Huh this makes sense now
Oh I love this one. It introduced me to Casiopea and they’re a PHENOMENAL band. Which sent me into a hole of finding more stuff like that, and now I love J-Jazz.
Recommendations? Not even limited to J-jazz — I used to do a lot more active music searching and I’m trying to get back into that, part of which involves asking random people who like different music than I do for recs
I’m not a huge Japanese jazz aficionado, but this is some stuff I’ve found over the years and enjoyed:
- Himiko Kikuchi - Flying Beagle
- Masayoshi Takanaka - All Of Me
- Jiro Inagaki - ファンキー・スタッフ (Funky Stuff)
If you like jazzy stuff in general, maybe you’d like:
- Lund Quartet - Lund Quartet
- Portico Quartet - Memory Streams
- Colin Stetson - All This I Do For Glory
- BADBADNOTGOOD - IV
- Snarky Puppy - Lingus
If you want something a bit different, Gypsy Jazz is really fun. Kinda a jazzy swing sound with a touch of bluegrass/americana mixed in.
My dad’s super big into it but the band I always remember is Harmonious Wail
https://everynoise.com/engenremap-japanesejazzfusion.html
Everynoise is the website for exploring genres. Warning: Time will fly.
Give Takanaka a try.
Ryo Fukui
The Album “Scenery” is a ride. I don’t know much about the genre/scene tbh, but this album cuts through whatever I’m experiencing at the time. It really feels like unfettered expression, and it sounds really pretty.
Also, the dude was insane on the keys. How the hell someone’s hands can do half of that stuff is beyond me.
Satellite Lovers was a nice band. Their music sounds so carefree.
Not the person you responded to, but I got super into Haruomi Hosono last year. Sort of 70’s Japanese electronic jazz. Hosono House and Paraiso are great albums. He also contributed to Pacific, and it’s a great jumping off point for all the other artists on that record.
Cornelius is another really fun Japanese electro band, found them on an old episode of Yo Gabba Gabba.
Quite unrelated, but if you’re into hip hop Mr Giscard was a fun find for me. It’s in French, which I don’t speak, so can’t speak to the lyrical content, but it’s a fun listen. Similarly, Lous and the Yakuza, this time in German.
Happy listening!
I’m not very knowledgeable on J-Jazz, but BBE records has a bunch of compilations and re-releases. I really enjoyed this comp by DJ Muro.
I haven’t bought a record in a while but I used to buy a ton and buying used from Japan was always my favorite. It wasn’t like this if you bought from corporate stores obviously but almost every time I bought from just some dude on yahoo auctions or discogs or ebay or whatever I would have a similar experience. Handwritten note, candy, good luck charm from a shrine, etc. almost made up for the astronomical shipping
One time my friend ordered a book from Russia and got similar treatment except they got tea. We made it and it was the most horrible tea we had ever tried in our lives. It came with a sweet letter though so the sentiment was nice
Not enjoying rhododendron tea is heresy, not to be tolerated under any curcumstances.
Tap for spoiler
Only partially joking… Knowing that people don’t like it is painful. It is so hecken good, and great for reading on a cold day.
Now I’m curious which tea they got
I’m curious if they left a positive review
Oh man thank you for reminding me of casiopea. Haven’t listened to them since like early high-school I think. Back into weekly rotation now!
Yes this Greentext introduced me to Casiopea and jazz fusion, Mint Jams is still my favorite album of theirs. Other notable works of the genre include Miles Davis’s In a Silent Way, Masayoshi Takanaka’s On Guitar, and ISSEI NORO INSPIRITS’ BEAUTY.
That album fucking rules. Can also confirm the Japanese vinyl store experience, they love to add personal touches.
Japan does jazz really nice. Look up Soil and Pimp for a more spicy metal jazz experience.
Fun fact: Casiopea released an album last year. It isn’t nearly as good, but still cool.
I watched a great Japanese animated film last year about a jazz musician: Blue Giant. Can definitely recommend.
I think I ordered a Ratatat vinyl from the same seller, or Japanese discogs sellers are just the best. They sent me a free 1970s Japanese city pop vinyl and a bunch of stickers for fun.
Huh, that’s actually pretty cool music.
A lot of the people doing video game music in the 80s were Casiopea fans, so there is a big overlap between their stuff and game music.
Their track “Countdown” being a very cleae example.
Yeah, so I noticed :D A YouTube video I saw also mentioned T-Square as another one that’s likely to’ve influenced video game music.
Listening to some of Casiopea’s tracks definitely evokes that feeling of ‘I might’ve heard that in Ridge Racer or Gran Turismo’ without being able to pin down a specific track.
I’m not seeing a track called Countdown on YT music though, what album is that on?
Huh I’m not seeing it either, but it’s a dead ringer for the Pole Position start music.
Maybe it was actually by another band and Spotify sneaked it into the playlist?
Good ad; didn’t get me into Japanese stuff because I’m already into anime and manga and underage looking girls and excessively gross porn and whatnot (could do without the pixelated junk, though), but it got me to listen to some Mint Jams.
Not exactly my thing (too much like elevator muzak for my taste, read Japanese jazz, expected something more like the Seatbelts 🤷♂️), but not bad, very eighties, could put it in the background while doing something else.
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If you’re looking for something more pop-like, with heavy jazz influences, consider checking out Zutomayo. It’s a rotating cast of masked musicians, (the vocalist is the only permanent member), with some heavy big band and jazz underscoring it. The instrumentation is actually phenomenal, especially for a group that has the pop so front and center. For instance, the bass line from this (especially the solo around the 1:30 mark) could put many bass players to shame the first time they try it.
Huh; the one you linked is way too Japanese for my taste (it’s the voice, way too high, like nails on a chalkboard), but I checked a couple videos at random from their YouTube channel and got the Dandadan ending and an extended version of Chainsaw Man’s second ending (both with different visuals), which sound great (for anime endings) but aren’t something I’d listen to on their own. Definitely not jazz or anywhere close, though. Thanks anyway.
That’s why I was upfront about it being pop. It’s interesting to hear the way they pull inspiration from different genres, because their instrumentation below the pop is almost always top tier.
Little too much energy for elevator music IMO, when I think elevator music I think something like Aisha Duo
Listening to Dolphin while playing Wave Racer 64
That is a good album. Those cats jam, and jam well.
I ran into a live performance they did in 1985 the other day while i was doing yard work. It was really good, they’re all phenomenal musicians. The crowd response was nutty, it was cool to see/hear that many people loving the hell out of the music and the band.
They remind me of Gran Turismo
