Japanese Jazz - Recent Developments

Recent Developments

See also: Shibuya-kei

Around the turn of the millennium, Tokyo remained the base for a small but thriving jazz community. Jazz singer and pianist Ayado Chie managed to reach out to a larger audience (both in Japan and internationally) with her emulation of black American vocal jazz. Guitarist Koichi Yabori, known for his Pat Metheny-inspired jazz fusion trio Fragile that was active in the early 1990s, continues to make solo recordings. In 2004, Blue Note Records released an album by the then 17-year-old mainstream and bop pianist Takashi (Matsunaga) featuring his own compositions, Storm Zone. Takashi’s most recent CD is titled Love Makes the Earth Float (2008).

Osaka based quartet Indigo jam unit have released seven original and three cover albums since their debut with the album Demonstration in 2006 and have been described as a tight and energetic mix between a traditional jazz sound and nu jazz with distinctive beats and flowing jazz piano.

Also, jazz pianist Hiromi Uehara has received worldwide fame since her debut in 2003, played with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke, as well as produced several albums with her own group, "Sonicbloom".

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