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Sean Smith

Sean Smith writes the Tokyo Jazz Notes blog, covering new releases and gigs from the jazz, funk and crossover scene. He has lived in Japan since 1997.

For Sean Smith's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Apr 18, 2013

Playwright imprint focuses on newer jazz acts

At a time when stories about declining music sales are frequent and major labels aren't investing in new talent, hearing about an indie label like Playwright is music to the ears.

CULTURE / Music / JAZZ NOTES

Apr 11, 2013

Newbies to Japanese jazz get a soundtrack to a primer

For a music fan wanting to explore jazz for the first time, an ideal starting point may be the current chart-toppers, which includes Robert Glasper, Esperanza Spalding and Jose James. Alternatively, he or she may choose to start with the classics, diving into the extensive back catalogs of the Blue Note or Impulse labels.

CULTURE / Music / JAZZ NOTES

Feb 14, 2013

Jazz acts must embrace some new standards

Drop by your local jazz club and on an average night there's a fair chance the band will at some point play a rendition of "Autumn Leaves," "My Favorite Things" or " 'Round Midnight" — or maybe all three. You might hear an inspired rendition of a time-honored classic, but more likely you'll have to sit through a sub-standard jazz-by-numbers cover.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Jan 23, 2013

Miho Hazama starts a journey

It's believed that time spent living abroad can be a journey of self-discovery, and for Miho Hazama that has certainly been the case. Moving to New York to study for a master's degree in jazz composition at the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) was an experience that led to the recording of her debut, "Journey to Journey" — a refreshingly original album of orchestral jazz, that stood out as one of the most notable releases in Japan last autumn.

CULTURE / Music / JAZZ NOTES

Jan 10, 2013

Building off that four-letter word — 'jazz'

Something I've noticed recently when browsing the jazz sections of record shops is the proliferation of sub-genres among the Japanese artists. Just hearing the names is enough to get a fan excited about the apparent explosion of creativity.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Dec 20, 2012

Jazz Collective "Jazz Collective"

If you've been to any jazz or funk gigs in the Kanto area over the last couple of years, there's a good chance you may have seen trombonist Takao Hirose up on stage. In addition to featuring in the horn section for other acts and playing on various recording sessions, Hirose also heads his own band, the five-piece Jazz Collective, with Shin Arai on flute and tenor saxophone alongside Hirose on the frontline, backed by piano/Rhodes, bass and drums. Part of the club circuit for a few years now, the band finally released their first album in April.

CULTURE / Music

Dec 13, 2012

For jazz fans in Japan, 2012 marked the arrival of a few new divas and some great gigs

For a genre that critics and musicians have been declaring dead for more than half a century, each year nevertheless sees new artists dipping their toes in the vast ocean that is jazz.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Dec 13, 2012

Independent route pays off for jazz act Indigo Jam Unit

Whichever way you look at it, there's something a little bit different about Indigo Jam Unit. The Osaka-based band has succeeded on its own terms, eschewing the Tokyo club-jazz crowd, but at the same time carving out their own little niche within the scene. They've adopted a slightly different approach to their career to date, partly by accident and partly by design, and have consequently established themselves as a band with a distinct sound and image.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Nov 9, 2012

Jazzing up the industrial city

On one side you have Montreux, a Swiss resort town on the banks of Lake Geneva that has seen many famous residents over the years, and which has been immortalized in the lyrics of the Deep Purple song "Smoke On The Water." On the other you have a Japanese city in the heart of the world's most heavily populated urban conglomeration, known for its heavy industry and whose name is familiar to people the world over as a motorbike marque. At first glance these two places may come across as something of an odd couple, but recently they've been getting along just fine, and this month sees Kawasaki hosting the Montreux Jazz Festival Japan (MJFJ) for the second time.

CULTURE / Music

Sep 13, 2012

Ozone plugs hole left by Coleman at Tokyo Jazz Festival

Improvisation has long been a key part of the jazz musician's repertoire, and the organizers of last weekend's Tokyo Jazz Festival (TJF) found themselves having to do some of their own improvising at the eleventh hour when news came through that headline act Ornette Coleman was unable to fly due to poor health.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Sep 6, 2012

Soil & "Pimp" Sessions, Jaga Jazzist and Bruut! challenge jazz's conservative image

Grammy Award-winning bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding recently told the Los Angeles Times that one of the problems in bringing jazz to a wider audience was essentially one of image.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Jan 26, 2012

Ethnic Minority "Startin' ”

If you've been near Shibuya Station in Tokyo at night in the past 12 months, you may well have encountered three young guys playing up a storm to passers-by, many of whom have stopped to listen, cheer and/or dance. This trio goes by the name of Ethnic Minority, and is led by saxophonist Hiroyuki Yokota. Backed by some funky amplified upright bass and a unique drum setup of snare, customized cajon and cymbals, the group has an aggressive, rough-and-ready sound that it has labeled "grunge jazz." In addition to original compositions, Ethnic Minority have even added a distortion-heavy version of the Nirvana anthem "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to their repertoire.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Music

Dec 29, 2011

Best of 2011: Shinpei Ruike 4 Piece Band "Sector b"

As member of the ultra-hip Naruyoshi Kikuchi Dub Sextet, Shinpei Ruike has developed an instantly identifiable sound and is arguably the best trumpeter of his generation in Japan.

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.

[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.

Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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