Akane Matsumoto & Nanami Haruta: For My Lady
Akane Matsumoto & Nanami Haruta: For My Lady Jazz of Japan #189 • Jul 21, 2023 • Brian McCrory For My Lady is a relaxing package of jazz standards performed...
Jazz Bird
Jazz Bird Jazz of Japan #188 • Jul 19, 2023 • Brian McCrory Jazz Bird jazz club, located near Omote-Sando station in Tokyo, Japan As the sign describes,...
Independence
Independence Jazz of Japan #187 • Jul 18, 2023 • Brian McCrory Independence jazz club, located near Ikebukuro station in Tokyo, Japan Independence is a cool...
Seiji Harakawa Quartet: Skipping Down the Street
Seiji Harakawa Quartet: Skipping Down the Street Jazz of Japan #186 • Jul 14, 2023 • Brian McCrory Phrases like good honest work and good clean fun convey...
Akihiro Yoshimoto Quartet: 64 Charlesgate
Akihiro Yoshimoto Quartet: 64 Charlesgate Jazz of Japan #185 • Jul 7, 2023 • Brian McCrory Saxophonist Akihiro Yoshimoto’s 62 Charlesgate is a 2022 album...
Intro
Intro Jazz of Japan #184 • Jul 3, 2023 • Brian McCrory Intro jazz club, located near Takadanobaba station in Tokyo, Japan “Smokin’, Drinkin’, Never Thinkin’”...
Yuichiro Aratake: Music Make Us One
Yuichiro Aratake: Music Make Us One Jazz of Japan #183 • Jun 30, 2023 • Brian McCrory Yuichiro Aratake continues to express his compassionate vision with...
Donfan
Donfan Jazz of Japan #182 • Jun 26, 2023 • Brian McCrory Donfan jazz club, located near Otsuka station in Tokyo, Japan Donfan (Don Juan) is a relaxing and...
Hitomi Nishiyama: Vibrant
Hitomi Nishiyama: Vibrant Jazz of Japan #181 • Jun 23, 2023 • Brian McCrory Vibrant is a 2020 solo piano recording from Hitomi Nishiyama, her second solo...
Soultrane
Soultrane Jazz of Japan #180 • Jun 18, 2023 • Brian McCrory Soultrane jazz club, located near Asakusa station in Tokyo, Japan Soultrane is a classic jazz bar...
Hiro Kimura Quintet: Folds
Hiro Kimura Quintet: Folds Jazz of Japan #179 • Jun 16, 2023 • Brian McCrory The full title of this 2023 album sets the stage: “/Folds - Live at 100Ban Hall/...
Mariko Maeda: Awareness
Mariko Maeda: Awareness Jazz of Japan #178 • Jun 9, 2023 • Brian McCrory Awareness is the inspiring title of trombonist Mariko Maeda’s debut album of newly-...
Body & Soul
Body & Soul Jazz of Japan #177 • Jun 6, 2023 • Brian McCrory Body & Soul jazz club, located near Shibuya and Harajuku stations in Tokyo, Japan A veritable...
JZ Brat
JZ Brat Jazz of Japan #176 • Jun 5, 2023 • Brian McCrory JZ Brat jazz club, located near Shibuya station in Tokyo, Japan JZ Brat is a great Tokyo jazz bar...
A-Un
A-Un Jazz of Japan #175 • Jun 3, 2023 • Brian McCrory A-Un jazz club, located near Shinjuku and Nishi-shinjuku stations in Tokyo, Japan (permanently closed)...
George Nakajima Trio: First Touch
George Nakajima Trio: First Touch Jazz of Japan #174 • Jun 2, 2023 • Brian McCrory On his debut album First Touch from 2021, George Nakajima delivers the...
Bully's
Bully's Jazz of Japan #173 • Jun 1, 2023 • Brian McCrory Bully’s jazz club, located near Yotsuya Sanchome and Akebonobashi stations in Tokyo, Japan...
Porto
Porto Jazz of Japan #172 • May 31, 2023 • Brian McCrory Porto jazz club, located near Nippori station in Tokyo, Japan Porto is an unpretentious and comfy...
