It’s such a pleasure to stumble across a rare-find podcast with unique charm—the OK Jazz podcast is one of them.
It’s your destination for American music as well as new releases from Japan, Italy, South Africa, India, and even South Korea. Keep an ear out for Congolese classics, as well! It’s also sprinkled with jazz/dub/funk from Cuba and Puerto Rico. One of most eclectic-yet-cohesive podcasts around, it combines jazz, soul, world music, and other genres from around the globe, including samba, MPB, rai, cumbia, minyo, soukous, and reggae.
Hosted by longtime Japan resident Mr. OK Jazz of kol-radio.com and tokyojazzsite.com, each episode feels like a warm, friendly chat. A freelance music writer, Mr. OK Jazz seems to have a penchant for exploring and sharing jazz bars and cafes that can be found around the Tokyo and Yokohama areas.
Well-loved bluesy/jazzy singers have a special place on this podcast, from Joan Armatrading to Etta James, and the host treats us to fascinating tidbits about their lives. He even pays tribute to dearly departed musical legends like Lee Perry, Victor Uwaifo, and Charlie Watts.
You may never have wondered what the Japanese jazz scene is like, but once you start listening to OK Jazz and take in the wide musical variety it offers, you’ll keep coming back for more!
December 2021 Issue
