Book Review: A Guide to Jazz in Japan by Michael Pronko

“This guidebook is for anyone interested in jazz or in Japan. Sometime fans, short-term visitors, die-hard jazz lovers, long-time residents of Japan, and people just passing through will find recommendations and new possibilities.”

Michael Pronko, A Guide to Jazz in Japan

Review:

Although I’ve never been to Japan, I was intrigued by this guidebook because I’m quite fond of jazz music and I’m fascinated by its longevity and global reach. That said, I’ve never associated Japan with jazz, so that alone made me want to pick up the book and learn more. I’ve never read this type of book at length, so this was also a unique experience for me. 

A Guide to Jazz in Japan is an extensive guide and directory to a number of Japan’s jazz clubs (predominantly in Yokohama and Tokyo) as well as various bands and musicians. If you’re like me and you’re picking this up to learn about the general history of the jazz culture in Japan, there is a good timeline provided. 

Personally, I would have loved for more time to have been spent on biographies and jazz history (both general and in the region) but I’m sure that if I were fully utilizing the book to its purpose, I would feel otherwise. There is an impressive index right down to a specific venue’s atmosphere or a certain musician’s style. Toward the end of the book, there is also an ‘in memorium’ page which I found to be a touching addition. The author did an incredible job with the research! 

If you are looking to use this book as a guide or directory, I would recommend purchasing the ebook as it provides several links for easy access to various venues and other information. For ease, being able to click directly on the link will be far easier than typing it out from a printed page. (This might also be a distraction if you are looking to read this as anything outside of a guide; however, this does make further research easier.)

Whether you have plans to visit Japan’s plentiful jazz clubs, are curious about the jazz scene in Japan, or are looking for an introduction to the genre’s roots in this part of the world, this book is a great place to start.

Thanks to Reedsy Discovery for providing a free digital copy of the book!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• Well-organized.
• Easy access to outside sources.

What I didn’t like:

• I would have loved a bit more history and inclusion of photos.

Afterthoughts:

I had a lot of fun reading this!

Where to buy the book: