Hikari Ichihara Group: Unity
Hikari Ichihara Group: Unity Jazz of Japan #297 • Mar 16, 2025 • Brian McCrory Unity is the sixth album from trumpeter Hikari Ichihara and the second album...
Ghost Peak: The Goat on a Peak
Ghost Peak: The Goat on a Peak Jazz of Japan #296 • Mar 9, 2025 • Brian McCrory The Goat on a Peak is a 2023 album from Ghost Peak, a band formed in 2022 by...
Emiko Voice & Yuka Yanagihara: Enyana
Emiko Voice & Yuka Yanagihara: Enyana Jazz of Japan #295 • Mar 2, 2025 • Brian McCrory Enyana is the first collaboration album from vocalist Emiko Voice and...
Strings
Strings Jazz of Japan #294 • Feb 27, 2025 • Brian McCrory Strings jazz club, located near Kichijoji station in Tokyo, Japan Strings is a friendly jazz bar in...
Hideaki Hori & Wataru Hamasaki: Encounter
Hideaki Hori & Wataru Hamasaki: Encounter Jazz of Japan #293 • Feb 23, 2025 • Brian McCrory Encounter is the first album from co-leaders pianist Hideaki Hori...
Ami Fukui Trio: MCY
Ami Fukui Trio: MCY Jazz of Japan #292 • Feb 16, 2025 • Brian McCrory It was a surprise when Ami Fukui released even more new songs and arrangements with her...
Miyuki Moriya: Beyond the Sea
Miyuki Moriya: Beyond the Sea Jazz of Japan #291 • Feb 9, 2025 • Brian McCrory Beyond the Sea is saxophonist Miyuki Moriya’s fourth album as a leader, which...
Magnolia: El viento y las flores
Magnolia: El viento y las flores Jazz of Japan #290 • Feb 3, 2025 • Brian McCrory Magnolia is a trio made up of vibraphone, piano, and percussion, and their...
Velvet Sun
Velvet Sun Jazz of Japan #289 • Jan 29, 2025 • Brian McCrory Velvet Sun jazz club, located near Ogikubo and Asagaya stations in Tokyo, Japan Velvet Sun is a...
Motoi Kanamori: The Live
Motoi Kanamori: The Live Jazz of Japan #288 • Jan 25, 2025 • Brian McCrory Bassist Motoi Kanamori released his third album The Live in 2023. This is a double...
Daiki Yasukagawa New Trio: The Three Roses
Daiki Yasukagawa New Trio: The Three Roses Jazz of Japan #287 • Jan 19, 2025 • Brian McCrory Renowned jazz bassist Daiki Yasukagawa is actively engaged in a...
Nobie & Takayoshi Baba: Owari to Hajimari
Nobie & Takayoshi Baba: Owari to Hajimari Jazz of Japan #286 • Jan 11, 2025 • Brian McCrory Owari to Hajimari (The End and the Beginning) is a new album from...
Megumi Yonezawa / Masa Kamaguchi / Ken Kobayashi: Boundary
Megumi Yonezawa / Masa Kamaguchi / Ken Kobayashi: Boundary Jazz of Japan #285 • Dec 31, 2024 • Brian McCrory Boundary is the 2018 release from the trio of...
Jazz Nutty
Jazz Nutty Jazz of Japan #284 • Dec 25, 2024 • Brian McCrory Jazz Nutty jazz cafe, located near Wadeda station in Tokyo, Japan Calling all jazz nuts! Jazz...
Akane Matsumoto: Oh, Lady Be Good
Akane Matsumoto: Oh, Lady Be Good Jazz of Japan #283 • Dec 20, 2024 • Brian McCrory Oh, Lady Be Good is a piano trio album from Tokyo-based jazz pianist...
Hiro Kimura: Trees
Hiro Kimura: Trees Jazz of Japan #282 • Dec 13, 2024 • Brian McCrory Drummer Hiro Kimura’s debut album from 2022 is Trees, a 61-minute modern jazz album...
Seiji Endo: Piano Pieces Collection II
Seiji Endo: Piano Pieces Collection II Jazz of Japan #281 • Dec 6, 2024 • Brian McCrory Piano Pieces Collection II is pianist Seiji Endo’s follow-up to his...
Ten Top 10s for Live Jazz in Tokyo
Ten Top 10s for Live Jazz in Tokyo Jazz of Japan #280 • Dec 4, 2024 • Brian McCrory “I’m going to be in Tokyo for a few days and want to catch some live...
