BLUE NOTE AND THE JAPAN FOUNDATION PRESENT: EAST MEETS WEST BRUNCH FT: YASUSHI NAKAMURA TRIO
Yasushi Nakamura:
One of the most commanding voices on bass today, Yasushi Nakamura is praised for imaginative, quicksilver bass lines that deepen the groove. His blend of guitar-like precision and gut-level blues has sparked collaborations with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Hank Jones, Dave Douglas, Steve Miller, etc. With his charismatic stage presence and artful, hard swinging melodic touch, Nakamura is a first-call performer capturing new audiences and fans around the world....
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BLUE NOTE AND THE JAPAN FOUNDATION PRESENT: EAST MEETS WEST BRUNCH FT: YASUSHI NAKAMURA TRIO
Yasushi Nakamura:
One of the most commanding voices on bass today, Yasushi Nakamura is praised for imaginative, quicksilver bass lines that deepen the groove. His blend of guitar-like precision and gut-level blues has sparked collaborations with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Hank Jones, Dave Douglas, Steve Miller, etc. With his charismatic stage presence and artful, hard swinging melodic touch, Nakamura is a first-call performer capturing new audiences and fans around the world.
Born in Tokyo, Nakamura moved to the United States at age 9, and considers both places home. He began with clarinet and tenor saxophone, but his older brother's study of guitar and drums drove him to pick up the bass. His love of rock and funk aside, the music of Charlie Parker, Ray Brown, Miles Davis were a potent influence on him. Nakamura received a BA in Jazz Performance from Berklee School of Music in 2000, and was awarded a full scholarship to The Juilliard School for his Artist Diploma in 2006. He credits Myron Walden as an early champion, and keeps close ties to Juilliard mentors Victor Goines, Wycliffe Gordon, and Carl Allen, all of whom maintain him in their bands.
In 2016, Nakamura release his first album "A Lifetime Treasure" and in 2017 he also released 2nd album "Hometown" from Atelier Sawano featuring Lawrence Fields, Bigyuki, and Clarence Penn which received album of the year 2017 in JazzLife magazine. In 2017, he'll touring and performing with Donald Vega, Ulysses Owens Jr, Joe Lovano/Dave Douglas Soundprints, Aaron Goldberg, Mark Whitfield, Monterey Allstars, Christian Sands, Wycliffe Gordon, Vincent Herring, and many more.
Takeshi Ohbayashi:
A native of Hiroshima, Japan, Takeshi Ohbayashi began playing piano at the age of two.
Ohbayashi studied film scoring and composition at Tokyo College of Music, but it was not until he attended a jazz piano clinic during his freshman year, that he found his calling to jazz. He was awarded a scholarship to the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he began his studies in 2007. Following this, Ohbayashi was awarded the Best Player Award and the Audience's Favorite Award in the 2009 Yokohama Jazz Competition. In Fall 2009, Ohbayashi was selected to be a part of the opening class of the honorable Berklee Global Jazz Institute, led by Danilo Perez. During his time in the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, Ohbayashi performed and taught alongside world class musicians in music clinics around the world.
Ohbayashi graduated from Berklee in 2011 and currently resides in New York City where he leads his own trio and co-leads the New Century Jazz Quintet, with Grammy award winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. Ohbayashi quickly garnered reputation as an in demand pianist/keyboardist between world class jazz musicians in New York City. Some of the notables that Ohbayashi has played with internationally include Takuya Kuroda, Jose James, Terri Lyne Carrington, Hailey Niswanger, Charles Turner III, Felix Peikli.
Ohbayashi performs both as a sideman and leader regularly at New York jazz staples such as: Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Small's and Smoke, to name a few. Frequently on tour, Ohbayashi has traveled domestically and internationally to over 30 different countries with a myriad of NYC based artists.
In 2016, Ohbayashi received 1st place at the Jacksonville Piano Competition, being the first Japanese pianist in history to do so. That same year, New Century Jazz Quintet won the DCJazzPrix at the DC Jazz Festival.
In addition to his illustrious performing career, Ohbayashi is also an accomplished and reputable educator. He travels abroad to perform and teach with the tour organized by Jazz at Lincoln Center, JazzReach.
Ohbayashi has released 5 records as a leader. His most recent release, "Manhattan", has received "Jazz Japan 2016 Album of the Year"
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