Photo: Masayoshi Takanaka
In the world of Masayoshi Takanaka, jazz-fusion melts into tropical daydreams. It glides in on a breeze, digs its toes in the sand, and suddenly you’re somewhere warmer, brighter and maybe even a little more carefree.
Whether you met him falling from the sky with a perfect slick back on “All of Me,” lounging on the beach with “Brasilian Skies” or hunting for treasure with “Rainbow Goblins,” Takanaka has spent decades making a name for himself as a singularly joyful guitarist and composer, and what’s more, a Japanese city pop legend. He lands in Chicago on April 7 as part of his Super Takanaka World Tour 2026, a long-awaited global run that’s already proven his enduring influence. All five initial dates sold out almost instantaneously, prompting new shows to be added worldwide. For his U.S. devotees, it’s a rare opportunity to see a favorite cult icon who has spent much of his career just out of reach.
For hardcore fusion fans, Takanaka’s appeal is obvious. He’s a master of tone that can make even the most technical guitar passages feel effortless, playful and nostalgic. He champions precision with such ease it feels almost unfair. If you’ve spent time watching his performances online, you already know what Chicago is in for: part jazz, part samba, part spiral into cascading and electrifying solos that never once lose direction.
What makes this tour feel distinct, however, is who’s discovering him now. Thanks to YouTube rabbit holes and an algorithm-led city pop revival, Takanaka’s impressive catalog has fallen on the ears of young listeners, perhaps most notably, video-game fans drawn to his bright and melodic sonic inclinations. His music could easily soundtrack a lost-era arcade game. It’s colorful, kinetic, endless ear candy. It comes as no surprise that in an era of perfectly packaged aesthetic and hyper-curated branded media output, audiences new and old are finding comfort in his unforced sound. It’s earnest, genuine and unapologetically optimistic.
Photo: Masayoshi Takanaka
And maybe that’s the thing about Takanaka. No matter when or how you find him, the effect is the same. It’s near impossible to press play and not find yourself smiling.
That sense of neon-covered joy carries over into his live shows as well. Takanaka’s showmanship is as equally renowned as his skill. Don’t be surprised if you see him in a vibrant Hawaiian shirt, wielding a surfboard-shaped guitar, treating the stage like his own personal playground. In a city where jazz runs deep, his arrival feels like a long-overdue detour. After a long Chicago winter, maybe a bit of tropical escapism is exactly what we need.
Masayoshi Takanaka performs at the Aragon Ballroom, 1106 West Lawrence, on April 7. Tickets available here.