Seiji Endo: Piano Pieces Collection
Seiji Endo: Piano Pieces Collection Jazz of Japan #279 • Nov 30, 2024 • Brian McCrory Piano Pieces Collection is a 2021 album from pianist and composer Seiji...
Yuka Yanagihara Trio: Beloved Ones
Yuka Yanagihara Trio: Beloved Ones Jazz of Japan #278 • Nov 23, 2024 • Brian McCrory Like pianist Yuka Yanagihara’s previous album Inner Views from 2019, her...
Naru
Naru Jazz of Japan #277 • Nov 21, 2024 • Brian McCrory Naru jazz club, located near Ochanomizu station in Tokyo, Japan Naru is a classic Tokyo jazz bar that...
Fumie Chiba: Rougequeue
Fumie Chiba: Rougequeue Jazz of Japan #276 • Nov 15, 2024 • Brian McCrory Rougequeue is a 2015 mini-album from pianist Fumie Chiba that features five of her...
Someday
Someday Jazz of Japan #275 • Nov 12, 2024 • Brian McCrory Someday jazz club, located near Asakusa/Tawaramachi and Kuramae stations in Tokyo, Japan (relocated...
Ryosuke Hashizume Group: Side Two
Ryosuke Hashizume Group: Side Two Jazz of Japan #274 • Nov 8, 2024 • Brian McCrory Saxophonist and composer Ryosuke Hashizume has released six albums with...
Makiyo Sakai: Silver Painting
Makiyo Sakai: Silver Painting Jazz of Japan #273 • Nov 1, 2024 • Brian McCrory For many people, classical music can be very relaxing, a soothing balm at...
Chie Nishimura: Virtual Silence
Chie Nishimura: Virtual Silence Jazz of Japan #272 • Oct 25, 2024 • Brian McCrory Virtual Silence (2022) is a 38-minute experience in five chapters, a...
Mabumi Yamaguchi: Viento
Mabumi Yamaguchi: Viento Jazz of Japan #271 • Oct 18, 2024 • Brian McCrory Like Mamoru Ishida’s Afterglow introduced previously, Mabumi Yamaguchi’s Viento is...
Sweet Rain
Sweet Rain Jazz of Japan #270 • Oct 16, 2024 • Brian McCrory Sweet Rain jazz club, located near Nakano station in Tokyo, Japan Sweet Rain offers a great room...
Mamoru Ishida: Afterglow
Mamoru Ishida: Afterglow Jazz of Japan #269 • Oct 11, 2024 • Brian McCrory Afterglow is the latest recording from pianist Mamoru Ishida, released in 2023 and...
Kanmachi 63
Kanmachi 63 Jazz of Japan #268 • Oct 8, 2024 • Brian McCrory Kanmachi 63 jazz club, located near Bashamichi and Kannai stations in Yokohama, Japan Clean,...
Hitomi Nishiyama: Dot
Hitomi Nishiyama: Dot Jazz of Japan #267 • Oct 4, 2024 • Brian McCrory Dot is the 2023 album by pianist/composer Hitomi Nishiyama. Until this week’s release...
Sumire Kuribayashi Trio: Toys
Sumire Kuribayashi Trio: Toys Jazz of Japan #266 • Sep 27, 2024 • Brian McCrory Toys is pianist Sumire Kuribayashi’s debut leader album from 2014. Since...
Clepsydra: Un Jour
Clepsydra: Un Jour Jazz of Japan #265 • Sep 20, 2024 • Brian McCrory Clepsydra’s album Un Jour from 2011 is an eclectic collection of eleven original songs...
Apple Jump
Apple Jump Jazz of Japan #264 • Sep 16, 2024 • Brian McCrory Apple Jump jazz club, located near Ikebukuro station in Tokyo, Japan Hideaki Hori (piano) Trio...
Sayaka Kishi Trio: Banquet
Sayaka Kishi Trio: Banquet Jazz of Japan #263 • Sep 13, 2024 • Brian McCrory On Banquet, pianist and composer Sayaka Kishi’s latest album from 2024, her...
Nobie: Primary
Nobie: Primary Jazz of Japan #262 • Sep 6, 2024 • Brian McCrory Nobie is a multi-talented artist whose musical and professional paths started at a young age....
