柳沼佑育 on Jazz of Japan | Brian McCrory

Koichi Hirata: Introducing Koichi Hirata

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introducing Koichi Hirata is the 2024 debut release from jazz guitarist Koichi Hirata. Hirata is a young, up-and-coming player who has established himself as a popular musician in the live Tokyo circuit, playing live often as a support musician or a leader at his own gigs and popular jazz jam sessions. His style is unadorned with a comfortably warm sound and style that immediately brings to mind the much-admired jazz guitarists of previous generations.

Saki Ozawa: Cheers!

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Cheers! is the happy-go-lucky title of pianist Saki Ozawa’s debut release from 2023. It’s a fitting greeting as an introduction to this set as one that is pleasantly nimble and widely lighthearted in style. The merriment of this statement begins even from the front cover image: a fun shot of the smiling pianist in an illustrated setting with friendly-looking characters including happy drinkers, a cat on a couch, and a duck with a backstory.

Yuji Ito & Koichi Hirata Duo: Two for the Road

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Two for the Road is a 2024 album from bassist Yuji Ito and guitarist Koichi Hirata, working as a duo here on their first collaboration. Both musicians are young, still in their 20s and 30s, yet their style, vocabulary, and tone speak of a maturity born of attentive listening, devotion, and playing experience.

They fill the nine-track album with 58 minutes of beloved tunes from the standard jazz playbook and the ballad/swing/bop canon, mostly from the core 1950s and 60s jazz eras:

Fumika Asari: Introducin’

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Fumika Asari’s first album is Introducin’ from 2020, a satisfying debut with a mix of players, combinations, and a to-the-point title with a respectful nod to classic jazz album titles. The beautiful sound of acoustic jazz matches well with the young guitarist’s natural style and concept, jazz that shuns attention-seeking tricks and lofty effects in favor of a genuine, pared-down jazz feeling.

From song to song, the combination of musicians and styles changes, shuffling between quartets, trios, and duos. Throughout, relaxed easiness and vintage swing arise from classy ensemble playing and spotlit guitar improvisation. As for the changing combos, a guitar quartet is featured on track #1 (guitar, piano, bass, drums), then a trio on #2 (guitar, bass, drums), a guitar & guitar duo, a quartet, a trio, a guitar & piano duo, a quartet (guitar, alto sax, trombone, bass), a sextet, and finally a guitar solo. This variation of players and combinations of instruments keeps things interesting while introducing Asari’s musical vision for her debut release.