When Osaka was chosen as the Global Host City for the third annual International Jazz Day earlier this year, jazz fans across the country were elated.
Organized by UNESCO and in partnership with the U.S.-based Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the main event on April 30 will be an All-Star Global Concert by some of the genre's most popular musicians.
The choice of Osaka as the venue could also be seen as recognizing the long-standing love affair Japan has had with jazz and, since the concert will be broadcast live on the Internet, it provides a great chance for this country's artists to be heard by a wider audience.