Music Mar 5, 2020

David Coverdale: A hard rock god sings the blues

Former Deep Purple and current Whitesnake vocalist David Coverdale says he won't be giving up on the music any time soon.

Music Feb 6, 2020

Tortoise: The band that pushed back against Gen-X apathy

Quirky Chicago band Tortoise heads to Japan for a three-day six-show appearance in Tokyo, playing a classic album in full along with a 'greatest hits' set.

Music Dec 5, 2019

Steve Gadd: Drummer still 'laying it down,' 50 years on

Ahead of his band's tour of Japan, Steve Gadd discusses a career drumming for the likes of James Brown, Eric Clapton and Steely Dan.

Music Aug 29, 2019

Charles Lloyd: 'Looking for the one note that can say it all'

Few musicians in any era, in any genre, have had such lengthy and varied creative journeys as saxophonist Charles Lloyd. The longevity of his 60-year career is honorable enough, but the unpredictability of his path and the ebb and flow of his musical ideas ...

Music Sep 1, 2016

WorldService Project set to shake up Tokyo Jazz Festival

The Tokyo Jazz Festival is a varied event, featuring artists of every age and from all corners of the globe. Yet, like most mainstream jazz festivals, the lineups can be somewhat middle of the road, inoffensively safe in a way that keeps more underground ...

Music Sep 1, 2016

Tokyo Jazz Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary with an ensemble of top-notch musicians

Tokyo Jazz Festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year and its lineup is a healthy mix of up-and-coming artists and giants of the genre. Among the heavy hitters will be pianists Makoto Ozone, Herbie Hancock and Hiromi Uehara. Ozone will front a big band ...

Music Sep 3, 2015

Jazz pioneer Bob James' Japan-inspired concerto to premiere at the Tokyo Jazz Festival

Smooth jazz pioneer and inadvertent godfather of hip-hop break-beats, Bob James is about to add another accolade to his list of accomplishments. At this weekend's 14th Tokyo Jazz Festival, the keyboardist will debut his first piano concerto. While James has worn many hats in the ...

Music Sep 3, 2015

Tokyo Jazz Festival to provide a glimpse into Esperanza Spalding's alter ego

One of the few younger non-Japanese acts gracing the stage at this weekend's Tokyo Jazz Festival is singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding. Though appearing at the city's main jazz event, the multifaceted 30-year-old musician could just as easily be performing at Fuji Rock Festival ...