Jazz in Japan

渋谷ココ

An intense dynamo of a club

Himawari Building 2F, 2-26-5 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0043
(03)3463-8226
〒150-0043 東京都渋谷区道玄坂2-26-5　ひまわりビル2階

Shibuya Station (JR Yamanote Line, Saikyo Line, Shonan Shinjuku Line, Tokyu Toyoko Line, Tokyu Denentoshi Line, Keio Inokashira Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line, Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line)

Shibuya station. From Hachiko Square, go across the intersection towards the Shibuya 109 building. Veer to the left up the large street, going uphill to the second street on the right. Go under the overhead sign with a huge yellow ramen shop on the corner. Ahead, you’ll see a Lawson convenience store. Walk to the Lawson and turn right. You can see the orange-yellow Ko-Ko sign on a building about 50 meters ahead. The club is on the second floor. Ko-Ko is smack in the middle of the love hotel section of Shibuya, if that helps you locate it more easily.

Cover charge ranges from 2,500 to 3,300 yen. Two sets from 20:00 to 22:30 every night except Monday. Sundays and Tuesdays are jam sessions starting at 19:00 or 19:30 and 3,100 jam session charge.

https://jazz-koko.com
https://www.jazzinjapan.com/clubs-and-venues/koko

An intense dynamo of a club, Ko-Ko has expanded from its long-ago spot, Sonoka, in Meguro and the smaller-sized first space, upgrading, enlarging, and nice-ning things up bit by bit to the just-right form it is in today. That makes Ko-Ko an easy place to hang out and hear good, solid music. The name, of course, has multiple meanings, coming from a Charlie Parker song title. But of course, “koko” is also the Japanese word for “Here!” The club draws a bit from each of those allusions, but Parker’s intensity is the influence.

Most of the groups playing at Ko-Ko dig into quick-tempo-ed, long-soloing jazz. They come here to let fly. The space is just right for being close enough to feel part of the proceedings but still being large enough to relax. Many nights offer vocals, and not every band jams long and loud, but the exciting bebop vibe, no doubt also influenced by the love hotels and cheap bars in the area, is the predominant one.

Part of the appeal of Ko-Ko is that the musicians like to interact and drive each other to better, faster, or more interesting playing. Musicians like to try out old songs, dig into standards with a new attitude, and interact on the bandstand in a truly improvised fashion. That makes for earthy, serious music with the right degree of spontaneity. The sense is not so much of having to worry what the audience would think, but neither do the musicians lag into jam session mode, either. Except when it is a jam session, and then the evening is great fun of another sort, with musicians jumping in for in-the-moment arrangements and lots of supportive interaction.

If Shibuya did not have a club like Ko-Ko amid all its other offerings, it would have to be invented. Food and drink are right to the point here, but certainly with no fancy frills of any kind. There are fill-me-up, cheese-based dishes, pasta, and the usual finger food, all good. That’s good enough in the middle of Shibuya, where you can find whatever you like to eat or drink before or after the show.

Ko-Ko is always a short walk up the hill and in the middle of a lively area. Its location seems fitting since jazz was a music born in the pleasure quarters of New Orleans. Ko-Ko’s jazz fits perfectly into the lively evening hills of Shibuya.