• Ai Shiteru, Ai Shitenai
• Desafinado 1-29-25
• The Girl From Ipanema
• Hallucinations
• Hanon Twist
• Impulsive
• Liebesleid
• Moon River
• So Long
• Sunflower
• Un Poco Loco
• Yagibushi

 

Chihiro Yamanaka, Universal Music/Blue Note recording artist, is one of the most exciting jazz pianists and composers of her generation, and the leader of the Chihiro Yamanaka Trio.

 

The new Chihiro Yamanaka CD, Somethin' Blue, is her Blue Note Records debut.

 

Chihiro has been a Universal Music/Verve recording artist since 2005, the same year in which she was named Swing Journal’s “Best New Artist." On the occasion of Universal's recent acquisition of Blue Note Records – in time for Blue Note’s 75th anniversary – Chihiro made the move to Blue Note. As a newly minted Blue Note artist, she has been a big part of the 75th anniversary celebrations, including a concert at the Blue Note Tokyo in which she performed with all-stars including bassist Ron Carter.

 

 

 

 

Chihiro, who most often performs and records in trio format, assembled a sextet for the Somethin' Blue sessions and created a new compositional universe that places this 2014 album in the lineage of classic Blue Note recordings. Her impressive technical mastery of the piano combines with her improvisational command to make her a member of the pantheon of great pianists who have recorded for Blue Note throughout its history.

 

Chihiro’s music pivots between her strikingly original compositions and her unique arrangements in which she accomplishes the impressive feat of introducing the element of surprise into some of the most famous songs in the jazz repertoire, contemporary popular music, and even the works of classical composers.

 

Born in 1987 in Hyogo Prefecture, he started learning drums at the age of 6, and has been involved in a wide range of musical styles since he was 10 years old, and is the official spokesperson for Bosphorus Cymbals. After graduating from Yamaha Music Academy and further honing his skills under the tutelage of St. James Tanaka Takehisa, he released his debut solo leader album BRILLIANT JAZZ MACHINE in 2014  , showcasing a multi-layered percussive language and a distinctive compositional perspective.

 

In addition, he participated in a collaborative performance between the Chihiro Yamanaka Trio and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra at Olympus Hall, and has appeared on prestigious stages such as Blue Note Tokyo, Billboard Osaka, and KIRIKO LOUNGE. His production of Misaki Umei's album ‘humoresque’ reached number two on the Japanese jazz charts. Hashimoto is becoming a presence to be reckoned with in Japan's contemporary jazz drumming scene, with a hybrid style that fuses modern drumming styles (such as Gospel Chops) with deep traditional jazz literacy.

 

 

Ryo was born in Kobe, Japan. He was educated in a International School in Japan and made him interested in the American music. His musical training started at the age of 18 as a Electric Bassist, after graduating highschool in 1995. He entered Koyo Conservatory in 1996 and have studied harmony and various types of music. It was the place where he met jazz and made himinto it so much that he switched to Acoustic Bass at the age of 20. In 1999, he entered the Berklee College of Music.

 

He took lessons fromRon Mahdi, John Lockwood, Dave Hollender, and Jim Stinnett. During his college days, he have played in various venues and musician. After graduating Berklee in 2002, he made a decision to continue his musical career in Japan. He has played in various venues, cities, countries and festivals such as Taipei International Jazz Festival, ,Europa Fest, Kanazawa Jazz Street, Tokushima Jazz Street,
Takatsuki Jazz Street, Nagano Jazz Festival, Osaka Bluenote, Billboard Osaka etc...

 

In 2018, he released his first album "Mosaic Structure" In 2021, he released his second album "Crab Nebula" He has played with Benny Green, Craig Handy, John Pizarreli, Makoto Ozone, Eiji Kitamura, Chihiro Yamanaka, Fumio Itabashi to name a few.