Albums

Another Ordinary Day from 2002 is pianist Harumi Nomoto’s debut album as a leader of her own jazz trio… actually, two jazz trios. Recorded over two summer days in Tokyo, the exciting young pianist runs through eight tunes: five songs with one trio arrangement and two songs with a second trio. Also included among the trio tracks is one solo piece, where Nomoto plays on piano the quiet and affectionate “You Only Know What I Know” by saxophonist Atsushi Ikeda. ...

Like explorers on a caravan, Bungalow produces imaginative music on their third album Unseen Scenes from 2015, carving their unique path through new jazz and rhythms. Compulsively rhythmic and compelling, this album is another fantastical journey through the nooks and crannies of modern jazz with exotic fringes. With Bungalow, creativity is in focus, and on Unseen Scenes this creativity often incorporates repeating riffs and loops of fresh drum patterns and evocative moods. Strands of music weave together to provide the fabric over which saxophone melodies arc and swoop. A combination of dense flavors, spicy accents, and lush spaces with some straight-ahead modern jazz as well. ...

Pianists Yukako Yamano and Yukari Inoue make music with two pianos on this mini-album of cheerful exuberance. Dubai Suite is a five-part composition by Yukako Yamano which reflects her appreciation for the exotic locale the music is named for. She recorded this album in anticipation of a late 2021 return trip to Dubai. Based in Tokyo and with frequent travels throughout America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, Yamano has also been to Dubai twice. ...

The twinkling chords which open Ami Fukui’s debut album Urban Clutter from 2010 shine like a crystalline spotlight, signaling the immediately satisfying sounds and clean, uncomplicated feel-good grooves of the music to come. This first album from the jazz pianist lays down the groundwork for Fukui to showcase her compositional skills for jazz piano trio, which she will explore further on her follow-up albums Amizm (2013) and New Journey (2016). ...

Vocalist Ruriko Kawamura released Blossoms in 2016, her second album following her 2011 debut record Loo Loo. The album is a relaxed tour through 11 varied tracks, all arranged by pianist Seiji Endo who backs up the vocalist throughout the disc. Six songs feature Kawamura singing as a duo with the pianist, and more color is added with violinist Noriko Satomi joining on three tracks and guitarist Akira Sekine joining on two others. ...

Fever is the 2014 debut release from Trigraph, a band that takes an eclectic approach to their music, focusing on jazz and pop while incorporating various genres and instruments into their music. The core group is the talented trio of musicians Sanae Ishikawa on vocals, Takayoshi Baba on guitar, and Reikan Kobayashi on shakuhachi and other instruments. Two additional musicians fill out the group for this recording, electric fretless bassist Ryoji Orihara, and drummer Yasushi Fukumori. ...

Mistral is a soulful live jazz album from sax and piano duo Toshihiko Inoue and Masaki Hayashi, recorded in 2008 and released in 2013. Although the extended title Mistral: Duo at Mister Kelly’s may seem to reference the historically famous Mister Kelly’s in Chicago and live albums from Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and others, this Japanese jazz album was recorded at Mister Kelly’s jazz bar in Osaka, an independent venue named in honor of the famous American nightclub. ...

As jazz fans know, Brazilian music and bossa nova tunes are frequently present on jazz albums, playlists, and jazz bars, and Japan’s live scene is no exception. Naturally, Japanese jazz musicians and groups who specialize in Latin genres can also be found in Japan. One such group is Meu Coração (“my heart” in Portuguese), the creation of Emiko Voice and Taro Sukegawa. The pair delivers impeccable and sweet Brazilian music through perfectly matched voice and guitar. Their 2009 debut album Hall Tone features one hour of Brazilian music through bossa nova, samba, choro, and the like. The simple combination of acoustic guitar and voice brings into relief the strength of the music and atmosphere, and the Portuguese lyrics deliver hints of love songs and bittersweet tales. ...

