It's often been noted, sadly but accurately, that classic American pop culture retains more popularity overseas than it does here in the homeland. Jazz, which I personally think is the greatest of all native art forms, hasn't been a chart-topping commodity since the 1950s, really, not counting the crossover popularity of vocalists like Sinatra, Torme and Sarah Vaughn, and even then it was sidelined by mainstream pop 'n' pap and the emerging cultural juggernaut of rock 'n' roll. (Go ahead, think of a major jazz standard that played in all the jukes besides Dave Brubeck's Take 5—Miles Davis was a household name, but never a regular Top 40 contender.)

These days, on these shores, Jazz is relegated to a few bold radio stations (like the San Francisco Bay Area's venerable KCSM) and trend-bucking venues making a last stand against Hip Hop Imperialism and generalized musical amnesia. Across the Pacific, Japanese artists continue the tradition of offering a safe haven for "the music" with their own authentic interpretations of jazz standards.

The duo compromising Boalusa, Tesshin and Dai, with various backup musicians and vocalists, offer a fun, frolicking, rollicking collection of 30s/40s R&B bliss, Talking About Dime, (Get Hip Records) in the mode of Cab Calloway ("Minnie the Moocher" is covered), the Mills Brothers and especially Louis Jordan. They even offer a snazzy, offbeat take on David Rose's ultra-American instro "Holiday for Strings." Meantime, the sultrier combo of Smokin' Martini offer a potpourri of beat noir saxiness, including righteous covers of "Birth of the Blues" and Bird's "Ornithology" along with the self-reflective title track, "Smokin' Martini."

For something completely different, check out the trippy tropical-tinged Dixieland tunes of the mouth-mangling Futarinori + Little Fats & Swingin' Hot Shot Party, on their EP Fat Joyhum 2 (Get Hip Records), post-punk hula-hipsters with a swaying sound perfectly suited to standards like "Runnin' Wild" and "Honeysuckle Rose," conjuring images of Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller steaming up a Honolulu sailor's dive.

These imports offer reassuring proof that Jazz lives in the 21st Century, America's gift to the world that keeps right on giving back to us.

Will "The Thrill" Viharo is a freelance writer, host of the film series “Forbidden Thrills” at Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge, and creator of the long running cult movie cabaret “Thrillville.” He lives in Alameda, CA with his wife Monica “Tiki Goddess” Cortes and their two cats. His pulp novels “A Mermaid Drowns in the Midnight Lounge,” "Chumpy Walnut," and "Down a Dark Alley" are now available at http://stores.lulu.com/willviharo For more please surf over to www.thrillville.net