Eddie Higgins & Scott Hamilton & Ken Peplowski - It's Magic (180g Double Vinyl LP)

With an extensive and acclaimed discography on Venus Records, the late Eddie Higgins established himself as one of the most beloved jazz pianists in Japan. For this dream session, Higgins teamed up with two world-class horn players who perfectly share his mature, straightforward musical sensibility: Scott Hamilton on tenor saxophone and Ken Peplowski on tenor saxophone and clarinet. Backed by the powerhouse rhythm section of bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Ben Riley, this historic collaboration captured on October 18, 2006,  in New York, stands as a masterclass in elegant, small-group swing.

The setlist for It's Magic was uniquely curated by producer Todd Barkan and the musicians based on the direct requests of Swing Journal readers, bringing the absolute favorite standards of Japanese jazz fans to life. The performances shift effortlessly from lush, slow-tempo ballads—highlighted by the emotional title track "It's Magic" and Peplowski's breathy clarinet lines on "Mood Indigo"—to lively, spirited workouts like "I Never Knew" and "Autumn Leaves." Throughout the session, the interplay between Hamilton's robust, classic tenor phrasing and Peplowski's personal, dialogue-oriented style flows seamlessly over Higgins' effortlessly lyrical piano work.

Releasing in 2026 as part of the prestigious VENUS MASTERPIECE LP COLLECTION, this premium limited edition 180g Double Vinyl LP set brings these definitive sessions to a deluxe, audiophile-grade 45 RPM format. Produced, mixed, and mastered by the legendary sound engineer Tetsuo Hara using Venus’s signature "Hyper Magnum Sound" process, and housed in a stunning gatefold jacket with OBI strip, this release ensures that every nuance of the New York session is preserved in its entirety without omission, offering a strictly limited, one-time pressing that will be permanently retired once sold out.