The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
The Yoko Miwa Trio to play in jazz series
Concert set for July 21 at the Palace Theater
WATERBURY » The Summer Jazz Series at the Palace Theater Poli Club continues with the Yoko Miwa on Friday, July 21, at the Palace Theater Poli Club. The series is produced by New England Arts and Entertainment. Showtime is at 8 p.m. with the bar and doors opening at 7:15 p.m.
Internationally acclaimed pianist/composer Yoko Miwa is quickly becoming known as one of the most powerful and compelling performers on the scene today. Her trio – with its remarkable telepathy and infectious energy – has brought audiences to their feet worldwide. Of Miwa’s 2017 release Pathways, Dan McClenaghan of All About Jazz said, “4 stars–This is Yoko Miwa at her extroverted best… her finest recording to date.”
For the past decade Miwa has honed one of the most musical trio sounds on the jazz scene. They play regularly at major jazz clubs in their home city of Boston, as well as venues around the world. A favorite of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Miwa was chosen to play on “Marian McPartland & Friends,” part of the Coca Cola Generations in Jazz Festival. She was also chosen to perform at Lincoln Center’s annual Jazz and Leadership Workshop for The National Urban League’s Youth Summit.
Miwa also appears regularly at New York’s famed Blue Note Jazz Club and has performed and/or recorded with a wide range of jazz greats including Sheila Jordan, Slide Hampton, Arturo Sandoval, George Garzone, Jon Faddis, Jerry Bergonzi, Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington, Kevin Mahogany, John Lockwood and Johnathan Blake among others. Yoko is a Yamaha Pianos Artist, JVC Victor Entertainment recording artist, and Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll winner.
A native of Kobe, Japan, Miwa was classically trained and didn’t pursue an interest in jazz until she met and studied with Minoru Ozone, a popular television organist and nightclub owner who is the father of pianist Makoto Ozone. Miwa worked at Ozone’s club and as an accompanist and piano instructor at his music school until
FROM PAGE 1 the great Kobe earthquake of 1995 destroyed both facilities.
Then, while continuing to take private lessons from Minoru Ozone, she also pursued musical studies at the Koyo Conservatory in Kobe.
From there she won first prize in a scholarship competition to attend Berklee.
Miwa quickly began playing with a host of talented students and teachers, and she formed a strong bond with vocal great Kevin Mahogany, who chose the pianist to serve as accompanist in his classes and on his gigs.
Miwa has recorded seven highly acclaimed CDs: In the Mist of Time (Tokuma, 2000); Fadeless Flower (Polystar, 2002); Canopy of Stars (Polystar, 2004); The Day We Said Goodbye, recorded live at the studios of WGBH-FM (Sunshine Digital, 2006); Live at Scullers (Jazz Cat Amnesty, 2011); Act Naturally (JVC Victor Entertainment, 2012), and Pathways (2017).
Tickets are available at the Palace Theater Box Office; call 203-346-2000 or www.PalaceTheaterCT.org
Information on all the Jazz Series Shows is available at www.neaae.com.