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 third 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 Yusuke Sase on trumpet, jamming together to create various styles of live performance ranging from solo and duo to group. Expect lots of improvisation, much like in New York's famed 1970s Loft Jazz scene.
Moreover, 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 Fumimoto Brewery. This boutique sake maker may be the smallest of its kind in Kochi prefecture, but it's a well-established brewery with 120 years of history. More importantly, Fumimoto is known for its innovation, particularly for its sake pouches (as opposed to the usual glass bottles) with labels designed in collaboration with local artists.
On this jazzy evening, you can enjoy two premium varieties of Fumimoto sake including the Kirameki (served as a highball) and Shimanto junmai daiginjo (served as a shochu cocktail). There’s also an amazake made with the malted rice from the sake. Better yet, these drinks are served in an exclusive Tokyo Beats & Brews sake box.
In addition, due to its popularity during the previous events, we have collaborated with Fumimoto Brewery to prepare sake-tasting sets (with a special sake box included) that will be available for purchase at the venue.
Tickets that include the sake-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
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.
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: Yusuke Sase
Born in Hokkaido, Sase began his professional career as a trumpeter while studying at the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. He now works as a musician for TV commercials and regularly performs live at jazz events. In 2021, Sase released ‘#1’, his debut album with six original tracks, created in collaboration with several leading artists in the Japanese jazz scene.