Recommendation of Wa-Jazz: A Masterpiece of Japanese Jazz—One Must-Listen Album
If you’re not particularly interested in jazz as a genre, you might just think of it as music from abroad.
In fact, here in Japan, we’ve produced many world-class players, and countless remarkable classic albums have been released.
This time, we’re presenting a selection of essential “Wa-Jazz” masterpieces by Japanese musicians.
While focusing on timeless classics from the ’60s and ’70s, the lineup also turns its attention to works released in the ’90s and 2000s.
Please enjoy jazz music with a distinctly Japanese flavor—something a little different from overseas jazz!
- Great for karaoke too! Jazz classics you’ll want to sing at least once
- Recommended Japanese jazz bands — from classic legends to rising young groups
- [2026] A Collection of Classic Japanese Ballads with a Jazz Flavor
- Masterpieces of Japanese fusion—From nostalgic classics to recent recommendations—
- Jazz commercial songs. Popular commercial songs.
- Ranking of Popular Jazz Songs
- Jazz Piano Masterpieces: From Classic Essentials to Contemporary Favorites
- Classic swing jazz tunes. Recommended popular songs.
- [Autumn Jazz] Classic and Popular Jazz Songs to Enjoy in the Fall
- Today's Jazz: Tunes for today! A selection of timeless classics and contemporary jazz
- Introduction! A collection of recommended masterpieces and standard numbers for jazz beginners
- A roundup of famous jazz standards featured in the hugely popular jazz manga BLUE GIANT
- Start here first! Classic jazz-rock masterpieces. Recommended popular tracks.
Recommendations for Wa-Jazz: Masterpieces of Japanese Jazz – One Must-Listen Pick (31–40)
Every girlToukyou Jihen
A song by Tokyo Jihen that was also used as a cosmetics commercial theme, featuring Ringo Sheena herself.
The collaboration between the glamorous big band and Ringo Sheena is fantastic! The lyrics are cute, and the visuals are colorful and pop, letting you immerse yourself in a world of entertainment.
Enshū Tsubame-gaeshiWatanabe Kazumi
Here is “Enshū Tsubame Gaeshi” from guitarist Kazumi Watanabe’s album Mobo, a jazz-fusion classic.
This piece is one of Watanabe’s signature tunes and a staple of his live performances.
The album is a masterpiece created together with American drummer Omar Hakim—known for his high-pitched snare—and American bassist Marcus Miller, a leading figure in the jazz fusion scene, among others.
Cherry on the beakEGO-WRAPPIN’
One of EGO-WRAPPIN’s signature songs, this number features an arrangement driven by ska rhythms.
Released in 2002, it’s a work from over a decade ago, yet even now—whether you listen to it or watch it—it feels fresh.
It’s not about logic; it’s just plain cool.
Tell Me A Bedtime StoryKasai Kimiko
Kimiko Kasai, a legendary singer on Japan’s jazz scene in the 1970s and a city pop artist who has drawn intense attention from music fans worldwide since the ’80s, hails from Kyoto.
Alongside her musical career, she also worked as a jewelry designer, and in 1998—marking her 30th anniversary—she cleanly withdrew from the music industry.
That decisiveness, too, might be part of what makes her legendary.
Her 1979 album Butterfly, released as a co-billed project with jazz giant Herbie Hancock, wove together cutting-edge sounds—fusion, disco, and city pop sensibilities reflective of the era.
It’s said that its value wasn’t fully recognized at the time of release.
If anything, its reputation has only grown with time; it has been reissued multiple times and is now beloved not only in Japan but by music fans overseas as well.
Kasai’s vocals, putting her own spin on Hancock’s classics, radiate a truly magical allure, and her cover of Stevie Wonder’s As is a standout, too.
A must-hear not only for jazz aficionados but also for younger listeners curious about city pop!
A gentle nightorange pekoe
It was released in 2002 as Orepéko’s second single.
It seems it was also used in a commercial jingle.
It’s a pleasant track to listen to while relaxing in your room at night.
It appears they moved their base of activities to New York in 2016, so it’s a shame we can’t easily catch their live performances in Japan, but let’s look forward to their return to the Japanese scene!
Recommendations for Wa-Jazz: Masterpieces of Japanese Jazz – One Must-Listen Pick (41–50)
Metropolice→Pia-no-jaC←
This is a classic album by Piano Jack, offering a hybrid sound with just jazz piano and cajón.
The tracks feature performances with highly challenging chord progressions, letting listeners enjoy the high level of technique.
The artist is also gaining attention as a rising star in the jazz scene.
I look up as I walkMaya Hatch
Ue o Muite Arukou, sung by vocalist Maya Hatch, who shines across various genres, is delivered gently with a drumless trio.
She’s young, but her voice has a calm maturity—you could listen to it forever.
I’d love to hear her live someday.