Erisa Ogawa: Where Have U Been?
Erisa Ogawa: Where Have U Been? Jazz of Japan #243 • May 31, 2024 • Brian McCrory Erisa Ogawa (ERiSA) is a flutist, voice percussionist, and composer whose...
Koen-Dori Classics
Koen-Dori Classics Jazz of Japan #242 • May 28, 2024 • Brian McCrory Koen-Dori Classics jazz club, located near Shibuya station in Tokyo, Japan Koen-Dori...
Noriko Satomi: Project-N
Noriko Satomi: Project-N Jazz of Japan #241 • May 24, 2024 • Brian McCrory Project-N is the debut album from violinist Noriko Satomi, a classically trained...
Takumi Seino & Motohiko Ichino: Frozen Dust
Takumi Seino & Motohiko Ichino: Frozen Dust Jazz of Japan #240 • May 11, 2024 • Brian McCrory Frozen Dust is a live recording that captures guitarists Takumi...
Hitomi Nishiyama Trio: Calling
Hitomi Nishiyama Trio: Calling Jazz of Japan #239 • Apr 27, 2024 • Brian McCrory Among the close to thirty album releases from pianist and composer Hitomi...
Satin Doll
Satin Doll Jazz of Japan #238 • Apr 25, 2024 • Brian McCrory Satin Doll jazz club, located near Roppongi station in Tokyo, Japan (permanently closed) Satin...
Bon Courage
Bon Courage Jazz of Japan #237 • Apr 12, 2024 • Brian McCrory Bon Courage jazz club, located near Yotsuya station in Tokyo, Japan Note: Bon Courage moved to...
eFreydut: Fairway
eFreydut: Fairway Jazz of Japan #236 • Mar 30, 2024 • Brian McCrory Fairway is a new Japanese jazz album recorded last year in New York and released in Japan...
Expression
Expression Jazz of Japan #235 • Mar 19, 2024 • Brian McCrory Expression co-working & jazz club, located near Jimbocho station in Tokyo, Japan Jazz fans new...
Nami Kano: Mawsim
Nami Kano: Mawsim Jazz of Japan #234 • Mar 15, 2024 • Brian McCrory Saxophonist and composer Nami Kano has just released a long-awaited album /*mawsim* /with...
Jabuticaba: Jabuticaba
Jabuticaba: Jabuticaba Jazz of Japan #233 • Mar 8, 2024 • Brian McCrory Jabuticaba is the self-titled debut record from pianist Mikiko Nagatake and...
Naoko Tanaka: Appreciation
Naoko Tanaka: Appreciation Jazz of Japan #232 • Feb 24, 2024 • Brian McCrory Appreciation is pianist and composer Naoko Tanaka’s 2022 jazz release, her...
Chihiro Yamanaka: Lach Doch Mal
Chihiro Yamanaka: Lach Doch Mal Jazz of Japan #231 • Feb 16, 2024 • Brian McCrory Pianist Chihiro Yamanaka’s thrilling series of jazz albums continues with...
Jazz Spots of Japan
Jazz Spots of Japan Jazz of Japan #230 • Feb 12, 2024 • Brian McCrory This is a brief overview of some of the general types of places that you may find in...
Hiroshi Fukutomi: Memory Stones
Hiroshi Fukutomi: Memory Stones Jazz of Japan #229 • Feb 9, 2024 • Brian McCrory Memory Stones is the 2014 album from guitarist Hiroshi Fukutomi, his second...
B-flat
B-flat Jazz of Japan #228 • Feb 5, 2024 • Brian McCrory B-flat jazz club, located near Akasaka station in Tokyo, Japan B-flat is a solid jazz bar located...
Polyglot: Talk, Vol. 1
Polyglot: Talk, Vol. 1 Jazz of Japan #227 • Feb 2, 2024 • Brian McCrory Polyglot is drummer Ko Omura, pianist Steve Barry, and bassist Kosuke Ochiai, an...
Ami Fukui Trio: Nova Manhã
Ami Fukui Trio: Nova Manhã Jazz of Japan #226 • Jan 26, 2024 • Brian McCrory Pianist Ami Fukui continues her original jazz journey with Nova Manhã, her...
