Miki Yamanaka, an incredibly talented jazz musician making waves in New York City, inherited her many kimonos from her mom and grandma.
They provide a special sense of connection to her family: she never met her grandma, who died when her dad was 18, and wearing a kimono was also an important tradition for her mom. B次元官网网址淢y mom was very passionate about wearing kimonos before I was born.B次元官网网址�
If you go to see her perform at HermannB次元官网网址檚 Jazz Club on Feb. 4, you could spot this eclectic and vibrant 33-year-old New York-based Japanese pianist quite quickly. SheB次元官网网址檒l be donning a brightly coloured extravagant kimono, and based off past-show looks, it will be complemented by brightly painted lips and bold-framed glasses underneath her chopped bangs.
In the jazz scene, Yamanaka learned that fashion can get you seen.
B次元官网网址淚 used to work with this amazing trumpet player Philip Harper; Art Blakey used to tell him a lot B次元官网网址楶eople see you before they hear youB次元官网网址�. ItB次元官网网址檚 a great line to make. I always think a lot about that.B次元官网网址� Yamanaka said.
And Yamanaka has been getting seen. This straight-ahead jazz player has had notable residencies at mainstay West Village sister clubs Smalls and Mezzrow. Critics have lauded her B次元官网网址渓ight, expressive touch and solidly crafted, mainstream approachB次元官网网址� (Mike Jurkovic in All About Jazz). And now, Cory Weeds, owner of Cellar Live, a prominent jazz record label, has asked her to come to Vancouver to make a record.
B次元官网网址淐ory Weeds is putting together the festival (Jazz @ The Bolt) and he said, why donB次元官网网址檛 you make a record after?B次元官网网址� she said.
With that new record on the horizon, Yamanaka is now on tour, stopping in Portland, HermannB次元官网网址檚 Jazz Club in Victoria on Feb. 4, and then Vancouver Feb. 5.
For Yamanaka, wearing a kimono is now a colourful tradition that plays into her artistic identity, and it only started recently.
B次元官网网址淎fter COVID there werenB次元官网网址檛 many gigs. I had so much time to prepare for one so I wanted to look a little special. I have these kimonos that I brought from Japan so I decided to wear them. It became a thing and now I wear them every performance.B次元官网网址�
| While Yamanaka has not yet picked out her kimono for Hermann's Jazz Club, she said it most likely will be "something bright coloured so I can stand out a little bit." (Martina DaSilva) |
They have come to have their own special place in YamanakaB次元官网网址檚 life. B次元官网网址淚t becomes a little bit of a ritual. I wear one and I feel like IB次元官网网址檓 ready to hit the stage.B次元官网网址� The pandemic lockdown gave her the time to relearn the art of putting them on, which she said is B次元官网网址渁 process.B次元官网网址�
Sometimes her audience is curious about why she wears them but she takes it in stride. B次元官网网址淚 say, dude, because it looks so dope! ItB次元官网网址檚 cute!B次元官网网址� she said with a laugh.
YamanakaB次元官网网址檚 new album is going to feature new music with a mix of some of her favourite songs and arrangements. She doesnB次元官网网址檛 have it all planned out yet, but jazz rarely is. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just more of a spontaneous person,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the beauty of this music. I just want to make good music with the people that I admire.B次元官网网址�
Her tour shows will consist of the same quartet she is recording with. She plans on approaching the shows with some of the same sense of spontaneity, only this time B次元官网网址� the audience will be part of what unfolds.
She says she pays attention to audience reactions and what she will play depends on that.
B次元官网网址淚 will see their reactions of how theyB次元官网网址檙e digging different styles of music. WeB次元官网网址檙e going to present the music for you all, but as you react to the music, how you cheer to us, how you have a good time and be in the atmosphere together is very important for me. YouB次元官网网址檒l become part of our band.B次元官网网址�
That connection to her audience is part of what kept her pandemic-started YouTube series B次元官网网址淢ikiB次元官网网址檚 MoodB次元官网网址� going for more than 100 weeks without stopping. Yamanaka says that now that she is playing enough in-person, B次元官网网址淢ikiB次元官网网址檚 MoodB次元官网网址� will take a pause in March and then continue with less frequency. B次元官网网址淚 still care about my audience online,B次元官网网址� she said.
You can see Miki Yamanaka on Feb. 4, 7 - 9 p.m., for all ages at HermannB次元官网网址檚 Jazz Club. Tickets are $38 in advance through or the Victoria Jazz Society office or $43 at the door (pending availability).
She is also performing in Burnaby on Feb. 5 at the Jazz @ The Bolt festival, in two showings at 5:45 and 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre at Shadbolt Centre. Tickets are available at .
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