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. ...