Ryo Fukui - Scenery (1976)

1. It Could Happen To You (00:00)
2. I Want To Talk About You (04:15)
3. Early Summer (10:49)
4. Willow Weep For Me (21:33)
5. Autumn Leaves (29:17)
6. Scenery (35:49)

Ryo Fukui: There is very little information available on this artist. I'm not even sure if he's still alive... Anyway, I am probably misinterpreting this, but, I found a book on amazon which describes something called the ryo scale, and in that description Fukui is referenced. I wonder if that helps anyone find out more about him. (The book is "Songs from the Edge of Japan: Music-making in Yaeyama and Okinawa" by Matt Gillian - p.41)

Also, I found a short review on this album and the artist on www.dustygroove.com, it says:
"Lyrical magic from pianist Ryo Fukui -- a lost gem from the Japanese scene of the 70s, and a beautifully flowing album throughout! Fukui's got a wide-open touch to the piano that we totally love -- and is easily one of the best of his contemporaries on the Japanese trio scene of the time -- working in the open-ended mode that was allowed by labels in Tokyo during the 70s, a style that was never too far outside, but which really allowed the pianist to soar with a driving, rhythmic intensity. There's a bit of a modal groove to some of the tracks on the album, but more than that, there's just a beautiful sense of freedom -- a love of sound and texture that's never reduced to mere experimentation, and which has Ryo taking full command of the keys to soar to the skies on waves of acoustic soul. The group on the set features Yoshinori Fukui on drums and Satoshi Denpo on bass -- and tracks include "I Want To Talk About You", "Scenery", "Autumn Leaves", "Early Summer", and "It Could Happen To You"."

According to the latter source, this album was released on Trio Records label. Furthermore, www.discogs.com reports, "often known for it's jazz releases, Trio Records was established by the audio manufacturer Trio Electronics, Inc., later known Trio-Kenwood Corporation (currently known as Kenwood) in September 1969. The label ceased operations in 1984."

Update July 19, 2013:
Greetings listeners,

I have just discovered that the record for this album, "Scenery," is up for bids on ebay starting at $980.00. And here is the link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RYO-FUKUI-TRIO-SCENERY-ULTIMATE-RARE-JAPAN-ORIGINAL-PRESS-/251307182905?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item3a83134b39

Also, another record by Ryo Fukui titled "Mellow Dreams" is up for bids on ebay starting at $650.00. And here is the link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RYO-FUKUI-TRIO-MELLOW-DREAM-ULTIMATE-RARE-JAPAN-ORIGINAL-PRESS-/251307183373?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item3a83134d0d

The seller's id is powder_snow_01 and the individual appears to have great feedback.

If any of you happen to purchase this gem, please, share with us.

Love, viixixxiii