The Tokyo Jazz Festival, one of Japan's largest scale jazz festivals, started in 2002. Since then, the festival has featured the performances of numerous excellent artists. This year, Japan's top singer/songwriter, Akiko Yano, will collaborate with Hiromi Uehara, a new generation pianist. Other popular artists such as Junko Onishi and Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra will be giving performances that shouldn't be missed.

The festival is well known for appearances by great artists from overseas. Dutch jazz singer Wouter Hamel will join the festival this year to commemorate 100 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Netherlands. George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic, an icon of American funk, will be on hand to make sure"the good times roll"in Tokyo. On the final day of the festival, top artists including Lou Donaldson will get together for a special jam session titled "Blue Note 70th Anniversary Super Jam" to celebrate the 70th birthday of the Blue Note label. The Tokyo Jazz Festival is the only chance to hear such an all-star collaboration. Jazz lovers shouldn't miss the coming soulful, joyful, jazz-filled three days of the Tokyo Jazz Festival.