On his debut album First Touch from 2021, George Nakajima delivers the curated sound of his jazz piano trio, thoughtfully balancing song choices and playing set modestly between modern edge and old-fashioned homage. Through its seven tracks, the album is easy to enjoy and runs for a satisfying 46 minutes. Joining the pianist are Nakajima’s long-time musical partners Yoshida Yutaka on bass and Masanori Ando on drums, a trio with a locked-in feeling created through years of performing together in Japan’s live scene. ...

Bully’s is a jazz joint where good music and honest cooking brighten up the evening. Cheekily named for the gruff proprietor with a soft heart, the “old Edo Japanese” workingman’s hangout. As jazz music fills the main room, the owner mostly stays behind the counter mixing drinks and cooking, while his daughter (affectionately known as Bully Two) can sometimes be found working the bar here. She also plays a mean jazz saxophone and on special occasions may join in on a few bebop tunes. ...

Porto is an unpretentious and comfy little bar in Nippori, a hidden neighborhood spot well suited for an in-the-know experience. Many performances at Porto feature a vocalist and guitar duo who sit at the inner end of the room serving as the stage area, while a dozen or so customers sit at tables and the bar which spans the club lengthwise. Although this club is not equipped with a piano or drum set, on occasion other musicians may set up with flute, harmonica, keyboards, or other instruments. ...

Cafe Beulmans is a charming and cheery jazz house that seems like a mix of a chamber music studio and a museum room with the comfort of a grandmother’s living room. Seats in the recital space and small bar area all have excellent views of the musician who perform in front of curtained windows. For especially full events, there is also a second viewing room, separated from the front room by a wall containing a large arch through which the rear audience can watch and hear the performance. ...

A straight-to-the-point jazz spot, Apollo is unvarnished in a good way, a simple and deeply satisfying jazz bar in Tokyo. This place offers cool and creative jazz groups and foreign acts from overseas on occasion. What you’ll get here is cozy creativity and originality with no pretensions. This fantastic spot also hosts instrumental jazz jam sessions on select Sunday afternoons. More down to earth than upper-crust, some customers may feel uncomfortable in this dark, soulful spot, but the underground vibe here adds to the charm of the authentic Apollo experience. Let the otherworldly music take you on a journey aboard Apollo, where a bit more avante-garde music is appreciated and flows freely through this atmospheric space. ...

Vocalist and pianist Rie Taguchi delivers a follow-up to her debut album The Gift with her 2021 album naturally titled The Gift II. This swinging outing features her Special Sextet as before with new outstanding arrangements. Presenting Taguchi’s sweetly mellow voice in an exquisite frame, Pianist Seiji Endo arranged all the songs on this album, and his vision combined with the front line of saxophone, violin, and guitar creates a lush, big band-style sound from the six instruments. ...

A lovely place in one of the more expensive nightlife centers of the metropolis, Barbra provides a fun balance of class and comfort, with beautiful, talented vocalists and instrumentalists and snazzily-dressed bartenders all contributing to the upscale mood. Classy cocktails are featured and light seasonal snacks are often available. Grab a seat at the bar or amble right up to the seats at the piano to get close up to the performers and the music, where you can’t miss the photo of the bar’s namesake celebrity near the piano or the huge, eye-catching artwork on the adjacent wall. ...

The Deep is a newer gem in Ginza that balances elegance inherited from the upscale neighborhood and comfortable coziness imparted by the staff and layout. The friendly owner Ayako-san aims to provide a sophisticated atmosphere and a down-to-earth ambience. This jazz room is simply furnished with a grand piano in the center surrounded by couch seating and a small bar area. It’s like an intimate living room providing a good setting for swing tunes, soul music, and jazzy romantic ballads. Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos are also tucked away in the bar, taken out and used by some musicians on various nights. ...

Jazz pianist Shunichi Yanagi’s Slope is his second trio release, a 2015 followup to his 2012 debut Bubble Fish. The trio explores fresh territory in the jazz, rock, and light groove moods which vary from track to track. Each member has a clean touch with a sense of drama in creating excitement, somewhat like a movie or video game soundtrack at times. The opening notes of Slope establish a delicate frame that quickly moves into a modern rock-styled beat, showcasing how this trio tends to move between jazz pop, rock, and light-as-a-bubble tenderness. Leading the trio as the primary composer, Yanagi orchestrates a progressive style, and his own playing is decorated with repeated arpeggios and densely looped patterns packed together like a woven carpet. ...