An intimate Jazz Festival in the Mega-city

Well... the Kaslo Jazz Festival has its' scenery, the Montreal Jazz Festival has its' crowds and it turns out my school neighbourhood has an amazing Jazz Festival which is all about intimacy. This neighbourhood is a warren of little narrow alleys packed with tiny little restaurants and bars that barely have room for 10 people in them.

Well... little did we know that this area is also a hot bed for jazz and blues. Last weekend the whole area was hopping with jazz with 12 free venues all day then over 50 (!) pubs and bars with Jazz musicians into the wee hours of the morning.

Shelley and I walked around soaking in the beautiful music surrounded by the futuristic buildings and trains of Tokyo mixed with the incredible friendliness and warmth of our neighbours.
check out the site here.

Just to give you a sense of our evening we started in the main huge square...

Check out the train zipping by above. 

 As the evening wore on we wandered into some of the side streets...

 to glory in the intimacy of the little restaurants...

and bars...

And just catch music all over the place...

Suddenly an 85 year old man popped up with his harmonica and got the crowd roaring...

We finished the night at Starbucks (ah... good old Starbucks) that provided the venue for this bluegrass being played by these young guys who spend two years studying music at Boston College!

Feeling totally washed by beautiful music and great energy we hopped on our bikes and cruised without a sound through the narrow quiet streets..

 back home from...ANOTHER amazing day in Tokyo.