Protean is the first release from jazz pianist Naoko Tanaka, who self-produced and released this album in 2009 under the name Protean along with bassist Naoyuki Seto and drummer Dan Yoshikawa. With six songs over 35 minutes, the album features all originals, four by the pianist and one each from the bassist and drummer. Album highlights such as tracks #3 “Kirin no Sougen” and #5 “Negotiater” showcase the trio’s stimulating, uptempo jazz-rock, summoning slightly Ahmad Jamal’s later period music with dense figures arranged over churning, funky grooves. The trio also offers slow jazz-pop ballads (“Never Say My Mind”) and modern jazz sketches (“Ocean”, “The Last Train”) to extend the atmosphere. ...

Childhood’s Dream is a 10-song, hour-long studio recording from pianist Shigeo Fukuda and guitarist Toshiki Nunokawa. Both leading veteran players, the musicians are also in-demand sidemen and instructors, well-known in Japan’s live scene from the 1980s through to the current day. Clean, swinging piano playing together with warm, organic guitar tones balance perfectly over the mostly original material with three jazz standards, “How Deep Is the Ocean”, “The Peacocks”, and “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams”. While the cover songs offer the most swinging and familiar jazz themes, the pair’s original numbers complete the package with shades of rock, blues, and folk interpreted through a Japanese jazz lens. ...

On Duet from 2001, bassist Shinichi Kato and pianist Masahiko Sato put forth a misty and stimulating collection of duets. The pair establishes a relaxed rapport based on masterful foundations using 11 original songs for roomy jazz improvisation. While opening slowly in a melancholic mood, the music blooms gradually, drifting around in abstract colors through the first four tracks before settling into more solid ground through the rest of the album. ...

From vibraphonist Fumiko Yamazaki, the aptly titled Here Goes! is an enthusiastic introduction to her music with her jazz quartet on her 2011 debut release. With seven tracks at a running time of 48 minutes, the songs fall into a few distinct styles: poppy and upbeat (#1 “Here Goes!” and #6 “Genkidama”), energetic and jazzy (#5’s “Theme from Lupin the Third”), and beautifully bittersweet and evocative, highlighting the pure ringing beauty of the metal bars of the vibraphone hit in rapid succession by soft mallets. ...

On her fourth and latest album Beautiful Days (2017), pianist Fumie Chiba records eleven new compositions with a jazz sextet, a piano trio plus trumpet, sax, and vocals. While her first two albums Tip of Dream (2009) and Echoes (2013) featured her jazz trio, the expanded group on her previous Roguequeue (2015) and on this album well suits the textures she strives for. Freshness and energy flow through the rich harmonies and interplay with attention paid to the compositional detail throughout the music. ...

The Naoko Sakata Trio’s second album Flower Clouds from 2013 describes modern jazz in ethereal form, summoning images like glaciers slowly breaking, waves cresting, powerful and mysterious changes patiently unfolding. It is like floating on an ocean raft, subject to unpredictable swells and unsure of the next movement. The songs are effective at advancing modern jazz with moments of experimental group improvisation. There is layered jazz with subtle changes as well as heavy chords and rock-beat propulsion. The balance of the music tends towards deep development with a real organic vs. inorganic feeling, a fusion of nature and machine. ...

Jazz, soul, and funk bassist Yoshihito “P” Koizumi is an active member of a number of Japanese jazz groups and events, and the 2011 album By Coincidence marks his debut release as “P-Project” featuring Jun Miyakawa on keyboards and Kohzo Komori on drums. With nine tracks and a running time of 34 minutes, the album is full of funky beats, laid-back grooves, retroesque electronic keyboards, and slick bass lines. Inspiring an easy-go-lucky party mood, the short songs are all of a piece, several even with unassuming titles such as “Sound Check”, “Track”, “Jam 1”, “Jam 2”, and “Jam 3”. It’s easy to put on the album, kick back, and let the music flow and invigorate the mood without any worries. ...

