Public Bath Press has been releasing English translations of essential books about Japanese music for the past few years. Arguably their most exciting venture was just announced recently: a translation of critic Soejima Teruto’s Free Jazz in Japan: A Personal History. As usual, Kato David Hopkins handles the translation. The image above shows a prototype of the art, and Hopkins has stated that the final version by Ohno Masahiko will be “even better.”

Hopkins describes the book as such:

[Free Jazz in Japan] is the musical memoir of a man who moved from fan to critic to tireless promoter of the jazz avant-garde. He was there from the beginning and knew everyone. I hope his considerable charm comes through in translation. He was primarily a supporter of the live jazz scene, so while there is information about record culture, the focus is on events and performances. And personalities, with many interesting anecdotes. Anyone interested in Japanese musical undergrounds will find something of interest here.

The book is slated for sale in December. Keep an eye on the Public Bath Press website for ordering information.