TIME & STYLE JAZZ

Time & Style has long sought to shape environments where furniture, architecture, art, and music come together naturally, creating spaces that enrich everyday life through comfort, beauty, and experience.

Rooted in traditional Japanese craftsmanship while embracing contemporary ways of living, these spaces have also found a natural connection with the sophistication of modern jazz as an art form. Though born from very different histories, traditional Japanese craftsmanship and modern jazz both remain open to the world. It is perhaps through this openness that they naturally complement one another.

Beyond aesthetics, they also share a similar purpose. Both seek to bring beauty, comfort, reflection, and a deeper sense of humanity into everyday life. The quiet material beauty of handcrafted objects and the spontaneity of improvisation create a contrast that enriches the atmosphere itself, allowing spaces to feel not only functional, but emotionally alive.

Even the instruments themselves reveal this connection. The wood shaped by a double bass luthier, the precise casting and engineering of a saxophone, the resonance of a piano, or the hand-hammered surface of a cymbal all reflect a dialogue between craftsmanship, material, and expression. They are objects created not only for function, but to carry human presence through time.

Jazz has held a unique and enduring place within Japanese cultural life for decades. From intimate jazz kissas and live houses to dedicated listeners, collectors, and musicians, Japan has cultivated a deep appreciation for the music, not only as entertainment, but as an art form experienced with attention and care. This long relationship with jazz has made it possible for music to exist naturally within the atmosphere of Time & Style.

From the beginning, music has been an essential part of the Time & Style experience. The desire to create opportunities for people to encounter remarkable live performances in intimate settings led naturally to the continuation of concerts within our spaces, and eventually to the creation of the jazz label, TIME & STYLE JAZZ.

Over the years, these performances have become part of the atmosphere and identity of Time & Style itself, connecting musicians, listeners, and spaces through a shared sense of closeness and presence. Among the artists closely connected to this history is the Kei Akagi Trio, whose recordings for TIME & STYLE JAZZ have formed an important part of the label’s journey. Four albums have been released to date: Liquid Blue (2006), Circle Point (2014), Contrast & Form (2016), and Aqua Puzzle (2017).