Keisuke Nakamura: Humadope 2
Keisuke Nakamura: Humadope 2 Jazz of Japan #225 • Jan 19, 2024 • Brian McCrory Humadope 2 from trumpeter Keisuke Nakamura features his quintet playing modern...
Kohaku
Kohaku Jazz of Japan #224 • Jan 18, 2024 • Brian McCrory Kohaku jazz club, located near Shibuya station in Tokyo, Japan The newish and attractive jazz bar...
Yuka Yanagihara Trio: Inner Views
Yuka Yanagihara Trio: Inner Views Jazz of Japan #223 • Jan 12, 2024 • Brian McCrory Pianist Yuka Yanagihara’s second piano trio album is Inner Views from...
Mase Hiroko Quintet: First Contact
Mase Hiroko Quintet: First Contact Jazz of Japan #222 • Jan 5, 2024 • Brian McCrory “Hard bop jazz aimed towards the universe” might be a good way to...
Pit Inn
Pit Inn Jazz of Japan #221 • Jan 2, 2024 • Brian McCrory Pit Inn jazz club, located near Shinjuku-Sanchome station in Tokyo, Japan Jazz Club Pit Inn in Tokyo...
Kaoru Azuma / Hitomi Nishiyama: Faces
Kaoru Azuma / Hitomi Nishiyama: Faces Jazz of Japan #220 • Dec 29, 2023 • Brian McCrory The album Faces from 2020 is the follow-up to vocalist Kaoru Azuma...
Baby Brothers: Happy Christmas with Bb
Baby Brothers: Happy Christmas with Bb Jazz of Japan #219 • Dec 24, 2023 • Brian McCrory This special release from Baby Brothers, entitled Happy Christmas...
Miyuki Moriya: Uta Oto
Miyuki Moriya: Uta Oto Jazz of Japan #218 • Dec 22, 2023 • Brian McCrory Uta Oto from sax player Miyuki Moriya is a modern jazz album full of emotion and...
What's J Jazz?
What's J Jazz? Jazz of Japan #217 • Dec 16, 2023 • Brian McCrory Japanese jazz magazines and coffee What’s J Jazz? J Jazz, or Japanese Jazz, is a...
Hideaki Hori: Melodies for Night & Day
Hideaki Hori: Melodies for Night & Day Jazz of Japan #216 • Dec 15, 2023 • Brian McCrory As a companion piece to the previous article on Hideaki Hori’s...
Hideaki Hori: Horizon
Hideaki Hori: Horizon Jazz of Japan #215 • Dec 8, 2023 • Brian McCrory Jazz pianist Hideaki Hori kicked off his recording career 20 years ago, and it all...
Lydian
Lydian Jazz of Japan #214 • Dec 1, 2023 • Brian McCrory Lydian jazz club, located near Ogawamachi and Awajicho stations in Tokyo, Japan (permanently closed)...
Nanami Haruta: II
Nanami Haruta: II Jazz of Japan #213 • Nov 27, 2023 • Brian McCrory Trombonist Nanami Haruta’s debut release II from 2022 is another great example of new...
Akane Matsumoto: Little Girl Blue
Akane Matsumoto: Little Girl Blue Jazz of Japan #212 • Nov 20, 2023 • Brian McCrory Akane Matsumoto’s solo piano album Little Girl Blue from 2022 is full of...
Shinpei Ruike & George Nakajima: Duo
Shinpei Ruike & George Nakajima: Duo Jazz of Japan #211 • Nov 10, 2023 • Brian McCrory Duo is the latest album from trumpeter Shinpei Ruike and pianist...
Kaori Vibes Quartet: Starry Nights
Kaori Vibes Quartet: Starry Nights Jazz of Japan #210 • Nov 3, 2023 • Brian McCrory Starry Nights is the latest album from the Kaori Vibes Quartet. This is...
Sometime
Sometime Jazz of Japan #209 • Oct 27, 2023 • Brian McCrory Sometime jazz club, located near Kichijoji station in Tokyo, Japan Sometime, one of the must-visit...
Rabbitoo: The Torch
Rabbitoo: The Torch Jazz of Japan #208 • Oct 22, 2023 • Brian McCrory Opening with a single-tone drone, electronic jazz music group Rabbitoo continues their...
