Fumio Karashima: Great Time
Fumio Karashima: Great Time Jazz of Japan #351 • Feb 15, 2026 • Brian McCrory Jazz pianist Fumio Karashima’s 2006 album Great Time scratches the itch for a...
Aketa no Mise
Aketa no Mise Jazz of Japan #350 • Feb 9, 2026 • Brian McCrory Aketa no Mise jazz bar, located near Nishi-Ogikubo station in Tokyo, Japan Welcome to Aketa no...
Sumire Kuribayashi: Orbital Resonance
Sumire Kuribayashi: Orbital Resonance Jazz of Japan #349 • Feb 6, 2026 • Brian McCrory The new album Orbital Resonance from Sumire Kuribayashi, released in...
Yuri Hirota: Magical Moonlight
Yuri Hirota: Magical Moonlight Jazz of Japan #348 • Jan 25, 2026 • Brian McCrory Yuri Hirota’s album Magical Moonlight was released in 2017 as a petite jazz...
Harumi Nomoto Trio: Anitya
Harumi Nomoto Trio: Anitya Jazz of Japan #347 • Jan 18, 2026 • Brian McCrory Anitya is pianist Harumi Nomoto’s fourth trio record, released in 2025. It’s...
Hiroshi Fukutomi Quintet: Rings of Saturn
Hiroshi Fukutomi Quintet: Rings of Saturn Jazz of Japan #346 • Jan 10, 2026 • Brian McCrory Guitarist Hiroshi Fukutomi’s first album is Rings of Saturn from...
Mikiko Nagatake Trio: Breathe Beneath the Sun
Mikiko Nagatake Trio: Breathe Beneath the Sun Jazz of Japan #345 • Jan 3, 2026 • Brian McCrory From 2022, Breathe Beneath the Sun is pianist Mikiko...
Cafe Cotton Club
Cafe Cotton Club Jazz of Japan #344 • Dec 31, 2025 • Brian McCrory Cafe Cotton Club jazz club, located near Takadanobaba station in Tokyo, Japan Cafe Cotton...
Harumi Nomoto: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Harumi Nomoto: I’ll Be Home for Christmas Jazz of Japan #343 • Dec 20, 2025 • Brian McCrory The 2023 release I’ll Be Home for Christmas is a pleasant holiday...
Daiki Yasukagawa / Hitomi Nishiyama / Maiko: The Tree of Life
Daiki Yasukagawa / Hitomi Nishiyama / Maiko: The Tree of Life Jazz of Japan #342 • Dec 13, 2025 • Brian McCrory The Tree of Life is a 2019 jazz release from...
Toru Takahashi: Tokyo Groovin’ High!
Toru Takahashi: Tokyo Groovin’ High! Jazz of Japan #341 • Dec 6, 2025 • Brian McCrory Drummer Toru Takahashi’s debut album is Tokyo Groovin’ High, a 2021...
Manhattan
Manhattan Jazz of Japan #340 • Dec 3, 2025 • Brian McCrory Manhattan jazz club, located near Asagaya station in Tokyo, Japan The sign outside advertises...
Kaoru Azuma: Footprints in New York
Kaoru Azuma: Footprints in New York Jazz of Japan #339 • Nov 29, 2025 • Brian McCrory Vocalist Kaoru Azuma’s Japanese debut release is Footprints in New...
Sumireiko: Decision
Sumireiko: Decision Jazz of Japan #338 • Nov 22, 2025 • Brian McCrory Decision is a 2020 album from the duo of vibraphonist Reiko Yamamoto and pianist Sumire...
The Third Tribe: Nearly Dusk
The Third Tribe: Nearly Dusk Jazz of Japan #337 • Nov 15, 2025 • Brian McCrory Almost Dusk is a 2019 album from the duo of pianist Yoko Kobayashi and drummer...
Fumie Chiba Trio: Echoes
Fumie Chiba Trio: Echoes Jazz of Japan #336 • Nov 9, 2025 • Brian McCrory Echoes is the title of the second album from the Fumie Chiba Trio, made up of...
Hitomi Nishiyama: Astrolabe
Hitomi Nishiyama: Astrolabe Jazz of Japan #335 • Nov 3, 2025 • Brian McCrory Astrolabe is an imaginative 2012 album from pianist and composer Hitomi...
Organ Jazz Club Abecafe
Organ Jazz Club Abecafe Jazz of Japan #334 • Oct 30, 2025 • Brian McCrory Organ Jazz Club Abecafe, located near Numabukuro Station in Tokyo, Japan Organ Jazz...
