JZ Brat
ジェイジーブラット サウンドオブトウキョウ
Celurian Tower, Tokyu Hotel 2F, 26-1 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku, (03)5728-0168.
〒150-0031 東京都渋谷区桜丘町26-1 セルリアンタワー東急ホテル2階
Cover charge is from 4,000 to 9,000 yen, but more for special guests. Usually pay separately for different sets. Time and sets depend on the artist, but usually the live starts at 19:00 or 19:30. For some shows, students can get in at a discount.
Shibuya Station (many lines). From the Tokyu Plaza west exit of Shibuya station, head south towards the overhead highway, route 246. Walk uphill along the highway (away from Aoyama towards Sangenjaya) about 100 meters. On the left you will see the huge, multi-story Tokyu Hotel in a thing called the “Cerulean Tower.” On the second floor, wander around to the “back” following the guide map of the hotel complex.
Everything except the name JZ Brat speaks of elegance at this Shibuya club with nightly music. From the elegantly dressed, attractive staff in constant microphone contact to the under-floor lighting and retro-60s designs, JZ Brat tries hard. And almost always, they succeed. That aside, the club does not jam you in cheek and jowl and the service is excellent, if a bit hotel-like.
Fortunately, JZ Brat offers an excellent selection of players. Whoever chooses the bands knows his/her stuff. The musicians span a variety of genres and styles, but are consistently top-notch and well established in Tokyo’s jazz scene. Singers are especially common. The sound system is excellent, though, making the club one of the best places to really hear a singer's voice, without either a karaoke or tinny speaker sound. Other nights, though, JZB (sounds better than Brat) offers quality bebop, modern, and hard-swinging jazz, as well as the occasional pop-oriented rhythm and blues act. Musicians like to play here.
If a criticism were to be made, it would be that many groups make their sound nicer than usual, influenced perhaps by the elegant surroundings. Once a month or so, jazz groups from abroad play. On those nights the cover charge increases, which is understandable, but the club also reverts to the "Blue Note" system of getting one set only. Even if you pay for the second set, the songs are often the same as the first. Ask ahead, or check it out during the break with the musicians, who usually hang at a table in the back.
The sound system is solid and clear, with large blue cushioning pads along the back wall helping the interior acoustics. The mixing board is always just right, though occasionally you can get stuck behind a huge central pillar. It's good not to have the ceiling fall in, but be sure to get there early for a good seat (and good value). The food is carefully prepared, and quite good, with a range of neo-European dishes and daily specials. Once inside, though, it is quite easy to sink into the fancy atmosphere, and the surroundings don't really matter anyway once the music soaks in and carries you away.
Masaaki Ueda