String Band Featuring Isao Suzuki / String Band Featuring Isao Suzuki (original 1978)

A superb 1978 album by legendary Japanese jazz bassist Isao Suzuki, recorded alongside Hank Jones, Ron Carter, Roy Haynes, and a string quartet.

Highlights include Horace Silver's "Nica's Dream," opening with a groove-heavy intro that makes an excellent sampling source for hip-hop producers; Suzuki's own "Avenue," featuring majestic, sample-worthy strings and his distinctive piccolo bass; the melancholic bossa nova "Lamento" by Antonio Carlos Jobim; and "Sheila's Song," composed by Ron Carter, driven by a deep, dope bass-line intro before unfolding into a thrilling jazz performance.

A highly recommended record for jazz enthusiasts, beatmakers, and anyone searching for rich sampling material.