LIVE at Piedmont Piano Company
Akiko Tsuruga Organ Trio
Expect to be thrilled by this world-class organ trio. Akiko Tsuruga is one of the most entertaining jazz organists in the world today. A disciple of Dr. Lonnie Smith, she has an uncanny ability to captivate any crowd. Bruce Forman’s guitar prowess places him at the top of his art form, playing Country & Western to Jazz, and his faithful fan-base expects nothing but the best from him. Drummer, Akira Tana has played with the most prestigious jazz artists of our time. From Sonny Rollins to his current touring group, Otonowa, Akira has truly earned his position in the lineage of jazz drumming.
$25 General Admission
We are offering a limited number of tickets to attend this performance in person. Advance purchase is recommended. Masking is encouraged but no longer required.
AKIKO TSURUGA
She’s “Sweet and Funky,” she’s “Cute and Bad”. A Composer. A Performer extraordinaire. The legendary Dr. Lonnie Smith describes her this way: “Akiko's playing is like watching a flower blooming, a bird spreading her wings in the music world. Akiko is here to stay.”
Raised in Osaka, Japan, this talented musician began studying the organ at the age of three, at the famed Yamaha Music School. After discovering her passion for jazz very early on in her musical journey, Akiko launched her career immediately after graduating from the Osaka College of Music. While living and playing in Osaka, she had many opportunities to perform with world-renowned jazz musicians from the United States.
After landing in New York City, it didn’t take long for Akiko to make her mark. She played and recorded with Frank Wess, Jimmy Cobb, Grady Tate and other top NY musicians. Her reputation ultimately drew attention of Lou Donaldson as he chose her in 2006 as his quartet’s organist. But it was the meeting of organ legend Dr. Lonnie Smith that proved to have the greatest impact on Akiko’s musical development and career. He became an important mentor to Akiko, and she considers him her greatest influence. She flourished and continued to be a constant draw on the NY jazz scene.
She has recorded ten albums as a leader and also received the “Swing Journal Rising Star Award” (Japan) in 2010, Hot House Magazine (NYC) Best Organist’ in 2017 and the DOWNBEAT Magazine Critics Poll 2020 Rising Star Organ. akikojazz.com
BRUCE FORMAN
"Bruce Forman is one of the great lights of our age.” – Barney Kessel, Jazz Times
A hectic touring schedule; twenty-one recordings as a leader, countless sideman recordings including Ray Brown, Bobby Hutcherson, Roger Kellaway; soundtrack performances on three of Clint Eastwood’s distinguished films—most notably Academy Award-winning Million Dollar Baby; raconteur, arranger, acclaimed educator, in residence at USC’s Studio/Jazz Guitar Dept., when does Bruce Forman rest?
Deep immersion in American culture inspires Forman to contribute to the traditions that he draws from. Reunion! (the newest project) revisits the famed Poll Winners sessions with cohorts John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton, playing instruments owned by Barney Kessel, Ray Brown and Shelly Manne; Formanism (his trio project); original works like The Red Guitar; his high-rated podcast, GuitarWank; Cow Bop and the “road challenges” down historic byways like Route 66; JazzMasters Workshop; Junkyard Duo; GrumpsTV (a fifty episode YouTube variety show during the lockdown), the popular ‘first chorus of the day’ series on Instagram…these are only the latest answers to the endless question that underlies Bruce Forman’s creativity. His music and life reflect every step of his journey, and demonstrate the awareness of an artist who’s very much at home in the world, and at the top of his form.
Bruce Forman’s life and musical journey provide an American saga that is still in full swing. His Texas origins, his early career in San Francisco and New York, and his years on the road, all contribute to the unique and highly personal vision that he demonstrates today. bruceforman.com
AKIRA TANA
A self-taught drummer, Akira Tana played semi-professionally while still at college. He attended Harvard University where he gained a degree in East Asian Studies/Sociology. He then studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, also taking private lessons from Vic Firth and other percussionists with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras and from jazz drummer Alan Dawson. During his studies he had the opportunity of working with Helen Humes, Milt Jackson, Sonny Rollins, Jaki Byard, George Russell, Sonny Stitt and other leading jazz musicians. He also played with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and several of the classical music ensembles at the New England Conservatory and at the Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood.
In the early 80s he continued to accompany major artists such as Al Cohn, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Jim Hall, Jimmy Rowles, Zoot Sims and Cedar Walton. He also performed with artists outside the jazz world, including Charles Aznavour, Lena Horne, and Van Dyke Parks. Tana recorded extensively during these years and in addition to albums with some of the foregoing also appeared with Ran Blake, Chris Connor, Carl Fontana, Jimmy Heath, Tete Montoliu, Spike Robinson, Warne Marsh and many others. In the early 90s Tana worked with James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Wess, Ray Bryant, J.J. Johnson, and the Manhattan Transfer, among others. With the bassist, Rufus Reid he formed the band TanaReid and, with Reid and Kei Akagi, the Asian American Jazz Trio.
A technically accomplished drummer, Tana's wide range is hinted at by the musicians with whom he has worked. Comfortably at home accompanying singers and instrumental ballads, Tana is equally in his element playing hard bop. In the bands he co-led with Reid he generated an excitingly propulsive rhythmic drive. In addition to playing, Tana has also produced and co-produced several albums including those by TanaReid, the Asian American Jazz trio and Project G-7:A Tribute to Wes Montgomery featuring Kenny Burrell. Tana also has nine recordings as a leader, “Secret Agent Men” and “Moon Over the World,” and “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,”on Sons of Sound recordings. Another is “JAZZaNOVA” that features Branford Marsalis and Arturo Sandoval with vocalists, Clauida Villella, Sandy Cressman, Claudio Amaral, Jackie Ryan, amd Carla Helmbrecht.
The most recent projects are four recordings by his group, “Otonowa.” These recording features jazz interpretations of Japanese folk and pop melodies that date back decades and even centuries. This group has completed seven tours of the earthquake/tsunami stricken areas of northern Japan since March 2013. Akira plays Yamaha Drums, Vic Firth Sticks and Sabian Cymbals exclusively. Tana is currently on the faculty at San Francisco Conservatory of Music and does fill shifts on KCSM akiratana.com