Yasumasa Kumagai: Pray
Yasumasa Kumagai’s Pray (2010) is a stylishly straight ahead affair, a cool and groovy collection of the pianist’s original tunes...
Bungalow: Unseen Scenes
Like explorers on a caravan, Bungalow produces imaginative music on their third album Unseen Scenes from 2015, carving their unique...
Harumi Nomoto Trio: Anitya
Anitya is pianist Harumi Nomoto’s fourth trio record, released in 2025. It’s been a decade-plus since the trio’s previous release...
Fumio Karashima Trio: It’s Just Beginning
Veteran jazz pianist Fumio Karashima was well-known in Japan for his quick, hard bop style and authentic feel which excited...
Routine Jazz Sextet: Routine Jazz Sextet
Routine Jazz Sextet from 2008 promotes genuine jazz from Tokyo with the flavor of 1950/60’s era jazz giants such as...
Mie Joké: Etrenne
Jazz vocalist Mie Joké’s 2018 release Etrenne is a fun and fancy swing jazz outing, a fresh throwback to classic...
Hikari Ichihara Group: Move On
Hikari Ichihara’s fifth album Move On features the trumpeter’s quintet performing finely-tuned compositions with jazz integrity and a vibrant sound...
Harumi Nomoto Trio: Virgo
Pianist Harumi Nomoto’s 2014 release Virgo is a constellation of grooves, moods, and textures, boldly incorporating inter-genre approaches as piano...
Taihei Asakawa Trio: Touch of Winter
Taihei Asakawa’s beautiful Touch of Winter from 2013 is a contemplative jazz album rooted in calm emotion: Memory, melancholy, and...
Yasumasa Kumagai: I Need a Change, Too
Yasumasa Kumagai’s debut album from 2008, I Need a Change, Too, establishes his J Jazz hip hop concept with force:...
Fumio Karashima: Great Time
Jazz pianist Fumio Karashima’s 2006 album Great Time scratches the itch for a straight ahead jazz recording, bringing with it...
Miki Hayama Trio: Wide Angle
Pianist Miki Hayama creates superb jazz on Wide Angle, exploring powerful, edge-of-your-seat quickness with modern dimensions. This album is her...
Kaori Vibes Quartet: Cross Point
Vibist Kaori Nakajima returns with her second album Cross Point featuring KVQ: Kaori Vibes Quartet (formerly Vangy!!), a jubilant combo...
Sohnosuke Imaizumi: Rin
Drummer Sohnosuke Imaizumi lays down impressive foundations with his debut album Rin. Having worked as a member of groups including...
Takuji Yamada: Lite Blue
Takuji Yamada is a professional jazz musician who takes care with his jazz. His first album Lite Blue from 2012...
Mayuko Katakura: Faith
Faith is the second album from Mayuko Katakura, an amazing jazz pianist with an impeccable touch that echoes jazz piano...
Junichiro Ohkuchi Trio: Invisible
Accomplished pianist Junichiro Ohkuchi leads a trio of solid veterans in the straight-ahead jazz tradition on his 2016 album Invisible....
Ayumi Koketsu: Struttin’
Struttin’ is saxophone player Ayumi Koketsu’s jazz quartet album released in Japan in 2010. This is her debut album, the...
Audio
Audio compilations of excerpts of songs selected from albums discussed on Jazz of Japan
Saki Ozawa: Cheers!
Cheers! is the happy-go-lucky title of pianist Saki Ozawa’s debut release from 2023. It’s a fitting greeting as an introduction...
Velvet Sun
Velvet Sun jazz club, located near Ogikubo and Asagaya stations in Tokyo, Japan
About Jazz of Japan
Introducing modern-day jazz of Japan through albums, musicians, and clubs
Motoi Kanamori: The Live
Bassist Motoi Kanamori released his third album The Live in 2023. This is a double CD album with a title...