A GUIDE TO JAZZ IN JAPAN

American expatriate professor Pronko presents a richly detailed guide to jazz venues, musicians, and more in Tokyo and Yokohama.

The author, a teacher of American literature and culture at Meiji Gakuin University by day, describes his book as “the product of nearly thirty years of listening and reporting on Japanese jazz”; he’s written on the topic for the Japan Times and Newsweek Japan, in addition to publishing online reviews. Rather than categorizing clubs by location or the specific types of music they specialize in, Pronko has opted for a more vibes-based arrangement, highlighting small places where listeners pack in, calm and unassuming neighborhood spots that are coffee shops by day, and slick corporate venues where the staff speaks English, among others. (There are additional sections about places and musicians that play music from a few other, related genres, such as the blues.) In addition to venue names, locations, phone numbers, cover charges, relevant websites, and directions, the entries provide catchy, one-line sketches, such as “Funky basement room for wild jazz” or “Hammond B3 Organ Heaven” before describing each place in depth. Pronko then lists notable musicians worth checking out (drummers, pianists, trombonists, singers, and others) before launching into a fascinating section on jazz kissaten: small coffee shops that play recorded jazz, costing “just the price of a cup of coffee for hours of listening”; patrons can make requests or even bring in their own music to play. The book concludes with some stellar commentary by the author, offering a rich history of jazz in Japan and how it took root there. Not only do these essays offer wonderful background detail, but they also definitively show that Pronko’s affable, professorial style is the book’s best feature, setting it far above anything one might simply look up online. There’s always the danger that guides like this can feel snobbish or exclusionary, but here, Pronko effectively welcomes readers into the Japanese jazz experience, which will appeal to tourists and armchair travelers alike.

An excellent book for readers interested in international jazz and Japanese culture.