Gallery is the 2008 debut release from jazz pianist Yukiko Hayakawa’s trio, an all-original outing with seven tracks clocking in at 44 minutes . Overall somewhat dark and musing, the music conveys mystery with pensive touches of nostalgia and grace. Recorded with a live and echoey sound, the trio locks in with opening tracks “Mirage” and “Montmartre” setting up a smoky, laid-back atmosphere which runs through the album. The third tune “Happy Days” lifts the mood lightly with a swingy bounce, then “One Night” flirts with trembly space on a slow ballad. “Horoscope” is a funkier 4/4 tune, “Snow Crystal” drifts around with light delicacy, and the final track “Desier” features Hayakawa playing solo piano on an original showcase theme. ...

The piano and cello duo Arco released Live at Yoncha in 2018, a performance recorded at a live music cafe bar in Tokyo. With six songs running 36 minutes, the set captures the feeling of being there as the two musicians blend jazz, classical, rock, Latin, and Japanese sensibilities. At live events, Arco’s magnetic charm never fails to rouse the crowd with their thought-out arrangements of touching music with irresistible good cheer. The duo connects with talent and pure sentiment, folding chords and melodies with deep feeling through classical/pop hybrids and moments of freewheeling fun. ...

On her third album Madrigal, jazz pianist Chihiro Yamanaka continues on her upward arc, working her magic on jazz standards and originals with a top-notch trio. With momentum built from her debut Living Without Friday (2001) and When October Goes (2002), on Madrigal (2004), the pianist impresses with new arrangements, tight playing, and flashy piano solos. Recorded in studio with a great live sound, Yamanaka is backed by quality rhythm section mates bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard (stalwart members of Brad Mehldau’s trio), and drummer Rodney Green on three tracks. ...

Whisper Not is vocalist Layla Tomomi Sakai’s debut release from 2016. Performing here with an intimate guitar and trumpet combo, the striking singer chooses comfortable jazz standards such as “Black Coffee”, “I Can’t Get Started”, and “There Will Never Be Another You” to introduce new listeners to her smooth, husky voice and relaxing style. Six songs are included, and tempos settle at midtempo swing, bluesy groove, or slow sultry ballads, with energy peaking on the quick and exciting “Devil May Care”. ...

Pianist Hideaki Hori and guitarist Takayoshi Baba create beautiful music together on Resonance, their first studio recording as the unit “Duo Tremolo”. On eleven tracks made up of four standards and seven original compositions, the pair play through easy-going swing, bop, and jazz/rock tracks with hues of Jarrett, Corea, and Metheney glowing within. The graceful players combine the dimensions of Hori’s precise, finessed notes and Baba’s snazzy, bluesy lines at relaxed mid-tempo jaunts, rapid and fluid modern pieces, Latin grooves, and gentle ballads. The music is joyful and emotive, and the two converse with a comfortable flow built solidly on their years performing in various settings. The duo clearly enjoys playing together and it comes through in their playful, professional music. ...

Inspiring contrasts like strong and warm, comforting and demanding, smoky and silky, the dual vocal front-line of “Water Me!” delivers new takes on familiar jazz tunes with Water Me! from 2014. Vocalists Ayako Taira and Noriko Kotani harmonize and play off each other, syncing up or alternating in offset phrases as they combine, intertwine, and unspool melodies together. Although the opening interpretation “Satin Doll” hints at jazz with an aggressive edge, the balance of the music shifts into standard jazz with some pop and ballads included. Whatever the setting, the music spotlights the two vocalists harmonizing and embellishing the melody lines, at times hand in hand, and at others passing the baton with grace and finesse. ...

On Yuka Ueda’s 2013 release Dois, the Japanese singer assembles thirteen songs from her Brazilian and Latin repertoire that she’s perfected at live spots and events around Japan. The track listing satisfies with many deep gems and a few common Jobim tunes, a boon for jazz listeners who may be weary of the usual bossa novas. Definitely not background music, this album is active with a strong spirit and spicy energy powered by swaying hip rhythms and oscillations tuned to the bones. ...

Trumpeter Miki Hirose’s Scratch from 2013 sizzles with energy, fueled by impeccable trumpet lines fronting a jazz quintet on this outing. Extra propulsion is garnered from the addition of congas on three of the seven tracks, with funky, Latin, and modern New York jazz vibrations coming together for a satisfying balance of cerebral and physical stimulation. Boiling turbulence, confident swagger, and well-thought out ideas burst acrobatically from the tracks, scratching the itch for flashy yet discerning music. ...

