Tokyo's jazz culture is constantly evolving, taking on new forms and incorporating diverse influences to create new sounds. And Time Out Tokyo's signature music event Beats and Brews aims to capture this dynamic scene by bringing together jazz aficionados and leading performers for a live show emblematic of Tokyo's vibrant nightlife.
For our fifth edition of the event, we have resident musicians Shu Akimoto on drums and Yuki Atori on bass. Both are former members of two prominent Japanese bands: Naruyoshi Kikuchi's DC/PRG and Styles of Radical Will. They will be collaborating with guest musician Kei Koganemaru on saxophone, jamming together to blend genres and create new sounds in various set-ups ranging from solo and duo to group. Expect lots of improvisation, much like in New York's famed 1970s Loft Jazz scene.
Additionally, as Tokyo's world-famous bars have become one of the city's top attractions, Beats & Brews will feature an element from Tokyo's exciting bar scene. So you can look forward to two quintessential Tokyo experiences – music and drinks – on one night in one place.
On the 'Brew' side of the event, we have Toshimaya Shuzo Sake Brewery. One of the oldest sake breweries in Tokyo, this award-winning producer in Higashi-Murayama, west Tokyo has its humble beginnings as a sake store and tavern in 1596 in present-day Kanda. Today, the brewery produces a comprehensive variety of sake from ginjo and junmai to shirozake which is made with sticky rice and rice malt, a house-secret recipe Toshimaya has perfected and kept unchanged since the Edo era.
On this jazzy evening, you can enjoy the fragrant Okunokami, a representative sake of Toshimaya, and Kitashizuku, a special unfiltered, unpasteurized pure rice sake. Get a tasting set and compare the unique offerings from Toshimaya Shuzo Sake Brewery.
Tickets that include the tasting set can also be purchased through Peatix, so be sure to take advantage of this special offer. For more details, check the official OpenChat on LINE.
More on the performing artists
Yuki Atori
Born in Kobe in 1994, Yuki Atori holds a degree from Chiba University’s Faculty of Engineering. Atori is a jazz fusion bassist and official Ibanez artist recently featured in Ibanez’s 2023 promotional video for the EHB1005F Fretless Bass. He has won awards in numerous contests, including the 45th YBBJC Outstanding Soloist Award. On Instagram, Atori frequently posts recordings of his performances and has garnered over 100,000 loyal followers.
Shu Akimoto
Akimoto graduated at the top of his class from Senzoku Gakuen College of Music's Jazz Course in 2014 and has an impressive track record as a professional drummer. He has played at major festivals, including Wacken Open Air 2013 and Montreux Jazz Festival Japan 2017 with the Naruyoshi Kikuchi Project. In 2020, Akimoto set out on a solo venture to Iceland and has since been actively participating in diverse music projects such as DC/PRG and Mysterious Priestess.
Guest artist: Kei Koganemaru
Born in Ota, Tokyo in 1991, Kei Koganemaru is a graduate of Senzoku Gakuen College of Music's jazz course. He has performed in several heavy metal, rock and jazz bands as a guitarist. Koganemaru also made appearances in several major international music festivals, including the Wacken Open Air 2013 in Germany with Mysterious Priestess, a band which he previously led. Currently, he is a member of the deep-funk group Zainichi Funk.