Live jazz venue

Travelling to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto end Nov, my wife and I (in our 50's) would love to visit any live jazz venue, bar, restaurant etc, preferably not too expensive although we expect there will be a cover charge, and preferably in an easily accessible (and interesting) neighbourhood as we don't speak Japanese but have been to the above cities several times.

"Blue Note Tokyo" is a popular live Jazz venue.
http://www.bluenote.co.jp/jp/

A couple of places in Tokyo I've been to and can recommend (I'm also in my 50s) are:

Sometime in Kichijoji:
http://www.sometime.co.jp/sometime/index.html

Naru in Ochanomizu:
http://www.jazz-naru.com

They're both small and intimate, reasonably priced (for Tokyo) and with friendly staff.

There's a comprehensive list of Tokyo live jazz venues at the following website under "clubs and venues":
http://jazzinjapan.com

Here are some Tokyo jazz clubs, with maps, as well as jazz cafes: http://www.whereintokyo.com/dbinx/jazz.html

I do not know of a jazz, Manhattan Transfer is coming to Billboard Live.
Tokyo 11/23
Osaka 11/26, 27
http://www.billboard-live.com/
Information seems to not on still Cotton Club.
http://www.cottonclubjapan.co.jp/en/

Kyoto
RAG
http://www.timeout.jp/en/kyoto/venue/1087/Rag
http://www.ragnet.co.jp/livespot/date/2014/11
collage
http://www.timeout.jp/en/kyoto/venue/1086/Collage
http://www6.ocn.ne.jp/~collage/collage/schedule.html
zac baran
http://www.timeout.jp/en/kyoto/venue/1208/Zac-Baran
http://www.secondhouse.co.jp/zacbaran_live.html

Gee, thanks a lot guys, now I have a lot to choose from and am looking forward to my trip !

Thanks tokyo friend 48. I guess Blue note Tokyo is one of those venerable "institutions". Is it a touristy place or mostly locals ? I see their music charge is quite expensive, do they have cheaper rates for say a shorter duration as we don't need to stay for the full session and since there will be 3 of us the total would add to more than yen 20,000.

Blue Note is a venue for international artists, and it costs money to bring them over here on tour, so that's what they charge. (And no, it's not "touristy" - few places are.)

Most of the other places on those lists showcase local artists, and are cheaper.

The Cotton Club and Billboard Live and Blue Note, famous musicians since starring many, it is not cheap too.

Interesting that no one has asked the OP where he is staying.

But I would also say that Sometime would be one of the best options, as they mostly have local bands meaning that they are less expensive and low-key. Kichijoji itself is an interesting neighbourhood in terms of culture. Not too big, not too small, and "accessible" as long as you are coming from the right places.

Surely the likes of Bluenote are the spotlessly best (with an exquisit sellection of wines), but I don't think that's what Ben is looking for on this occasion.

"Blue Note Tokyo" is not a cheap Jazz venue because of inviting international musicians around the world.


JZ Brat Sound of Tokyo in Shibuya is another Jazz Bar & Reataurant located in Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel.
http://www.jzbrat.com/

Thanks guys for helping. As Uco said, international artists are not what we are looking for on this occasion, sorry didn't make this clear. We live in LA and Singapore. More interested in sampling jazz in Japan. Am aware of "Sometime"in Kichijoji and the lady who runs it and yes Kichijoji is interesting and often ranked as one of the best areas to live in Tokyo. Sometime is fine but if I had my choice would go for somewhere in between Sometime and JZ.Brat but hey you guys have given me a lot for thought so thanks.

I have never been to there, but I think Satin Doll of Roppongi also good.
Famous musicians of Japan starring Sometimes, price is not high up there.
http://www.leglant.com/satindoll/
http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1307/A130701/13013633/
There is also Alfie in Roppongi.
http://homepage1.nifty.com/live/alfie/index.html
There have been to once suites Basil, it is recommended, but does not seem to show.
Pit of Shinjuku is also famous.
http://www.pit-inn.com/index.html

Sorry.
Pit is a mistake of the Pit in.

I'm not sure, but you might want to try the following places as well, because the venues tend to feature musicians who are unknown but very good, meaning musicians who don't really seek fame, but aren't amateur-minded either. And once in a while, the venues welcome famous locals.

Although Meguro, where Blue Alley is, is not that interesting in the evening, Nakameguro, where Rakuya is, is quite fun nowadays. I've never entered Blue Alley, but Rakuya serves pretty good food too. You can do Meguro during the day and go to Nakameguro in the evening.

Lastly, if you ever decide to come to the harbor city of Yokohama, Motion Blue is not that expensive compared to its great status, and again, the unknown treasures they feature on stage. Some would just hop on a tiny stage at the edge of Tokyo one night and other musicians would go, "Hey, she's doing Motion Blue next month!" Motion Blue is situated inside an old brick warehouse, and the building has a cozy balcony you can have cocktails on.

Oh, but if you're coming to Yokohama, of course, Windjammer is among the oldest live jazz bars.

Rakuya
http://rakuya.asia/top.shtml

Blues Alley
http://www.bluesalley.co.jp/aboutus/aboutus.html

Motion Blue
http://www.motionblue.co.jp/

Windjammer
http://r.gnavi.co.jp/a081900/

Thanks guys you are great. Have been to Meguro for Hanami. Yokohama is great but maybe a bit far after work.

It was listed in the advertisement in the newspaper today.
Montreux Jazz Festival in Japan Kawasaki will be held in Kawasaki.
It is 21 to 30 November.
The main contents is here.
http://www.montreuxjazz.jp/kawasaki/2014/program/
http://ticket.pia.jp/pia/ticketInformation.do?eventCd=1436606&rlsCd=00...
It is he'll be on sale from September 1.

Thanks haro1210. I have 2 problems :
1...Can't understand the website as we don't speak Japanese.
2...Visitors who cannot provide an address in Japan cannot buy any tickets for concerts, plays, sports events etc. No one has been able to tell me why that is. Have known this for many years as I am a fan of Matsu Takako and tried many times to get tickets to her concerts. In 2013, I went to the Ticketpia counter on the top floor of a departo (forget the name) opposite Ueno station and they would not sell me any tickets for a soccer match.

If the hotel stay of you are determined, there is a possibility for me to buy instead to concierge.
I think commission would take.
A credit company that I own, there is also a ticket agency service.
Maybe, there is a possibility for me to buy instead at the travel agency.
The home page, you can read about if the translation.
It was a link of Pia is, information of Bob Mintzer Big Band is because not listed only on the page.
Takako Matsu has been dubbed anime popular "Frosen" and (Japanese name : Ana-to-yuki-no-jyou) even now.