- Could you share the thoughts and ideas behind this mix
I had originally planned to decide the direction of the mix based on the weather, and since it turned out to be a sunny day, I went with an hour-long selection of instrumental jazz—something comfortable for listening, but with a subtle groove you can still move to. I usually play at night, so my sets tend to lean more toward house, disco, or jazz-funk. Thinking about it, I realized I haven’t done a set quite like this one in a while.
- Among the records you played today, were there any tracks you were especially excited to play or particularly wanted to introduce to the audience?
To start with, there’s “Dynamo” from the album One by Ahmad Jamal. I played it as the second-to-last track. Jamal is one of my all-time favorite pianists, and I love this piece in particular. Also, since this year is the Year of the Snake, I thought it would be fitting to play a record with that snake artwork on the cover… Wait, it’s actually the Year of the Horse? (laughs)
Next is “Eu Não Quero Nem Saber” by Mandrake Som. He’s a Brazilian percussionist, and since the weather was so nice this morning, I listened to this on my way over and decided I wanted to include it in the set.
From Japanese jazz, I’d recommend “Last Summer” by Fumio Itabashi, taken from his album Impact.
I also played a track from …Let’s Groove! by Alain Mion. He’s the pianist of the French band Cortex, whom I really like, and this is a relatively recent live recording. It’s a fantastic album, so I’m glad I got to play something from it today.
Lastly, there’s Easter EP by Ashley Henry & The RE:ensemble. Since Easter is coming up, it felt like the right time. The track I played was “The World Is Yours,” a piano arrangement of the classic by Nas. It has quite a different feel from the original, but it’s really cool.
- Your set today mainly featured light, organic jazz and club jazz. What first got you into this kind of music?
I remember being around elementary school age when I first heard The World Is Yours by Nas. When I learned that it sampled Ahmad Jamal, I was deeply moved. Since I played piano myself, discovering the idea of the riff—both as a way of hearing and playing the piano—was a revelation. It really shook me. From there, I found my way into hip-hop and house, and then, through tracing samples back to their sources, I ended up rediscovering jazz. It’s been a continuous loop ever since.
DJ-wise, house has always been my main focus, while the music I listen to most at home tends to be hip-hop and jazz. That’s why club jazz has always felt like the perfect bridge between those worlds, and I’ve listened to it a lot over the years.
For the past seven years or so, I’ve been a resident DJ at THE ROOM in Shibuya, and that experience has only deepened my appreciation for live jazz and club jazz. I feel like I’ve become even more immersed in their appeal.
- You played a few Japanese jazz tracks in your set today, and it looked like you had quite a few more in your record bag as well. What is the appeal of Japanese jazz for you?
I travel overseas fairly often, and digging for local records is always one of the great pleasures of traveling. But at one point, I realized that, despite that, I hadn’t really been buying much Japanese music in Japan.
Once I started digging deeper, I found that so much of it really suited my tastes—both in terms of the music itself and the quality of the recordings. Since then, I’ve completely fallen down the rabbit hole.
It’s not just about easy, immediately danceable records, either. There’s also a lot of deeper music—records that seem to demand the right listener or the right moment, but once you connect with them, they draw you in completely. That’s something I really love.
These days, one of the things I most look forward to when traveling within Japan is visiting record shops in each place I go.
- Your set included not only older classics but also some more recent releases. How do you usually discover and dig for music by current artists?
I keep up with a wide range of contemporary artists, so whenever new music comes out, I give it a listen—and if I like it, I’ll often buy it. I also discover a lot of great music simply through browsing at record shops.
- What do you think is the appeal of DJing with vinyl?
What I love most is the sense of closeness it creates with the music.
Of course, there’s the vivid, tangible sound that records produce, but there’s also the way each one carries its own memories—I can often remember exactly when and where I bought it just by looking at the cover. I even find myself recalling who reacted to a particular record.
As a DJ, there’s also something incredibly enjoyable about being able to select and interact with music in such a physical, hands-on way.
- When you DJ with vinyl, are there any particular points you’re especially particular about? (e.g.: using original pressings whenever possible, being selective about needles or headphones, and so on.)
I have my cartridges custom-tuned at EAD RECORDS. Whenever I want to fine-tune the character of the sound I’m after, I’ll often find myself making small adjustments to the stylus setup.
- Besides DJing, what stimulates your creativity?
Whenever I spend time with my friends, I always come away feeling inspired.
I also really value traveling and exposing myself to different environments—simply being in a different atmosphere from my everyday life can be incredibly refreshing and inspiring.
- What kind of mindset is important to you as a DJ?
I think it comes down to how far you can imagine music’s potential.
A piece of music can reveal entirely different possibilities depending on the place, the moment, and the context in which it’s played. That’s something I’m always aware of, even when I’m simply listening to music in everyday life.
- Do you have any advice for those looking to start a career as a DJ?
There’s nothing quite like the experience of listening to and enjoying music together. Being able to share that joy with others is, to me, one of the greatest things there is.
- What plans do you have for 2026?
I’m scheduled to DJ in Paris this May.
Being able to continue sharing meaningful moments through music, both in Japan and abroad, is something I’m truly grateful for. I’m excited to see where this year takes me and what kind of music I’ll discover along the way.