Emiko Voice: Standard Trio
Emiko Voice: Standard Trio Jazz of Japan #207 • Oct 15, 2023 • Brian McCrory Emiko Voice is always an interesting, active, and boundary-exploring musician,...
Yasumasa Kumagai & J-Jazz Homies: Last Resort
Yasumasa Kumagai & J-Jazz Homies: Last Resort Jazz of Japan #206 • Oct 6, 2023 • Brian McCrory The latest album from J Jazz pianist Yasumasa Kumagai is...
Mikiko Nagatake: Solo
Mikiko Nagatake: Solo Jazz of Japan #205 • Sep 29, 2023 • Brian McCrory In welcome succession for eager fans, pianist Mikiko Nagatake released a batch of...
No Room for Squares
No Room for Squares Jazz of Japan #204 • Sep 27, 2023 • Brian McCrory No Room for Squares jazz club, located near Shimo-Kitazawa station in Tokyo, Japan...
Mamoru Ishida: Ishida Mamoru 4 feat. Mike Rivett
Mamoru Ishida: Ishida Mamoru 4 feat. Mike Rivett Jazz of Japan #203 • Sep 22, 2023 • Brian McCrory Pianist Mamoru Ishida’s second album is titled /Ishida...
FNK: Canvas
FNK: Canvas Jazz of Japan #202 • Sep 15, 2023 • Brian McCrory FNK is a group featuring pianist Fumie Chiba, guitarist Nao Teraya, and drummer Kaoru Suzuki,...
Dug
Dug Jazz of Japan #201 • Sep 13, 2023 • Brian McCrory Dug jazz bar, located near Shinjuku station in Tokyo, Japan Well-regarded and oft-mentioned, the dark...
Bungalow: Abstract Messages
Bungalow: Abstract Messages Jazz of Japan #200 • Sep 8, 2023 • Brian McCrory Abstract Messages is the final record from the group Bungalow, an album created...
Yukako Yamano: Imperial
Yukako Yamano: Imperial Jazz of Japan #199 • Sep 1, 2023 • Brian McCrory World-traveling pianist Yukako Yamano released Imperial in 2018, a three-song mini-...
Sul Madrugada: Luar
Sul Madrugada: Luar Jazz of Japan #198 • Aug 25, 2023 • Brian McCrory While leading and participating in different groups through the years, musicians Hiroe...
Yuichi Narita: Urban Nocturne
Yuichi Narita: Urban Nocturne Jazz of Japan #197 • Aug 18, 2023 • Brian McCrory With many jazz bars and performance opportunities reduced during the pandemic...
Knuttel House
Knuttel House Jazz of Japan #196 • Aug 16, 2023 • Brian McCrory Knuttel House jazz club, located near Asakusa and Iriya stations in Tokyo, Japan Nestled in...
Tetsuji Yoshida & Mikiko Nagatake Duo: Live at Knuttel House
Tetsuji Yoshida & Mikiko Nagatake Duo: Live at Knuttel House Jazz of Japan #195 • Aug 11, 2023 • Brian McCrory Trumpeter Tetsuji Yoshida and pianist Mikiko...
Zimagine
Zimagine Jazz of Japan #194 • Aug 9, 2023 • Brian McCrory Zimagine jazz club, located near Omote-Sando station in Tokyo, Japan Located in the fashionable...
Fumika Asari: Introducin’
Fumika Asari: Introducin’ Jazz of Japan #193 • Aug 4, 2023 • Brian McCrory Fumika Asari’s first album is Introducin’ from 2020, a satisfying debut with a mix...
Cochi
Cochi Jazz of Japan #192 • Aug 1, 2023 • Brian McCrory Cochi jazz club, located near Koiwa station in Tokyo, Japan Cochi is a reliably satisfying jazz bar...
Ryosuke Hashizume Group: Acoustic Fluid
Ryosuke Hashizume Group: Acoustic Fluid Jazz of Japan #191 • Jul 28, 2023 • Brian McCrory The title of the album Acoustic Fluid from the Ryosuke Hashizume...
Boozy Muse
Boozy Muse Jazz of Japan #190 • Jul 25, 2023 • Brian McCrory Boozy Muse jazz club, located near Okubo and Shin-Okubo stations in Tokyo, Japan (permanently...