Japanese jazz concerns the history and form of Jazz in Japan. There is some relationship between it and Asian American jazz. Asian American jazz is a musical movement in the United States begun in the 20th century by Asian American jazz musicians. ...

History

Jazz in Japan began with American visitors and immigrants from the US-ruled Philippines. By 1920 dance halls that played jazz began forming and in 1932 Fumio Nanri was established as a "jazz star" who toured in the United States.[1] Then in 1933 Japan had its first jazz cafe, which was called "Chigusa". The main "jazz cities" in this period were Osaka, Yokohama, and Kobe. As in Brazil and France the "Americanness" of jazz was seen as culturally worrisome and by 1928 building ordinances began to curb the "dance halls." This concern intensified during World War II as Japan was at war with the USA and in response to that jazz was banned and officially condemned. Despite that the ban was not completely successful or well-enforced and therefore jazz remained popular for a portion of Japanese youth.(source: Japan by Peter Spry-Leverton and Peter Kornicki, p. 79) Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fumio Nanri(born December 24, 1910 in Saga Prefecture; died August 4, 1975) was a jazz trumpeter nicknamed the Satchmo of Japan by Louis Armstrong. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Osaka )   is a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of HonshÅ«. The city is the capital of Osaka Prefecture. ... For the town of Yokohama in Aomori Prefecture, see Yokohama, Aomori. ... This article is about the Japanese city. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

The occupation by the US after the war led to an increased exposure to jazz which increased its popularity. This increase peaked in the 1960s and 1970s. However, it still remains as popular as it is in its native USA, perhaps even more popular. In the West two women, Keiko Matsui and Toshiko Akiyoshi, might be the best known jazz musicians from Japan. Keiko Matsui (松居慶子), born in Tokyo as Keiko Doi on July 26, 1961, is a Japanese smooth jazz/new age pianist and composer whose career spans three decades, during which time she has released twenty CDs (in addition to various compilations) and has received international acclaim. ... Toshiko Akiyoshi (穐吉 敏子, born December 12, 1929) is a jazz pianist and a composer/arranger. ...

Present-day

Although it has been criticized as derivative, Japanese jazz has made efforts to differentiate itself by fusing Zen minimalism and native instrumentation. For example, jazz musician Atsuya Okuda has crossed over into Hocchiku music. The Sound of Zen by Atsuya Okuda Atsuya Okuda (奥田 敦也 Okuda Atsuya) is a Japanese-born master teacher and craftsman of the hocchiku, an unrefined bamboo flute, similar to the shakuhachi. ... Hocchiku (also, hochiku or hotchiku) is a Japanese end-blown flute carefully crafted from terminal sections of bamboo. ...

Okinawa lounge singing, which is related to Japanese jazz, is sometimes credited as an influence on Martin Denny. This article is about the prefecture. ... Martin Denny (April 10, 1911 - March 2, 2005) is universally known as the founder and reigning king of exotica music, a type of big band music with Latin rhythms and overtones of Pacific Ocean culture that is largely scorned by critics but was extremely popular in the 1950s and 1960s. ...

Lately, club jazz or nu-jazz has become popular with a growing number of young Japanese. Native DJs such as Ryota Nozaki (Jazztronik), the two brothers Okino Shuya and Okino Yoshihiro of Kyoto Jazz Massive and Toshio Matsuura (former member of the United Future Organization) as well as nu-jazz artists, Sleepwalker, GrooveLine, and Soil & "Pimp" Sessions have brought great change to the traditional notions of jazz in Japan. Nu jazz is an umbrella term coined in the late 1990s to refer to music styles that blend jazz textures and sometimes jazz instrumentation, funk, electronic dance music, and free improvisation[1]. Also written nu-jazz or NuJazz, it is sometimes called electronic jazz, electro-jazz, e-jazz, jazztronica, jazz... Jazztronik is the Japanese Tokyo-based DJ/producer Ryota Nozaki. ... Kyoto Jazz Massive is a musical project specialising in broken beat and electronic styles, consisting of the two brothers Okino Shuya and Okino Yoshihiro. ... Midorin, drummer for Soil & Pimp Sessions, in Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan Soil & Pimp Sessions is an energetic Japanese club jazz band that have started to receive international recognition. ...

In addition, Jazzanova, Bugz in the Attic, Gilles Peterson and many other international DJs have created a strong fan base in Japan. Jazzanova is a German Berlin-based DJ/producer collective consisting of Alexander Barck, Claas Brieler, Jürgen von Knoblauch, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering, and Axel Reinemer. ... Bugz in the Attic is an all-star broken beat crew of DJs and producers based in West London. ... Gilles Peterson Gilles Peterson is an influential DJ and record-label owner from London, UK. Through his labels Acid Jazz and Talkin Loud he has been associated with the careers of countless well-known artists of the 1990s. ...

Magenta, a fine dining bar featuring Akasaka cuisine and the hotel With the Style in Fukuoka, Japan as well as the clubs Freedom in Ōita, Japan and Studio Roots in Beppu, Japan hold monthly events where you can catch these Djs and bands. Akasaka can refer to: Akasaka Palace and State Guest House Akasaka, Tokyo, a district of Minato, Tokyo Akasaka, Okayama, a town in the Akaiwa District, Okayama A district of Otowa, Aichi, Japan. ... This article is about a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. ... ÅŒita Prefecture ) is located on KyÅ«shÅ« Island, Japan. ... Beppu (別府市; -shi) is a city located in Oita, Japan. ...

External links

• All about Jazz discussion of the subject
• Beppu/Oita Club Event Listing (Japanese language only)
• "Localizing Jazz and Globalizing Identities in Japan" by E. Taylor Atkins
• Concert on the Rock
• Concert on the Rock Official Homepage