Davy Mooney & Ko Omura: The Word
Davy Mooney & Ko Omura: The Word Jazz of Japan #333 • Oct 25, 2025 • Brian McCrory The Word (2025) is the second collaboration album from guitarist Davy...
Toshiki Abe Life Memory Project: The Simplicity
Toshiki Abe Life Memory Project: The Simplicity Jazz of Japan #332 • Oct 19, 2025 • Brian McCrory Saxophone player Toshiki Abe’s first album is titled The...
First-Timer’s Guide to Live Jazz in Japan
First-Timer’s Guide to Live Jazz in Japan Jazz of Japan #331 • Oct 15, 2025 • Brian McCrory Introduction There are some common impressions of hurdles that...
Hitomi Aikawa: Sweet
Hitomi Aikawa: Sweet Jazz of Japan #330 • Oct 11, 2025 • Brian McCrory Sweet is the title of percussionist Hitomi Aikawa’s debut album. It was recorded and...
Hiroyuki Yamaguchi Quintet: Mowna
Hiroyuki Yamaguchi Quintet: Mowna Jazz of Japan #329 • Oct 4, 2025 • Brian McCrory Mowna is a 2024 album from bassist and composer Hiroyuki Yamaguchi. For...
On A Slow Boat To…
On A Slow Boat To… Jazz of Japan #328 • Sep 25, 2025 • Brian McCrory “On A Slow Boat To China”, (“(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China”) is a...
Takako Yamada Trio: Live at The Moment
Takako Yamada Trio: Live at The Moment Jazz of Japan #327 • Sep 13, 2025 • Brian McCrory Live at The Moment is a new album from pianist Takako Yamada’s jazz...
Sumire Kuribayashi / Kazuma Fujimoto / Takashi Sugawa: Tides of Blue
Sumire Kuribayashi / Kazuma Fujimoto / Takashi Sugawa: Tides of Blue Jazz of Japan #326 • Sep 6, 2025 • Brian McCrory Tides of Blue is a 2025 release from...
Bigboy
Bigboy Jazz of Japan #325 • Aug 31, 2025 • Brian McCrory Bigboy jazz cafe, located near Jimbocho Station in Tokyo, Japan Bigboy is a nice and clean jazz cafe...
Chihiro Yamanaka: Abyss
Chihiro Yamanaka: Abyss Jazz of Japan #324 • Aug 24, 2025 • Brian McCrory Abyss is a 2007 studio album from pianist Chihiro Yamanaka, recorded with bandmates...
Ryosuke Hashizume Group: As We Breathe
Ryosuke Hashizume Group: As We Breathe Jazz of Japan #323 • Aug 17, 2025 • Brian McCrory As We Breathe is the 2008 release from the Ryosuke Hashizume Group,...
Michiyo Matsushita Trio: Free
Michiyo Matsushita Trio: Free Jazz of Japan #322 • Aug 10, 2025 • Brian McCrory Free is the third album from the Michiyo Matsushita Trio. With the members...
Yuji Ito & Koichi Hirata Duo: Two for the Road
Yuji Ito & Koichi Hirata Duo: Two for the Road Jazz of Japan #321 • Aug 3, 2025 • Brian McCrory Two for the Road is a 2024 album from bassist Yuji Ito and...
NHORHM: New Heritage of Real Heavy Metal
NHORHM: New Heritage of Real Heavy Metal Jazz of Japan #320 • Jul 25, 2025 • Brian McCrory NHORHM is New Heritage of Real Heavy Metal. It’s not only a homage...
Natural
Natural Jazz of Japan #319 • Jul 19, 2025 • Brian McCrory Natural music salon, located near Mitaka station in Tokyo, Japan Music Salon Natural is a concert...
Koto ha, To: Shiro o Matoeba
Koto ha, To: Shiro o Matoeba Jazz of Japan #318 • Jul 12, 2025 • Brian McCrory “Koto ha, To” is a three-member musical project made up of vocalist Ayako...
Taeko Kurita: Ko-tsu-ko-tsu
Taeko Kurita: Ko-tsu-ko-tsu Jazz of Japan #317 • Jul 5, 2025 • Brian McCrory Taeko Kurita’s Ko-tsu-ko-tsu is a solo piano album from 2012 featuring eight of...
