UK’s most prominent jazz event Church of Sound marks Japan debut at Tsukiji Honganji

Church of Sound,” one of the most prominent events in the UK jazz scene, will make its first appearance in Japan in September, changing its name to “Temple of Sound” and taking place at five venues in three cities, including Tsukiji Honganji Temple in Tokyo.

The event, held monthly at a church in London, has produced many high-profile artists in recent years, including The Comet Is Coming, Yussef Kamaal, and Nubaiya Garcia. The event is also characterized by the style in which bands form a circle around a speaker tower set up in the center of the venue and the audience spreads out in a concentric circle to enjoy the music, positioning it as a community event where a sense of unity plays an important role.

“Temple of Sound” will be held from September 22 (Fri.) to 30 (Sat.) at five venues in Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka, starting with Tsukiji Honganji Temple. In addition to the carefully selected seasonal artists selected by “Church of Sound,” up-and-coming artists from Japan will also perform.

Among the artists coming to Japan are saxophonist Alabaster Deplume, who has been sampled on Kendrick Lamar’s “The Hillbillies” and has made a name for himself in the music industry. The six groups scheduled to participate in the festival include: the synth and drum unit Soccer96, known for supporting Giles Peterson, and Nala Sinefro, a Belgian of Caribbean descent who released her debut album on Warp Records.

From Japan, ermhoi with The Attention Please, a band formation by ermhoi, known as the vocalist of millennium parade and his band Black Boboi, and NAGAN SERVER, a rapper and wood bassist, Five groups have been announced so far, including NAGAN SERVER and DANCEMBLE, which includes Suchmos’ keyboardist TAIHEI among its players.

The “Temple of Sound” project will also include crowdfunding for tickets to free jam sessions and DJ events, unreleased music and live recordings, signed vinyl records, and more. Details will be announced later.