Recommendation of Wa-Jazz: A Masterpiece of Japanese Jazz—One Must-Listen Album

Wine Red HeartKEIKO LEE

Keiko Lee “Wine Red no Kokoro” Short PV

Sung by Keiko Lee, a jazz vocalist who needs no introduction and is one of Japan’s foremost, this song is a mellow classic by Anzen Chitai.

It seems Keiko Lee released a J-pop cover album in September 2017, and it’s definitely one I’d love to listen to.

Water Ways Flow Backward AgainKylyn

Water Ways Flow Backward Again – KYLYN

One of Kazumi Watanabe’s signature songs, its especially catchy melody and structure draw you into a deep, underwater world.

It gained renewed attention after being sampled by the Japanese trackmaker Punpee.

With Watanabe’s close friendship with Ryuichi Sakamoto, the track’s rich, refined texture is guaranteed.

Yura YuraOvall feat. Aoba Ichiko

Ovall – Wavering ・ feat Ichiko Aoba

This is a classic track by Ovall, a jazz and post-rock unit centered around Mabanua, a master of jazz sampling.

While this piece leans heavily into pop elements, its solid composition—honed through jazz—imbues it with a deep, jazz-inflected texture.

Ichiko Aoba’s whispery vocals shine, creating a soundscape that lets you feel the profound depth of jazz.

It’s MagicT-Square feat. Marlene

It’s Magic – Marlene / THE SQUARE (cover)

This is a collaborative track by T-Square, one of Japan’s premier jazz fusion artists, and singer Marine from Manila, Philippines, who has a deep connection with Japan.

Featuring chanson-like vocals that are familiar to Japanese listeners and backed by assured musicianship, the song is also known for bringing a fresh breeze to the history of Japanese jazz.

Grandfather’s Clockkuriya makoto

Grandfather's Clock / Makoto Kuriya Trio: Ookina Furudokei (The Grandfather's Clock) - Kuriya Makoto Trio

A track included on an album by the mainstream jazz piano trio led by jazz pianist Makoto Kuriya.

It has a soothing sound.

The composition itself is great, of course, but the tight, well-synchronized performance by the three musicians is outstanding.

MichelleSatō Masahiko

Masahiko Sato Trio Palladium Michelle

Masahiko Sato is a jazz pianist and composer with a dazzling pedigree: born in Tokyo in 1941, he graduated from Keio University and then studied at Berklee College of Music, where he learned the fundamentals of composition and arrangement.

In addition to producing superb leader albums as a jazz musician, he has earned worldwide acclaim through collaborations with a wide range of artists, and, as a label founder and composer of music for commercials and films, he stands as one of the key figures in the Japanese jazz scene—his monumental achievements are beyond question.

His landmark first leader album, Palladium, was released in 1969 as a trio featuring Yasuo Arakawa on bass and Masahiko Togashi on drums.

The album won the Japan Jazz Award at that year’s Swing Journal Jazz Disk Awards and is regarded as a classic.

Aside from a cover of the Beatles’ masterpiece Michelle—presented as an ensemble performance running nearly 15 minutes—the album consists entirely of Sato’s original compositions, offering a riveting experience marked by unerringly intellectual and delicate expression, razor‑edged tension, and a distinctive lyricism.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

KOH-1

Report a problem

Merry Christmas Mr. LawrenceSakamoto Ryuichi

Ryuichi Sakamoto – Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Among the works of the master Ryuichi Sakamoto, this is a particularly famous jazz masterpiece that enjoys great popularity abroad as well.

Crafted as a quiet piano solo, it evokes a deep sense of melancholy and sorrow.

It is also often performed on a grand scale and is frequently played by orchestras.