Taeko Kurita & Akira Sotoyama: Duo
Taeko Kurita & Akira Sotoyama: Duo Jazz of Japan #316 • Jun 28, 2025 • Brian McCrory Pianist Taeko Kurita and drummer Akira Sotoyama present us with Duo, a...
Melodies: Melodies
Melodies: Melodies Jazz of Japan #315 • Jun 22, 2025 • Brian McCrory The band Melodies released their self-titled debut album in January 2025, under the...
In F
In F Jazz of Japan #314 • Jun 19, 2025 • Brian McCrory In F jazz club, located near Oizumi-gakuen station in Tokyo, Japan Niigata sake, oden, and modern...
Mayuko Katakura: The Duality of My Soul
Mayuko Katakura: The Duality of My Soul Jazz of Japan #313 • Jun 15, 2025 • Brian McCrory I’m always excited to get my hands and ears on a new release from...
Kunpei Nakabayashi Orchestra: Circles
Kunpei Nakabayashi Orchestra: Circles Jazz of Japan #312 • Jun 6, 2025 • Brian McCrory Circles is a 2021 album from the Kunpei Nakabayashi Orchestra, a ten-...
Yosuke Sato & George Nakajima: Longing
Yosuke Sato & George Nakajima: Longing Jazz of Japan #311 • May 30, 2025 • Brian McCrory Longing is the title of a 2023 jazz duo album from saxophonist...
Thelonious
Thelonious Jazz of Japan #310 • May 23, 2025 • Brian McCrory Thelonious jazz club, located near Higashi-nakano and Ochiai stations in Tokyo, Japan/deep “The...
Setagaya Trio: Progress
Setagaya Trio: Progress Jazz of Japan #309 • May 16, 2025 • Brian McCrory Pianist Yusei Takahashi, bassist Keigo Iwami, and drummer Sota Kira are the three...
Kanoko Kitajima: Long Way to Go
Kanoko Kitajima: Long Way to Go Jazz of Japan #308 • May 10, 2025 • Brian McCrory Long Way to Go is the title of pianist Kanoko Kitajima’s debut album,...
Layla Tomomi Sakai: Stolen Moments
Layla Tomomi Sakai: Stolen Moments Jazz of Japan #307 • May 3, 2025 • Brian McCrory Singer Layla Tomomi Sakai’s Stolen Moments is a 27-minute album from...
Oto-ya Hiroo
Oto-ya Hiroo Jazz of Japan #306 • Apr 30, 2025 • Brian McCrory Oto-ya Hiroo concert space, located near Hiroo station in Tokyo, Japan A markedly different...
Shinya Fukumori Trio: For 2 Akis
Shinya Fukumori Trio: For 2 Akis Jazz of Japan #305 • Apr 26, 2025 • Brian McCrory For 2 Akis is a 2018 release from the trio of Japanese drummer Shinya...
Kaito Nakamura: Invisible Diary
Kaito Nakamura: Invisible Diary Jazz of Japan #304 • Apr 19, 2025 • Brian McCrory Invisible Diary, released in March 2025, is the latest release from drummer...
Nardis
Nardis Jazz of Japan #303 • Apr 14, 2025 • Brian McCrory Nardis jazz club, located near Kashiwa station in Kashiwa, Japan Nardis is an excellent jazz spot in...
Akane Matsumoto & Ayumi Koketsu: Trust
Akane Matsumoto & Ayumi Koketsu: Trust Jazz of Japan #302 • Apr 12, 2025 • Brian McCrory Trust is a 2024 release from the duo of pianist Akane Matsumoto and...
Fe: Live at Virtuoso
Fe: Live at Virtuoso Jazz of Japan #301 • Apr 5, 2025 • Brian McCrory The 2021 album Live at Virtuoso by the quartet Fe was released by the jazz club...
Hitomi Nishiyama Trio: I’m Missing You
Hitomi Nishiyama Trio: I’m Missing You Jazz of Japan #300 • Mar 30, 2025 • Brian McCrory Rewinding from the previous article on Hitomi Nishiyama’s Echo from...
Hitomi Nishiyama: Echo
Hitomi Nishiyama: Echo Jazz of Japan #299 • Mar 23, 2025 • Brian McCrory Echo, from 2024, is pianist/composer Hitomi Nishiyama’s latest album and a response...
Sunny Side
Sunny Side Jazz of Japan #298 • Mar 18, 2025 • Brian McCrory Sunny Side jazz club, located near Takadanobaba and Nishi-waseda stations in Tokyo, Japan Sunny...