Cafe Beulmans
Cafe Beulmans Jazz of Japan #171 • May 30, 2023 • Brian McCrory Cafe Beulmans jazz club, located near Seijogakuen-mae and Nakano-Sakaue stations in Tokyo,...
Apollo
Apollo Jazz of Japan #170 • May 29, 2023 • Brian McCrory Apollo jazz club, located near Shimo-Kitazawa station in Tokyo, Japan The Danish neo-cello duo Soma...
Rie Taguchi: The Gift II
Rie Taguchi: The Gift II Jazz of Japan #169 • May 26, 2023 • Brian McCrory Vocalist and pianist Rie Taguchi delivers a follow-up to her debut album The Gift...
Barbra
Barbra Jazz of Japan #168 • May 25, 2023 • Brian McCrory Barbra jazz club, located near Ginza and Shimbashi stations in Tokyo, Japan A lovely place in one of...
The Deep
The Deep Jazz of Japan #167 • May 22, 2023 • Brian McCrory The Deep jazz club, located near Ginza and Shimbashi stations in Tokyo, Japan The Deep is a newer...
Shunichi Yanagi Trio: Slope
Shunichi Yanagi Trio: Slope Jazz of Japan #166 • May 20, 2023 • Brian McCrory Jazz pianist Shunichi Yanagi’s Slope is his second trio release, a 2015...
Polka Dots
Polka Dots Jazz of Japan #165 • May 19, 2023 • Brian McCrory Polka Dots jazz club, located near Shinjuku-Sanchome station in Tokyo, Japan A tiny and...
All of Me
All of Me Jazz of Japan #164 • May 17, 2023 • Brian McCrory All of Me jazz club, located near Roppongi and Nogizaka stations in Tokyo, Japan A night of jazz...
Hot House
Hot House Jazz of Japan #163 • May 16, 2023 • Brian McCrory Hot House jazz club, located near Takadanobaba station in Tokyo, Japan (permanently closed)...
Naoko Akimoto: No One Else
Naoko Akimoto: No One Else Jazz of Japan #162 • May 15, 2023 • Brian McCrory Vocalist Naoko Akimoto’s debut release No One Else is a seven-song introduction...
Our Delight
Our Delight Jazz of Japan #161 • May 13, 2023 • Brian McCrory Our Delight jazz club, located near Warabi station in Tokyo, Japan (permanently closed, now...
Birdland
Birdland Jazz of Japan #160 • May 12, 2023 • Brian McCrory Birdland jazz club, located near Kitasenju station in Tokyo, Japan Well worth visiting for top-...
Paco
Paco Jazz of Japan #159 • May 12, 2023 • Brian McCrory Paco jazz club, located near Kojimachi and Hanzomon stations in Tokyo, Japan Paco is a tiny jazz bar...
P's Bar
P's Bar Jazz of Japan #158 • May 12, 2023 • Brian McCrory P’s Bar jazz club, located near Ikebukuro station in Tokyo, Japan A neighborhood jazz bar in...
Into the Blue
Into the Blue Jazz of Japan #157 • May 12, 2023 • Brian McCrory Into the Blue jazz club, located near Machida station in Tokyo, Japan Clean, neat, and...
Chihiro Yamanaka: Outside by the Swing
Chihiro Yamanaka: Outside by the Swing Jazz of Japan #156 • May 11, 2023 • Brian McCrory Chihiro Yamanaka’s Outside By The Swing (2005) is her fourth piano...
Alfie
Alfie Jazz of Japan #155 • May 5, 2023 • Brian McCrory Alfie jazz club, located near Roppongi station in Tokyo, Japan The Harumi Nomoto trio playing at Alfie...
Yoyogi Naru
Yoyogi Naru Jazz of Japan #154 • May 4, 2023 • Brian McCrory Yoyogi Naru jazz club, located near Yoyogi station in Tokyo, Japan Yoyogi Naru is one of a pair...
Introduction to Jazz of Japan
Introduction to Jazz of Japan Jazz of Japan #153 • May 3, 2023 • Brian McCrory Picture this: a dazzling city, clean and modern yet old-fashioned and...
