The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
YOKO MIWA TO PERFORM FRIDAY
Acclaimed pianist interprets Monk, Mingus and more on trio’s new album
Yoko Miwa will celebrate her trio’s new album, “Keep Talkin’” with a concert at The Palace Theater in Waterbury on Friday, June 14. Jazziz magazine says the acclaimed pianist and composer plays with “the lyrical sensibility of a jazz poet.”
“Keep Talkin’ ” includes original music by Miwa, plus her interpretation of tunes by such artists as Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, The Beatles and Joni Mitchell.
Joining her at the CD release show will be bassist Will Slater and drummer
Scott Goulding, who is also Miwa’s husband. The Japanese-born, Bostonbased artist is a professor at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where she and Goulding first met as students.
According to a news release, Miwa is that rare educator who seems to log just as much time performing as she does teaching class. “I love that we have the steady gigs,” she says, in the release. “We understand each other, we get familiar with the songs, and we can see the audience’s reaction when we play a new song.”
Aside from her original tunes, “Keep Talkin’ ” includes such songs as “In Walked Bud” (Monk), “Boogie Stop Shuffle” (Mingus), and “Conversation” (Mitchell). Miwa also does her own renditions of “Golden Slumbers” and “You Never Give Me Your Money,” from the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album.
“From jazz standards to Brazilian music to unsung gems by pop and folk heroes, each of her selections is definitively remade in her image while retaining its core charms,” the release said. Miwa has performed and/or recorded with such luminaries as Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington and Arturo Sandoval.
The Palace Theater, Jazz at the Poli Club, 100 E. Main St., Waterbury. Friday, June 14, 7 and 9 p.m. $30. 203-3462000