Japan Jazz Nights will bring four contemporary Japanese jazz acts to Australia in October 2026, with performances scheduled across seven cities as Australia and Japan mark 50 years since their Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.
by Paul Cashmere
Japan Jazz Nights will bring a cross-section of Japan’s contemporary jazz scene to Australia in October, with BIGYUKI, STEREO CHAMP, Tenors In Chaos and Misaki UMEI scheduled for performances in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Hobart.
The national programme has been organised by The Japan Foundation and Eight Islands Co. to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Japan and Australia. The tour combines established international players with younger artists working across jazz, hip-hop, electronic music and improvisation.
The Australian programme begins with BIGYUKI at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival on October 16, followed by a free performance at Fed Square on October 17. BIGYUKI will then continue to Adelaide, Perth and Hobart, while the other artists undertake performances in Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane.
Japan Jazz Nights reflects the growing international attention directed towards contemporary Japanese jazz. Rather than presenting a single interpretation of the genre, the programme brings together musicians whose work crosses traditional jazz boundaries and incorporates electronic production, hip-hop, contemporary composition and improvisation.
The series also includes collaborations with Australian musicians at selected performances. The initiative is intended to use music as a means of strengthening cultural connections between the two countries during the anniversary year.
BIGYUKI, based in New York, is a keyboardist, composer and producer who began piano at six and studied at Berklee College of Music. His subsequent work has included collaborations with Lauryn Hill, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper and J. Cole. He also performed and co-wrote material for A Tribe Called Quest’s final album. His work connects jazz with hip-hop and electronic music.
STEREO CHAMP is led by guitarist and composer May INOUE, with bassist Ren YAMAMOTO among the principal co-writers. The six-piece combines composed structures with improvisation, featuring Shinpei RUIKE on trumpet, Shota WATANABE on piano, keyboards, synthesiser and kettle, Yasushi FUKUMORI on drums and James MACAULAY on trombone.
Tenors In Chaos brings together tenor saxophonists Yu KUGA, Akihiro NISHIGUCHI and Tomoaki BABA, supported by David BRYANT on piano, Takashi SUGAWA on bass and Kazu ODAGIRI on drums. Formed in Kobe in 2021, the group released Chaos in 2023 and More Chaos in 2025. Their Blue Note Tokyo debut sold out immediately.
Misaki UMEI represents a younger generation of Japanese musicians. Born in Hyogo in 2002, UMEI studied composition at Tokyo College of Music and works as a pianist, electronic producer and singer. Her 2025 album Asleep Above Creatures was nominated for the APPLE VINEGAR -Music Award- 2026.
The programme provides Australian audiences with several different entry points into contemporary Japanese jazz, from BIGYUKI’s international collaborations to the improvisational approach of STEREO CHAMP and the electronic and acoustic work of UMEI.
Tour Dates
October 16, Melbourne, Max Watt’s
October 17, Melbourne, Fed Square
October 18, Adelaide, Oddio
October 19, Sydney, Details TBA
October 22, Melbourne, Chapel Off Chapel
October 23, Perth, Liberty Theatre
October 23, Brisbane, Details TBA
October 23, Canberra, Molly
October 24, Canberra, Canberra Nara Peace Park
October 25, Perth, Liberty Theatre
October 25, Hobart, The Barn
October 29, Sydney, Heaps Normal Health Club
Ticket Details
Tickets and event information are available through the individual festival and venue listings. Admission to the October 17 Melbourne and October 24 Canberra performances is free.
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