Jazzspot J
Jazzspot J Jazz of Japan #261 • Sep 3, 2024 • Brian McCrory Jazzspot J jazz club, located near Shinjuku-Sanchome and Shinjuku-Gyoemmae stations in Tokyo,...
Yasumasa Kumagai & Ryu Kawamura: Ol’ School Jazz
Yasumasa Kumagai & Ryu Kawamura: Ol’ School Jazz Jazz of Japan #260 • Aug 30, 2024 • Brian McCrory In the style of classic apostrophe-bearing jazz album...
Gate One
Gate One Jazz of Japan #259 • Aug 27, 2024 • Brian McCrory Gate One jazz club, located near Takadanobaba station in Tokyo, Japan Tokyo’s Gate One is a...
Koichi Sato: Embryo
Koichi Sato: Embryo Jazz of Japan #258 • Aug 23, 2024 • Brian McCrory Koichi Sato’s two-disc album Embryo is another remarkable showcase for the talented...
Banda Feliz: Boa Viagem
Banda Feliz: Boa Viagem Jazz of Japan #257 • Aug 16, 2024 • Brian McCrory Banda Feliz is a group of Tokyo musicians playing festive Brazilian music,...
Eri Chichibu: Crossing Reality
Eri Chichibu: Crossing Reality Jazz of Japan #256 • Aug 9, 2024 • Brian McCrory Pianist and composer Eri Chichibu released her debut album Crossing Reality...
Somethin’
Somethin’ Jazz of Japan #255 • Aug 6, 2024 • Brian McCrory Somethin’ jazz club, located near Ikebukuro station in Tokyo, Japan As far as friendly jam...
Yoshiko Saita: Back in Time to Boston
Yoshiko Saita: Back in Time to Boston Jazz of Japan #254 • Aug 2, 2024 • Brian McCrory Singer Yoshiko Saita’s latest release is Back in Time to Boston, an...
Motohiko Ichino: Sketches
Motohiko Ichino: Sketches Jazz of Japan #253 • Jul 26, 2024 • Brian McCrory Sketches by Motohiko Ichino is a 2007 jazz album featuring Ichino’s guitar trio...
Akihiro Yoshimoto & Takashi Sugawa: Oxymoron
Akihiro Yoshimoto & Takashi Sugawa: Oxymoron Jazz of Japan #252 • Jul 19, 2024 • Brian McCrory Oxymoron is a live recording from saxophone player Akihiro...
Hikari Ichihara: Sara Smile
Hikari Ichihara: Sara Smile Jazz of Japan #251 • Jul 15, 2024 • Brian McCrory Sara Smile is the second album from trumpeter Hikari Ichihara, released in...
Kazumi Ikenaga & Taihei Asakawa: NordNote
Kazumi Ikenaga & Taihei Asakawa: NordNote Jazz of Japan #250 • Jul 8, 2024 • Brian McCrory NordNode is a 2020 album from drummer Kazumi Ikenaga and pianist...
Yuki Ito: Retattanni no Mori
Yuki Ito: Retattanni no Mori Jazz of Japan #249 • Jul 1, 2024 • Brian McCrory /Retattanni no Mori (Birch Tree Forest) /is a 2019 solo album from bassist Yuki...
Reiko Yamamoto: The Square Pyramid
Reiko Yamamoto: The Square Pyramid Jazz of Japan #248 • Jun 24, 2024 • Brian McCrory Reiko Yamamoto’s The Square Pyramid is a jazz record built around her...
Miwo: Tranquillo
Miwo: Tranquillo Jazz of Japan #247 • Jun 14, 2024 • Brian McCrory Jazz singer MIWO’s first album is entitled Tranquillo from 2020. This fifty-one-minute...
Salt Peanuts
Salt Peanuts Jazz of Japan #246 • Jun 13, 2024 • Brian McCrory Salt Peanuts jazz club, located near Ekoda and Shin-Egota stations in Tokyo, Japan Salt...
Otohito Fuse Trio: Isolated
Otohito Fuse Trio: Isolated Jazz of Japan #245 • Jun 7, 2024 • Brian McCrory Isolated is a 2024 album from the Otohito Fuse Trio, a piano-bass-drums jazz...
Blue Note Tokyo
Blue Note Tokyo Jazz of Japan #244 • Jun 4, 2024 • Brian McCrory Blue Note Tokyo jazz club, located near Omote-Sando station in Tokyo, Japan With an ideal,...