Yasumasa Kumagai: Pray
Yasumasa Kumagai: Pray Jazz of Japan #152 • Sep 1, 2022 • Brian McCrory Yasumasa Kumagai’s Pray (2010) is a stylishly straight ahead affair, a cool and...
Yukako Yamano: 3rd Stage
Yukako Yamano: 3rd Stage Jazz of Japan #151 • Aug 10, 2022 • Brian McCrory Yukako Yamano’s 3rd Stage is the third album in her live set series, following her...
Harumi Nomoto Trio: Another Ordinary Day
Harumi Nomoto Trio: Another Ordinary Day Jazz of Japan #150 • Jul 19, 2022 • Brian McCrory Another Ordinary Day from 2002 is pianist Harumi Nomoto’s debut...
Bungalow: Unseen Scenes
Bungalow: Unseen Scenes Jazz of Japan #149 • May 14, 2022 • Brian McCrory Like explorers on a caravan, Bungalow produces imaginative music on their third...
Yukako Yamano & Yukari Inoue: Dubai Suite
Yukako Yamano & Yukari Inoue: Dubai Suite Jazz of Japan #148 • Jan 30, 2022 • Brian McCrory Pianists Yukako Yamano and Yukari Inoue make music with two...
Ami Fukui Trio: Urban Clutter
Ami Fukui Trio: Urban Clutter Jazz of Japan #147 • Dec 30, 2021 • Brian McCrory The twinkling chords which open Ami Fukui’s debut album Urban Clutter from...
Ruriko Kawamura: Blossoms
Ruriko Kawamura: Blossoms Jazz of Japan #146 • Oct 19, 2021 • Brian McCrory Vocalist Ruriko Kawamura released Blossoms in 2016, her second album following...
Trigraph: Fever
Trigraph: Fever Jazz of Japan #145 • Aug 27, 2021 • Brian McCrory Fever is the 2014 debut release from Trigraph, a band that takes an eclectic approach to...
Toshihiko Inoue & Masaki Hayashi: Mistral
Toshihiko Inoue & Masaki Hayashi: Mistral Jazz of Japan #144 • Jul 16, 2021 • Brian McCrory Mistral is a soulful live jazz album from sax and piano duo...
Meu Coracao: Hall Tone
Meu Coracao: Hall Tone Jazz of Japan #143 • Jul 5, 2021 • Brian McCrory As jazz fans know, Brazilian music and bossa nova tunes are frequently present on...
Protean: Protean
Protean: Protean Jazz of Japan #142 • Jun 22, 2021 • Brian McCrory Protean is the first release from jazz pianist Naoko Tanaka, who self-produced and...
Shigeo Fukuda & Toshiki Nunokawa: Childhood’s Dream
Shigeo Fukuda & Toshiki Nunokawa: Childhood’s Dream Jazz of Japan #141 • Jun 14, 2021 • Brian McCrory Childhood’s Dream is a 10-song, hour-long studio...
Shinichi Kato & Masahiko Sato: Duet
Shinichi Kato & Masahiko Sato: Duet Jazz of Japan #140 • Jun 7, 2021 • Brian McCrory On Duet from 2001, bassist Shinichi Kato and pianist Masahiko Sato put...
Fumiko Yamazaki: Here Goes!
Fumiko Yamazaki: Here Goes! Jazz of Japan #139 • Jun 2, 2021 • Brian McCrory From vibraphonist Fumiko Yamazaki, the aptly titled Here Goes! is an...
Fumie Chiba: Beautiful Days
Fumie Chiba: Beautiful Days Jazz of Japan #138 • May 27, 2021 • Brian McCrory On her fourth and latest album Beautiful Days (2017), pianist Fumie Chiba...
Naoko Sakata Trio: Flower Clouds
Naoko Sakata Trio: Flower Clouds Jazz of Japan #137 • May 13, 2021 • Brian McCrory The Naoko Sakata Trio’s second album Flower Clouds from 2013 describes...
Yoshihito “P” Koizumi P-Project: By Coincidence
Yoshihito “P” Koizumi P-Project: By Coincidence Jazz of Japan #136 • May 5, 2021 • Brian McCrory Jazz, soul, and funk bassist Yoshihito “P” Koizumi is an...