Results for "Japan"

Flamenco-jazz Fusion Crosses Borders At The First International Oh! Jazz Festival In Japan

May 1, 2025

Flamenco Jazz Festival Japan Hightlights The inaugural Flamenco Jazz Festival Japan will blend Spanish flamenco traditions with jazz in iconic venues such as the historic Kencho-Ji Temple. It will take place between May 22 and 31 in the cities of Tokyo, Yokohama and Kamakura The Flamenco Jazz Festival Japan redefines the traditional jazz festival experience by ...

Sora Ichikawa: Straying in Alpacas

by Scott Lichtman
March 21, 2025

The song “Straying in Alpacas" is an immensely satisfying and hard-driving tune, filled with melodic turns, alto peals, rhythmic stops, and thundering walking bass lines. While it sounds as if it could come from Steps Ahead or Yellowjackets in an earlier era, the piece is actually a concoction of rising Japanese pianist Sora Ichikawa. Ichikawa released ...

Sora Ichikawa

Born: May 7, 1998

Sora Ichikawa is a Japanese jazz pianist, composer, singer-songwriter.

He began learning classical piano at the age of 4. At 14, he was deeply impressed by ragtime piano, which inspired him to pursue jazz music.

In 2017, he entered Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. He graduated at the top of his class from the jazz course at the same college in 2021. In May 2023, he released his first album, "Genseki!!!!!!" digitally. Later that year, in August, he participated in the Seiko Summer Jazz Camp and won the Best Arrange & Composition Award. In May 2024, the physical CD version of his first album was released. He is active not only in jazz but also in genres such as pop, R&B, and contemporary music. In addition to performing, he also produces music and composes tracks using DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations).

Yuki Yamamura

Born: June 25, 1990

Born in Inagi Tokyo and raised Fujisawa Kanagawa in Japan , he began playing electric bass in bands at the age of 15. He played energetically with his own group, and participated in the prefectural competition as a member of the Fujisawa Comprehensive High School Light Music Club, and in 2007 he participated in the finals of the Yokohama High School Music Festival in Yokohama Arena, won the Kanto Koshinetsu region in a competition sponsored by Yamaha in 2008, and appeared on the music program "Otomoe" on the Nippon Television Network.After entering university, he joined a big band club and began playing jazz and the contrabass

Michika Fukumori

Born on Japan's main island, Michika grew up in the city of Mie and began playing the piano at the age of three. Within the next three years, she was composing and performing her own music. After studying classical composition at Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, Michika studied with renowned Japanese pianist Colgen Suzuki and began working professionally at various jazz clubs in and around Tokyo.

In 2000, she moved to the United States and studied with Ron Carter and Geri Allen at City College of New York, while also taking private lessons under the tutelage of Steve Kuhn. She earned her Master’s Degree at CCNY in 2003.

Michiyo Yagi

Born: November 21

Michiyo Yagi studied koto under the late Tadao Sawai, Kazue SawaiandSatomi Kurauchi, andgraduated from the NHK Professional Training School for TraditionalMusicians. Between 1989 and1990 she was Visiting Professor of Music at Wesleyan University inConnecticut, U.S.A. During hertenure she premiered numerous modern compositions for koto andcameunder the influence ofmaverick American composers such as John Cage, Conlon Nancarrow,andJohn Zorn.

Her solo koto CD "Shizuku" was produced by Zorn and released on theTzadik label in 1999. In 2001she recorded "Yural" with her koto ensemble Paulownia Crush for theEastWorks label. Under theauspices of the Japan Foundation, Michiyo toured Russia withPaulowniaCrush in the fall of 2004.Subsequent CD releases include "Seventeen" (Zipangu, 2005), entirelyrecorded on the giant 17-stringbass koto, and "Live! at SuperDeluxe" (Idiolect/Bomba, 2006), a trioperformance with bassistIngebrigt Håker Flaten and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love. A studiorecordingwith Dresser andRothenberg, a duo album with Sharp, a “Nordic” session with EivindAarsetand Raymond Pellicer, andlive recordings of the touring trio Brötzmann/Yagi/Nilssen-Love areforthcoming. An eclecticperformer who continually challenges conventions, Michiyo has madefrequent appearances onJapanese TV and has performed at the Kongsberg Jazz, Moers Jazz,Punkt,Musique ActuelVictoriaville, Archipel, Bang on a Can, Tokyo Summer, and VisionFestivals.

Satoko Fujii: Composing Beyond the Jazz Spirit

by Lawrence Peryer
August 17, 2024

Today, the Spotlight shines On pianist and composer Satoko Fujii, an incredibly unique and prolific artist.Satoko works at the intersection of jazz, contemporary classical, rock, and traditional Japanese music, composing for ensembles of many sizes and configurations. However, she is especially adept with the jazz orchestra format. For all of her efforts, Satoko is ...

The Joy of Kissa

by Peter Jones
June 4, 2024

Just before a recent visit to Japan, essential reading arrived at home in the form of Philip Arneill's book Tokyo Jazz Joints (reviewed by Ian Patterson). Well, we all know that jazz is big in Japan, right? Certainly, jazz is a common backdrop to many everyday experiences in that country. You hear it in ...

Tokyo Jazz Joints: Capturing An Old Love Story

by Ian Patterson
December 28, 2023

Could you imagine coffee shops in any North American or European city that played jazz non-stop all day, or bars where, variously, as you quenched your thirst, you heard only Blue Note Records, free-jazz or the music of, say, Miles Davis, according to the bar owner's tastes? Could you imagine such places where speaking is not ...

Seiki Yukimoto

Born: July 6, 1963

After spending his early adult years on the lower east side of New York City studying and eventually playing trumpet with his roommate the acclaimed trumpeter Don Cherry, Seiki “Yuki” Yukimoto returned to Osaka, Japan with a renewed musical vision. His inspiration led him to form Soulbleed, a group famous for its jam sessions and passionate style. Seiki Yukimoto plays both the trumpet and quena at these usually sold out events.

As an homage to the city that gave him so much inspiration and is his musical muse, Seiki Yukimoto has returned to New York to play a concert almost yearly since 2008. He assembles a group of living Jazz legends for this explosive and dynamic performance featuring Soulbleed East Meets West.