The rising scent of fresh greenery. A vivid and beautiful story spun by a young Hidefumi Toki with a one-horn quartet. Hidefumi Toki turned professional while in high school and was active in groups such as the New Herd, Isao Suzuki, Terumasa Hino, Ryo Kawasaki, and Fumio Itabashi. From the late 1970s he also performed with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Tatsuro Yamashita, taking part broadly in the Japanese music scene across jazz, fusion, and pop. This is his third album, recorded in 1976, following "Toki" and "Lover Man," a twin-leader combo with Yoshio Otomo. It lines up dazzling great songs and performances, such as "Sky View," where an expansive saxophone shines over a delicate melody, and "Let's Get Together," which seems to send up the scent of fresh greenery. The backing support by Yoshio Ikeda and Steve Jackson, along with Mikio Masuda, who also contributed compositions, is superb. Gentle in its gaze and refined and vivid in its playing, it is a masterpiece packed with the appeal of the young Toki. Text by Yusuke Ogawa (UNIVERSOUNDS / DEEP JAZZ REALITY)