Pianist Takayuki Yagi’s 2018 release New Departure brings him together with stars of the New York jazz scene for a solid collaboration of New York and Tokyo energies. Strident and upbeat, the album’s 11 tracks are arranged in a two-set configuration, splitting the album into a jazz quintet set and a piano trio set. The quintet kicks off the music with four tracks as the pianist is joined by Scott Wendholt on trumpet, Ralph Bowen on tenor sax, Jay Anderson on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. Pianist Yagi features his original tunes which are spiky, fun, and swinging with titles like “Beyond The New Horizons”, “View From Newark”, and “Kyoto Tower”. The titles hint at evocative settings while the music carries influences like McCoy Tyner, Lennie Tristano, and Thelonious Monk. ...

As the sentimental mood hints at in the cover photo and album title, Akane Matsumoto’s 2015 release Memories of You shows a softer side with ballads and heartfelt tunes, set together with her well-renowned fluid bebop and happy jazz style. Rather than being filled to the brim with high-tempo chases, Matsumoto takes us on a more subdued and delicate journey on this album. While her trademark agility and speed are not completely excluded, the overall mood of the album evokes a slower, more thoughtful elegance. ...

Memories of T is a 2017 recording from the group TCQ which brings together Japanese and Taiwanese musicians for a cross-cultural jazz collaboration. This quartet features Taiwanese alto sax player Shawna Yang and three musicians from Japan: Naoko Tanaka on piano, Daiki Yasukagawa on bass, and Takeshi Sakamoto on drums. Eight original tracks make up the playlist, two apiece from each member, with a convivial atmosphere running throughout. The music is straightforward and pleasant with swing and bossa grooves underpinning their polished modern jazz sound. ...

A satisfyingly neat outing, Naoko Tanaka Trio’s Memories (2015) leaves a fresh impression of modern Japanese jazz trios. The playing on this album is both playful and precise, with considered arrangements and decorations sprinkled through the welcoming music. Light touches and coordinated rhythmic hits play a role, hinting at styles employed by greats such as the Ahmad Jamal Trio. Attention is paid to the structure of each song, and as with any good jazz record, those structures are filled out with each soloist’s improvisations, bouncing solos off the harmonic movements and the rhythmic frames. ...

Jazz organ trio Aquapit’s first album from 2011 sets up the scene for a rollicking jazz party featuring the warm and fuzzy sounds of a funky jazz organ trio. The trio Aquapit consists of guitar, drums, and of course the unmistakable sound of the Hammond B3 organ, easily recognizable from classic jazz records and legendary organists Jimmy Smith, Larry Young, and others. The power and otherworldly vibrations produced by this instrument can thrill audiences (once designed for churches as a pipe-organ alternative, a big box of “electric flutes”), and features in modern day jazz jam bands such as Medeski Martin and Wood, Soulive, and others. ...

Masako Kunisada’s spiritual, soulful voice channels truth and joy on her first album Wonderful Life from 2012. With experience singing in jazz clubs, piano lounges, and events across Japan, Kunisada immerses herself in cross-genre influences including jazz, soul, soft rock, R&B, and Japanese traditionals. Her husky voice brims with emotion, and her proficiency in voice and piano charms audiences as she draws from popular jazz standards and deep cuts from other genres. ...

Kohsuke Mine Quintet’s 1993 album Major to Minor is full of life, a straight-ahead jazz outing built upon solid group unity and stimulating jazz improvisation. Mine is a living legend who started young, releasing his first album in 1970 to immediate acclaim. He cut his jazz teeth with many well-known musicians, including Joe Henderson, Mal Waldron, Sadao Watanabe, Terumasa Hino… the list is long. For a period, he was a long-time member of the fusion jazz group Native Son, after which he returned to leading his own straight-ahead groups, touring, recording, and lighting up the jazz scene in Japan and abroad. ...