I Need to Visit Japan - Again!

 

​While I’ve visited Japan once, I feel as if I haven’t been there at all. 

I need to hop on a plane and explore these clubs. I’m sure it would be worth it to spend my time doing nothing else but exploring the unique experience Michael Pronko shares in this book.

The author chronicles the path of humble disciplined musicians who embrace the Jazz’s complexity while including inspiration from Japanese traditional music and lessons from the great jazz musicians. As a result the Japanese jazz artists have created a new iteration of the artform which celebrates individuality in the space of harmony. This seeming contradiction sometimes results in the music taking on a life of its own.

Michael Plonko discusses the paradox of transforming limitations into virtues. Michael notes how jazz, often seen as a counter-culture, finds respect in Japan, where individuality surprisingly flourishes alongside conformity. The analysis of how jazz emerged post-war as an expression of personal freedom and self-interest is particularly insightful, providing an important context often overlooked in jazz history.

The book's exploration of the generational divide in the appreciation of jazz—a conversation between the older WWII generation and today's listeners presents jazz as a living, evolving art form rather than a relic of the past. The author emphasizes that jazz thrives in Japan, with over 100 live jazz clubs across Tokyo and Yokohama.
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The existence of jazz in Japan serves as a testament to its dynamic nature, a stream of creativity that flows beyond American culture while honoring its roots in the Black American community.