About Tatsu
TATSU AOKI - Bassist Tatsu Aoki is a prolific and accomplished
musician, composer and educator. He works in a wide
array of musical styles, ranging from traditional
Asian music to jazz to experimental music and is
a much in-demand artist performing on both contrabass
and the shamisen (Japanese 3-stringed lute). He
has recorded over 100 albums featuring many of the
musical legends of Chicago, including Fred Anderson,
Von Freeman, Malachi Favors Maghostut, Don Moye
and John Watson Sr. 2006 saw Aoki present his most
ambitious work to date, "re: Rooted"
a continuation of his "Rooted" composition
cycle featuring the MIYUMI Project Big Band at Millennium
Park's Pritzker Pavilion. Aoki is the founder
and Artistic Director of the Annual Chicago Asian
American Jazz Festival.
[full Biography]
What's new
East Meets the Rest: Tatsu Aoki's Miyumi Project
Steppenwolf's Traffic Series, Friday, May 9, 2008
Experience The Miyumi Project's avant-garde jazz fused with traditional taiko drumming in an energetic musical performance by Tatsu Aoki and his featured ensemble. Celebrating a long history of collaboration between African-American and Asian-American jazz artists, the Miyumi Project will showcase the multi-generational talents of some of Chicago's leading musicians in this not to be missed performance! [more]
- Title: Tatsu Aoki's Miyumi Project: East Meets the Rest
- Featuring: Tatsu Aoki, Mwata Bowden, Jeff Chan, Jonathan Chen, Amy Homma, Cinatsu Nakano, Yoko Noge, Melody Takata, Joel Wanek, Francis Wong, Hide Yoshihashi and the Japanese American Service Committee's Tsukasa Taiko Youth Program
- Location: Steppenwolf Downstairs Theatre
1650 N. Halsted Street in Chicago, IL,
one block north of North Avenue (1650 N / 800W).
- Dates: Friday, May 9, 2008
- Curtain Times: 7:30 p.m.
- Ticket price: $40
- Audience Services: 1650 N. Halsted, 312-335-1650
- Online ticketing available at www.steppenwolf.org
Online ticketing available
press release / event details
Photo : M.Dondajewski @ The Miyumi Project Live in Poland
Featured Album
The Miyumi Project Live In Poland
The May 9 performance at Steppenwolf will also mark the official release of Tatsu Aoki's newest recording The Miyumi Project Live in Poland on Chicago label Southport Records. Mr. Aoki and members of the ensemble will be signing copies of the new CD following the performance.
"As the audience attests on this live
recording, Miyumi's amalgam of
cultures and creative spirit speaks
the worldwide language of joy."
- Lauren Deutsch,
Executive Director,Jazz Institute of Chicago
Recorded Live June 27, 2007 at MALTA Festival, Poznan, Poland
- NOW 19:23 [ from Origins of Now ]
- Episode One 14:48 [ from re:ROOTED ]
- Episode Four 20:14
- Lacquer 13:02 [ from re:ROOTED ]
- Mwata Bowden - reeds
- Francis Wong - soprano sax
- Jonathan Chen - violin
- Hide Yoshihashi - taiko drums
- Amy Homma - taiko drums
- Melody Takata - taiko drums
- Tatsu Aoki - bass
TOYOAKI SHAMISEN
| a division of JASC Tsukasa Taiko TOYOAKI SHAMISEN |
Discover the Japanese traditional lute, SHAMISEN !
Legendary "Ozashiki" shamisen music from Toyoaki family.
www.toyoaki.org










