World Class Drummer, Akira Tana, teams up with friends from Osaka and specil guest, Nicolas Bearde for an amazing night of Jazz!!!
AKIRA TANA drums, percussion
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 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.
ATSUKO HASHIMOTO organ
Born in Osaka, Japan, Atsuko playing organ at 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 that includes 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 the West Coast and has at the performed at Port-Townsend Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival , and the Frank DeMiero Jazz Festival She currently maintains a busy schedule performing and teaching in Osaka. She is a mentor many young, up an coming jazz organists in the Osaka area.
HIDEKI KAWAMURA tenor sax
Hideki 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 playing with Makoto Nakamura and Noriko Ueda.He currently plays with many different ensembles, Mr. Kawamura has been a member of group, Human Soul. They have released four recordings. He also lived in New York City and studied with his mentor Ron Blake. In 2000,he moved to Tokyo and performed with many musicians such as Shigeharu Mukai,Norihide Shiota .He currently lives Kobe and works with many Kansai musicians. In addition to performing, Hideki is also an instructor of saxophone at Osaka Music University. In 2016 received NANIWA Jazz Award from both the Governor and Mayor of Osaka. He recorded his debut album in October 2016 with Akira Tana(ds),Yutaka Hashimoto(g) and Atsuko Hashimoto(org).
YUTAKA HASHIMOTO guitar
Yutaka 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 has performed with Dr. Lonnie Smith and has toured Japan with Bill Heid and Scott Peterson. In 2002, he performed at San Jose Jazz Festival, and also the White Noise International Jazz Festival. He has performed and recorded among others with Atsuko Hashimoto, Takayuki Yagi, Harvey Thompson and Jeff Hamilton In 2014 recorded his album "Hear You" with Wil Blade(org),Dylan Hicks(ds) and Hideki Kawamura(ts). In 2015 he received NANIWA Jazz Award from both the Governor and Mayor of Osaka.
NICOLAS BEARDE vocals
Recording artist, Nicolas Bearde, influenced by Lou Rawls, Nat “King” Cole and Bill Withers is an award winning vocalist, whose silky baritone sound, wit and engaging rapport draws the audience into his live performances across the globe. In a career that has spanned over 35 years, Bearde, a Nashville native now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, has earned a unique place in the contemporary male vocal jazz scene having performed, toured and/or recorded with jazz legends such as Nat Adderley, Jr, Vincent Herring, Eric Alexander, Bobby McFerrin, and Bernard Purdie.
Tickets at Akira Tana & Friends