Takako Yamada’s The Flow of Time features 11 original compositions from the pianist, a bold collection of exciting moods and modern compositions in adventurous style. Starting assertively with a modern jazz/rock feel, electric guitar and acoustic piano lay out high opening stakes for an album filled with dramatic creativity. The songs explore moments of musical sensitivity, relaxed swing, Monkish joy and freedom, and bluesy contemplation, with full sounds of crystal piano tones, warm electric guitar, bright drum work and deep, dark bass anchoring the group sound. ...

Drummer Ko Omura leads the listener on his voyage of introspection on his debut album Introspect, portraying the colors and maps of his musical mind. This 2011 recording features eight tracks: six original songs from Omura in his detailed, catchy style, unfolding story-like with depth and groovy accuracy. The music brims with fiery energy, passionate yet also containing also a smoldering, somber melancholy. Two of the tracks are group-created free jazz collaborations, splashes of color adding mystery and adventure. The recorded audio is also done beautifully, with separation of drums and cymbals gracefully captured with a lush live sound. ...

Jazz pianist Taihei Asakawa pushes boundaries on his 2011 release Catastrophe in Jazz. This modern jazz piano trio album is a fascinating one, balancing moments of furious musical fire, where rapid melodic lines are played as if by electric guitar, alongside slower melancholic moments of pianistic beauty, heavy with emotion. The 12 original songs on this album range from hot to cool, exploring clever odd-metered structures, modern lyrical European-style jazz, energetic rapid-fire aggression, classical piano sounds, moments of meditative reflection, and even quirky hiphop-influenced jazz pop. ...

Tokyo-based jazz singer Sanae Ishikawa sings from her heart, presenting her full, confident voice on choice jazz standards with her 2007 debut Feel Like Makin’ Love. Her beautiful, crystal-clear delivery resonates with an easy joyfulness and charm, yet can also reflect depths of dramatic emotion to moving effect. Building on the strength of her veteran backup musicians, her innate jazz timing elevates the performance and welcomes the listener straight into the music. ...

The jazz group Bungalow displays their original approach to modern art jazz on their second album, Past Life, from 2013. As a jazz quartet featuring airy alto sax and piano, double bass, and drums, the group incorporates creative musical elements such as the use of Indian tabla drums and subtle sound effects and processing, a bit similar to the style of the Swedish jazz group E.S.T. Bungalow’s compositions are in focus here, and like modern songwriting from Wayne Shorter, the music differs from standard jazz patterns with interesting, well-constructed songs, featuring elements of upbeat swing, poetic and meditative calm, visceral rock and organically looping riffs, embellished with searching melodies and smart improvisation played brilliantly. This is well-balanced and addictive modern jazz that weaves deep musical grooves with imaginative compositions and skillful playing, reflecting future-facing sounds built on traditional music from Past Life. ...

Saxophonist Ayumi Koketsu creates exciting modern jazz on her third album Rainbow Tales from 2012, where she leads of group of accomplished Norwegian musicians on a modern-sounding recording. The session was beautifully captured at the famous Rainbow Studios in Oslo, where the European-label ECM sound seems to influence the session under Koketsu’s leadership and virtuosity. With crystal clear sax and cymbals riding above the warm, full piano and deep wood bass, this style is particularly noticeable on “Mikazuki” (Crescent Moon), a folk/rock-like tune reminiscent of Keith Jarrett. ...

Joyful notes flow effortlessly from pianist Yuya Wakai as he confidently opens his solo piano album Images. His catchy exuberance is on display as he flies colorfully through chords reminiscent of Keith Jarrett’s fluid style. On ballads such as the charming “Easy To Love” and heartfelt “Over The Rainbow”, Wakai plays with a loving touch. Different sides of standard jazz and solo piano are portrayed among the eleven tracks. Exciting drama builds with a rock-ish, upbeat “Better Days Ahead” (Pat Metheny) and a pop exploration of “Great Day” (Paul McCartney) which evokes music Brad Mehldau might offer. A moving cover of a Japanese animation theme, “Aimo Tori No Hito” is included, played in a sad yet hopeful mood with deep meaning. ...

Pianist Miki Hayama creates superb jazz on Wide Angle, exploring powerful, edge-of-your-seat quickness with modern dimensions. This album is her third as a leader and received awards from the Japanese jazz magazine Swing Journal in 2009 and 2010. With the album title perhaps being a nod to the angular McCoy Tyner-ish style of playing that Hayama excels at, the music is full of various moods. Hayama’s trio thrives on quick tempo and high-energy improvisation, a great platform for the pianist’s skill with rapid patterns and leaping bursts. Her agile solos are full of notes which seem to climb and swirl and fall into place like musical puzzle pieces. At mid-tempo songs and slower ballads, her graceful side shows an impressive command of modern jazz piano and smartly constructed arrangements. ...

Ideal for peaceful, calming piano, Ken’ichiro Shinzawa’s Piano Works features seven original compositions with a sweet purity in the musical message. The slow, melodic music conveys a pure innocence, almost evoking Japanese Studio Ghibli movies with scenes of happy animated characters walking through peaceful woods and resting on hillsides. With song titles like “Gentle Breeze” and “Quiet Leaves”, the pianist may have been in a similar state of mind when composing these piano sketches. ...