Jazz Art Sengawa 2011

Sengawa's three-day summit of avant-garde shiznit used to happen in the early days of summer, but this year it's been scheduled to fall a mere week after Tokyo Jazz Festival. If the commercially-minded programming at the latter event left you cold, this could provide the perfect antidote. Jazz Art Sengawa is organised by Koichi Makigami, best known as the vocalist for oddball new wave act Hikashu but also an in-demand improviser. He'll be participating in a variety of shows himself, including with Hikashu and conducting a performance of John Zorn's 'Cobra'. Look out too for appearances by Jim O'Rourke, Eiko Ishibashi, Akira Sakata, poet Kazuko Shiraishi, and koto player Michiyo Yagi's Double Trio – to name but a few. Gigs are held in three different venues, with vocalist Haco conducting an improvising workshop in a fourth, and day tickets gain you access to all of them.