InsideJapan News Network

Jazz enthusiasts will be able to see one of the top worldwide festivals of the genre in Japan this September.

The event is Tokyo Jazz Festival and is set to run from the September 2nd to 4th. The festival will feature stars from all across the world, as well as some of the best Japanese jazz talent currently recording in the country.

Set to be held at the Tokyo International Forum Hall, tickets cost anything between 6,500 yen (£50) and 18,000 yen (£140), depending on how many events are seen and in what seats the customers want to sit.

One of the headlining events at the Tokyo Jazz Festival on its final day (Sunday September 4th) is what has been dubbed the Tokyo Jazz Super Guitar Session, where top axe-men from across the country and the world will show their stuff on stage.

The special guests for the Tokyo Jazz Super Guitar Session are Mike Stern, Tomoyasu Hotei, John Beasley, Melvin Davis and Weckl. These Japanese guitar superstars are set to be 'directed' by Lee Ritenour, a famous jazz guitarist from America who is widely known in the industry as Captain Fingers.

Each day has between one and two events, with each of these events having about three acts. For instance, at 1pm on Saturday September 3rd, the Jazz Picture show is being held, which will include sets by the Count Basie Orchestra as well as the famous Michel Legrand Trio.

Tokyo Jazz Festival has played host to some of the biggest names in the musical style over the past few years, including the Thelonious Monk Ensemble in 2004 and Larry Carlton and Robben Ford, who appeared together at the festival in both 2004 and 2006.

Written by Mark Smith  


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