Jazzed Up in Japan

Outside of New York City, the jazz scene in Tokyo is better than any city on earth, with first rate clubs, hotel lounges, and local hangouts attracting up and coming as well as international acts. New acts, both Japanese and foreign, have eager and sophisticated audiences before them who sit enraptured by the music.  You’ll also hear old school jazz–Coltrane, Miles, Bud Powell, Bird, Dexter Gordon, to name a few–on vinyl played on first-rate record players and sound systems.

Jazz is as Japanese as baseball and there are many reasons for Japan’s love affair with it.  A long time ago, this musical genre was merely an import, an art form to copy and play. However, it was felt to be beyond the reach of the Japanese.  That changed in the 60’s when the music was part of the country’s effort to westernize; jazz was and is considered to be a measure of sophistication as well as a break with the past.  There were always jazz musicians in Japan but specifically the years from 1960-1970 ushered in local performers who gained national recognition. That led to the creation of dance halls and later jazz showed up in coffee houses where, in both settings, revelers could behave with far less decorum than what was expected of them in traditional Japanese rooms.  While the second world war created a break with all things western, afterwards and during the occupation, American G.I.’s carried with them music that caught the ear of a generation wanting new sounds and a break with militancy.

Nowadays, whether it’s Keiko Matsui, Kenny Garrett, or Wynton Marsalis, you’ll find great players in numerous venues throughout Tokyo where you can fall under the spell of jazz. If you want to go high end the Cotton Club or Blue Note Tokyo are spectacular rooms with great acoustics, crowds so enthusiastic that dancing in the aisles often occurs and luxe food and service. Indeed, luxe in price, too. A ticket for a top act at either club runs about $80 per person and with a two drink minimum you’re up to $190 a couple. It’s about twice what you’d pay in NYC and while it’s worth it for an unforgettable experience, it’s not something you’re likely to do every night while you’re in Tokyo.

After a night at either, however, head over to the lounges at Park Hyatt or Conrad hotels.  Both properties have live music playing in huge rooms with spectacular views. Conrad’s lounge is on the 28th Floor and just like at Park Hyatt, it attracts both an international as well as Japanese crowd. No room has better views of Tokyo Harbor.  Sit back, sip a Japanese whisky, and soak in the music.

The New York Grill & Bar at Park Hyatt, made famous in the film “Lost in Translation,” is on the 52nd floor of the hotel, and its floor to ceiling windows offer glimpses of a city best seen at night when a blaze of neon and sparkling lights are soulful and yet jarring.  You get live music here nightly.  (If you’re staying at the hotel, there’s no cover; otherwise, cover varies and can be about $25.)  International acts of small fame take the tiny stage, and on Sunday nights there are “unplugged” sessions of local musicians trying to make names for themselves.

Local talent is also worth looking into while you’re in Tokyo. After you’ve been to the elite clubs and fancy hotels, check out the small clubs where locals go to escape the confinement of a society with so many rules it can kind of wear you out. New clubs are opening all the time, and if you ask at any of the places listed here, you’ll find them.  Last year I wandered into a jam session in a pub that was swinging.  I was the only Westerner there, but the music of course brought us together.

A few of the stalwart clubs on the Tokyo jazz scene include Black Sun, Kenny’s Bar, and the Pit Inn.  What’s cool about these places is what’s cool about going into owner-on-site places all throughout Japan.  For a nation reputed to be deeply conformist, the small jazz clubs give a proprietor a chance to put his or her indelible stamp on things.  Each place is utterly unique with some offering live music while others are jazz hangouts.

As you walk the narrow streets and alleyways of Tokyo, you’re also likely to hear jazz being played from every little hole-in-the-wall. These are often kissa or little coffee salons or internet cafes where customers come in, share records, or listen to live music.  Some of the kissa have “no talking” rules, others are more lenient.  Either way, the vibe is reverential.  Jazz is regarded with uncanny respect in Japan, an intellectual pastime, and a synecdoche of a person with an aesthetic sensibility.

The impression is indeed the possibility of being transported by the music.  I’ve spent many a night in Tokyo caught up in the rapture of a live performance of an international star, moved by a passionate lounge singer, or held in place by a great recording in a dark dive with a cold cocktail. And all in a single night!