Japan's celebrity pianist, Hiromi Uehara

In this video clip, Japan's charming celebrity pianist Hiromi Uehara shows off the amazingly nimble fingerwork for which she's famous.




—Mellow Monk

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Yazawa Eikichi, Japan's Elvis

I wouldn't use the phrase "Elvis of Japan" lightly, but Eikichi Yazawa is certainly worthy of the title.


Yazawa got his start in the early '70s and is still going strong today. One of his secrets is that he is a one-man music industry—a singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, publicist, marketing department, and road manager all rolled up in to one. He has never depended on any single producer but instead has a knack for inspiring the musicians around him to create the rock 'n' roll sound he envisions.


Here are a few clips of Yazawa—or "Ei-chan," as fans know him—on stage in the U.K. and Japan, singing in English and Japanese.


"Don't be Cruel"





"Flesh and Blood" (in Japanese)





"Rockin' My Heart" (1982)






"Pure Gold" (in Japanese)








Eikichi Yazawa at the Budokan.


—Mellow Monk

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Japanese jazzer Masayoshi Takanaka

Jazz guitarist Masayoshi Takanaka has been around Japan's music scene for a long time, and he's still going strong. His old-school "cool jazz"-style music brings to mind a lazy day on the beach or in the backyard, lounging with friends and family. Very mellow stuff.


Here are a couple of his videos I found on YouTube.


"Blue Lagoon" - In concert





"Ready to Fly" - Live, with violinist Ikuko Kawai)





"Nagisa Moderato" - In concert




—Mellow Monk

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"Smoke on the Water," Japan-style

Just as the title implies, a Japanese version of the Deep Purple classic "Smoke on the Water," with shamisen instead of guitars.


This version, whose title translates into "Firefighting in Edo" (O-Edo no Hikeshi), describes efforts to fight fires in Edo (as Tokyo was known until the mid-1800s), which was frequently engulfed in infernos because of its densely packed wooden buildings.





—Mellow Monk

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Music videos from Hifana, Japan's way-out-there electronica duo

I'm the first to admit that Japan's hip-hop/electronica duo Hifana are not for every taste. But their music videos are so off-the-wall and so surreal as to be mesmerizing. The events unfold in a dreamlike way, keeping the viewer wondering what on earth could happen next. It's like "Sgt. Pepper" meets Ukiyoe.



"Wamono"






"Connect"




—Mellow Monk

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Zatoichi sings "Sunny"

Here he is, the late, great Katsu Shintaro, singing the jazz standard "Sunny." This is from his album "Yoru Wo Utau" (Singing the Night).





Katsu gained superstardom in Japan in the 1960s playing the blind traveling gambler and masseur "Zatochi" in the long-running movie series of the same name.


For an actor, Katsu was a pretty decent singer, and it stands to reason: As the son of a famous Kabuki actor, he was trained in classical Japanese acting and singing in his early youth.


Also on this track, check out the funky jazz guitar, the jamming piano, and the melodious background singing.



The cover of Katsu's album "Yoru wo Utau."



Katsu Shintaro as Zatoichi in "Zatoichi 3: New Tale of Zatoichi."


—Mellow Monk

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