Sadao Watanabe, Japan's godfather of jazz, passes on his wisdom
Before he became one of Japan's best-loved jazz musicians, saxophone player Sadao Watanabe was one of the first Japanese musicians to study in the United States. As a young man he studied at Berklee College of Music, in Boston. "Back then, the journey was long. ...
The jazz cafe offering sounds of the 1960s in a Shinjuku basement
For many Tokyoites, Shinjuku is inextricably linked with the 1960s and '70s and with jazz. "There used to be jazz kissa (cafes) everywhere," says Dug cafe owner and jazz photographer Hozumi Nakadaira. During these decades, the district came to be known as a Mecca ...
Yusuke Ogawa: The man in Japan giving jazz fans their rare record fix
'There are just so many records in Japan," says Yusuke Ogawa, owner of Universounds, a used record shop selling jazz, soul and funk in the Western suburbs of central Tokyo. Now, with the rise of internet sales as well as the increasingly interconnected music ...
Delving deep into the Kanto jazz bar scene
The tourist boom in Japan shows no sign of ending, with the number of visitors only set to increase in the lead up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Whether for bulk shopping, temple visiting or sushi-counter hopping, Tokyo and surrounding neighborhoods have endless ...
Nagoya student tracks classical and jazz gigs for music fans across Japan
A student at Nagoya University's Graduate School of Information Science has developed an online platform for music fans that keeps them update on classical and jazz concerts by musician and venue. Kanji Toyama, 24, named the service Sonoligo after his startup Sonoligo Inc., which incorporates ...
Step into Sawano Kobo, an unusual mix of sandals and music
Traditional Japanese footwear and European jazz make a bizarre but successful combination at the Sawano Kobo store in Osaka.
Farewell Mary Jane: Grieving for a lost jazz hideout
The late Donald Richie, a legendary chronicler of 20th century Japan, once said that to accept life in Tokyo, you must embrace constant change and not give in to nostalgia. In the 60 years he lived in this great city he saw multiple transformations ...
The Lagerphones look to charm Japan one coffee shop at a time
If you're in a foreign band trying to plan a tour in Japan, you sometimes need to improvise when it comes to booking venues. That may be why you're more likely to find Australian six-piece The Lagerphones at a cozy cafe than a grimy ...
Blast the horns: Tower of Power celebrates 50 years with a few more milestones
Ten-member Tower of Power will touch down in Asia toward the end of this month on the band's latest trip to the region to play its renowned blend of soul and jazz, on a series of dates in Tokyo, Nagoya and Manila. But the Oakland, ...
Author Haruki Murakami talks about his favorite songs and love of running on special radio show
Best-selling Japanese author Haruki Murakami, hosting a special radio show featuring some of his favorite songs he runs to, says writing novels is about rhythm, as in music and running. "Murakami Radio," a pre-recorded show broadcast Sunday night on Tokyo FM, featured as its themes ...
From Kansai to New York: Jazz trumpeter Takuya Kuroda on going back to basics
In the dimly lit Under Deer Lounge in Shibuya, jazz trumpeter Takuya Kuroda conducts an impromptu ensemble with raucous enthusiasm. Preceded by his Afro, he bounces around stage, announcing soloists and welcoming new musicians to the front. The music is undoubtedly Kuroda's, but the rotating ...
Kiyoshi Koyama: A life lived with jazz
"I have lived a life alongside jazz," says Kiyoshi Koyama, jazz critic, journalist and radio host. This is apparent on a recent visit to his home in Chiba Prefecture, where he and his wife live surrounded by walls of neatly organized records, CDs, books ...
