By DownBeat I Dec. 9, 2025
Tenors In Chaos will be among the artists performing at the inaugural Winter Jazzfest Tokyo on Feb. 7.
(Photo: Courtesy Winter Jazzfest)
New York’s Winter Jazzfest will be coming to Tokyo in the winter of 2026.
Founded in 2005 in Manhattan with the concept of inheriting the rebellious spirit of jazz and transforming culture and society through the power of music, Winter Jazzfest has contributed to expanding the jazz audience with young and diverse music fans. It now spans the entire New York area, showcasing up-and-coming sounds while respecting jazz’s heritage. As a showcase for contemporary jazz, it has become a festival where industry professionals from around the world gather to discover new talent.
In support of the spirit of Winter Jazzfest New York, the first-ever Winter Jazzfest Tokyo will take place on Feb. 7. The Tokyo edition will kick off at WWW X, a venue in Shibuya that has been promoting cutting-edge music culture for 10 years.
Winter Jazzfest Tokyo aims to serve as a bridge between the music cultures of New York and Japan, and to spread the power and joy of music to the world.
“We are thrilled that after over two decades of presenting the best young jazz artists to our New York City audience, Winter Jazzfest is now coming to Tokyo in February,” said Brice Rosenbloom, founder of Winter Jazzfest. “We are especially excited to share the band Freedom Riders featuring New York-based musicians performing for the first time with Japanese musicians in Tokyo. We are confident that with the support of Atsuko Yashima and her Eight Islands team, Winter Jazzfest will thrive in Tokyo, celebrating the next generation of talented musicians to a growing audience for jazz in Japan.”
In addition to Freedom Riders (with bassist Luke Stewart, drummer Joe Dyson, pianist Carmen Staaf and alto saxophonist Alfredo Colón), other artists scheduled to appear at Winter Jazzfest Tokyo include Tenors In Chaos (with tenor saxophonists Tomoaki Baba, Yu Riku and Akihiro Nishiguchi), soul vocalist Nao Yoshioka and pianist/keyboardist Kiefer (performing with bassist Carrtoons and drummer Diego Ramirez).
For tickets and information on Winter Jazzfest Tokyo, CLICK HERE. DB
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