about him: ''a mature player with keen sense of composition, considerable technical skill...''.

A mainstay of the New York jazz scene, Nobuki leads his own group which has toured in the USA, Canada and Europe, and appeared at festivals and jazz clubs including the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Rochester Jazz Festival, the Hartford Jazz Festival, the Medicine Hat Jazz Fest, the Calgary Jazz Festival, Blue Note NY and Iridium Jazz Club. He has also toured annually throughout Japan since 2004.

Nobuki has made two albums as a leader for What's New Records. Both his first album ''Bull's Blues'' (2006) and his second ''FROM NOW ON'' (2008), are comprised entirely of his original compositions. His 3rd album, ''Live at the Iridium'', which was released on Summit Records in 2010, presents a complete, uncut performance from a set at Iridium Jazz Club recorded two weeks after his first Canadian tour in 2009.

His upcoming 4th album entitled ''Three Wishes'', featuring original compositions of his which he wrote for his guitar trio, is to be released on Summit Records in August 2012.

Besides leading his group, Nobuki frequently performs solo and has performed solo concerts at various venues including the Montreal Jazz Festival as part of 100% Guitare in 2009.

Nobuki endorses Acoustic Image Amplifiers, Raezer's Edge Speaker Cabinets, Eventide, Reunion Blues and Taylor Acoustic Guitars.