Piedmont Piano Company is pleased to present
Akira Tana and
Friends from Osaka
Drummer Akira Tana invites musicians from Osaka, Hammond B3 organist Atsuko Hashimoto, guitarist Yutaka Hashimoto, and tenor saxophonist Hideki Kawamura, to share the stage for an evening of swinging, unadulterated jazz organ music, in the spirit of jazz organ master Jimmy Smith. The group will celebrate the CD release of their October 2016 live performance in Kobe under the leadership of Mr. Kawamura. They will be joined by jazz vocalist virtuoso Nicolas Bearde.
JAZZ AFTERPARTY!
Please join us after the show at Shinmai restaurant, just across the intersection at 1825 San Pablo, for a fun jazz afterparty. We’re rolling a piano across the street for this inaugural music event at our favorite Oakland restaurant. Listen to great jazz from members of the Osaka band, Piedmont Piano Company staff, and special guests. Shinmai will provide some delicious appetizers and there will be no host cocktails, beer, wine and sake - or order dinner if you like. Start time 6PM - if you can’t make the show, come for the party!
$20 General Admission
Born and raised in California, Akira Tana earned degrees from Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music. Tana has worked with Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Zoot Sims, Hubert Laws, Milt Jackson, Jim Hall, Art Farmer, The Paul Winter Consort, Paquito D'Rivera, James Moody, J.J. Johnson, Lena Horne, The Manhattan Transfer, Ruth Brown, Charles Aznavour, Maurice Hines, and Van Dyke Parks. He has appeared on over 150 recordings.
Tana co-led a quintet with the bassist, Rufus Reid called TanaReid, has five releases, Yours and Mine and Passing Thoughts, on Concord Records and Blue Motion and Looking Forward, and Back to Front, on Evidence Music. On Sons of Sound, Akira has two releases as a leader, Moon Over the World and Secret Agent Men. The third US releasee on Sons of Sound as a leader is a project by the Secret Agent Men Band playing themes from the movies of James Bond, entitled Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, featuring the vocalist, Annie Sellick. Just released in Japan is a project entitled JAZZaNOVA on Vega Records that features the vocalists, Claudio Amaral, Claudia Villela, Jackie Ryan, Carla Helmbrecht, and Sandy Cressman. Guest artists include Branford Marsalis and Arturo Sandoval. This project will be released in the US in 2017. A recent release as a leader is a recording entitled Otonowa, which features jazz interpretations of Japanese folk and pop melodies that date as far back as the 1800s. The newest release for Otonowa, the group’s name, is Stars Across the Ocean. This group has completed four tours of Tohoku performing and teaching for communites still rebuilding from the Earthquake/Tsunamai of 2011. An active teacher and clinician, Tana has taught at Rutgers University, Queens College, Jersey City State College, New York University, and is currently on the faculty at San Francisco State University and the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley, CA.
Mr. Tana is a product endorser of YAMAHA DRUMS, SABIAN CYMBALS, and VIC FIRTH STICKS. akiratana.com
Recording artist Nicolas Bearde, a seasoned and highly respected showman, has established himself as a powerful presence in the contemporary jazz vocal mileu over this past decade. His silky baritone sound invites comparisons to Johnny Hartman, Lou Rawls, and Joe Williams, and his wit and engaging rapport captures and draws the audience into his live performances. From the international stages of jazz festivals/performances at North Sea, Montreaux, Beijing, Moscow and London to famed jazz clubs such as: Birdland in NY, Blue Note in Napa, SF Jazz Center and Yoshi’s, Nicolas has received rave reviews for his vocal prowess. He has recorded 5 solo albums on the Right Groove Label, his latest CD “ Invitation” having soared to #16 on the Jazz Week Charts, with a 6th album to be released in early 2019 that will capture the essence of Nat “King” Cole, (as the 100th Anniversary of his birth approaches). In addition to Holiday classics and carols, Nicolas will also delve into some of Nat’s timeless hits for this performance nicolasbearde.com
Born in Osaka, Japan, Atsuko Hashimoto playing organ at the age of four. At age 18, she started working for Hammond Japan, giving live organ demonstrations and instruction as a Hammond-certified teacher. At the 40th Naniwa Arts Festival in 2003, she received several awards for her outstanding achievements in music including the Shoji Nakayama Jazz Award, the Progressive Musician's Prize, and awards from both the Governor and Mayor of Osaka. She has a toured with Jeff Hamilton and Houston Person on West Coast and performed at Port-Townsend Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival, Frank DeMiero Jazz Festival and more. She currently maintains a busy schedule performing and teaching in Osaka.
Hideki Kawamura was born into a musical family in Kobe. He began playing sax around age 12. He graduated Osaka Music University. During that time he began to playing with Makoto Nakamura,Noriko Ueda. He has playing with many different ensembles and he became a member of Human Soul and released four CDs. Also he lived in New York for a while to take lessons from his mentor Ron Blake. In 2000,he moved to Tokyo and performed with many musicians such as Shigeharu Mukai and Norihide Shiota. He currently lives in Kobe and works with many Kansai musicians. In addition to performing, Hideki has acted as a sax instructor in Osaka Music University. In 2016, he received the Naniwa Jazz Award from both the Governor and Mayor of Osaka. He recorded his debut album in October 2016 with Akira Tana (drums), Yutaka Hashimoto (guitar), and Atsuko Hashimoto (organ).
Yutaka Hashimoto was born in Osaka. He began playing guitar around age 14. He studied under Satoshi Inoue. He quickly began working with many Kansai musicians. He had a chance to perform with Dr. Lonnie Smith and had a tour with Bill Heid and Scott Peterson in Japan. In 2002, he performed at San Jose Jazz Festival, and also the White Noise International Jazz Festival. He has performed and recorded with Atsuko Hashimoto, Takayuki Yagi, Harvey Thompson and Jeff Hamilton in addition to others. In 2014 recorded his album Hear You with Wil Blade (organ), Dylan Hicks (drums) and Hideki Kawamura (tenor sax). In 2015 he received NANIWA Jazz Award from both the Governor and Mayor of Osaka.