TOKYO JAZZ JOINTS

We are taking a break from normal transmission this week. After a tumultuous 7 days worldwide, we believe that there are more important conversations to be had than ours. Jazz is often described as the 'true American art form', but jazz is black music. To help understand the racist oppression that persists in both America and around the world in various guises, it is as essential to understand the...

Episode 10: This week we're by the sea as we travel from the US Navy-flavoured port of Yokosuka up to the ancient capital of Kamakura, before stopping off at a classic joint in the port city of Yokohama, where we'll be for the next two weeks. Join us to find out where the best lunch in town is allegedly served, why you shouldn't pee in public, and the best place to get a big old glass of Bitches B...

Episode 9: In the spirit of looking for the light, we focus this week on newer joints with a (hopefully) rosier future ahead of them as they adopt more modern ways of doing things and pull in newer types of customers. These joints provide a rare beacon of hope in a landscape that is vanishing at an increasingly rapid rate. Find out about what a rhinoceros has to do with jazz and the most Japanese...

Episode 8: This week we are out in Chiba but not to take a flight from Narita. Starting in the other Brooklyn, we get some Candy before heading to Ancient Egypt, and finish up the evening peering through a Billie Holiday-inspired porthole. Not forgetting James’ majestic lime green shirt and our quick detour through the culinary delights of Palestine of course! Thanks as always to Brian of Grooves...

Episode 7: A slightly longer episode for you this week as Philip recounts nights of crawling around floors and cramming himself into dark corners to get the perfect angle. Once he remembers what the hell James is talking about, we have a brush with a potential Guinness world record holder, find out where Japanese Mad Men drink, why you should say no to a portrait if asked for one, and why Philip...

Episode 6: If you always wondered where Dean Martin, scuba diving, Japanese paratroopers and jazz intersect, it’s in this episode! Sadder stories this week as James gets speechless, and we celebrate two lost jazz joint gems. In our final instalment from Shinjuku we visit the indomitable Jazz Room Stick and recount our bittersweet discovery of Jazz Pepe, both of which sadly no longer exist. 'Otsuka...

Episode 5: We’re still in Shinjuku this week and have wandered around the corner to the iconic Old Blind Cat, followed by the confusing conundrum that is Samurai. Ever wondered what it’s like to have your firstborn blessed in a Japanese jazz bar overlooked by Coltrane and an army of cats? Then this is the episode you’ll want to hear! Thanks as always to Brian at Grooves Ahead for audio help and Lo...

Episode 4: In addition to some technical hitches, this week we visit the kaleidoscopic neighbourhood of Shinjuku, Tokyo's notorious, bustling red-light and entertainment district, and once Japan's capital of bohemian counter-culture in the 60s & 70s. We warm-up with Black Sun, move onto the Showa-chic of Narcissus, and finish up crammed elbow to elbow in the one and only Shiramuren in Golden Gai....

Episode 3: This week we celebrate significant project milestones by revisiting the 50th, 100th, 150th joints and the most recently photographed (160th): Bar Bird in Machida, Sendai's Kelly, the incredible Coltrane Coltrane in Kyushu & Rindo, deep in suburban Saitama. The awesome Rhinoceros in Berlin gets a shout too! Follow the link below for shortcuts to photos of the joints we discussed: http://...

Episode 2: This week as we start the podcast proper, we're talking about what jazz music means to Japan, how jazz kissa came about, what to expect and what not to expect inside, and how best to navigate the sometimes daunting and tricky prospect of heading into one for a drink!

Episode 1: Our first tentative foray into joint (pun intended) podcasting to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Tokyo Jazz Joints project, which began on March 27th 2015. Follow the link to hear us chat a little bit about how the project started, some of the highlights so far, and stories behind the photos. Check out YouTube too if you want a slideshow with some images from the project, and of...