Akiko Grace PROFILE
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Akiko Grace Profile
Akiko Grace, pianis
● Secret Passion turns into destiny for jazz pianist
AKIKO GRACE 2004
"I used to listen to jazz music in secret," says the classically trained pianist Akiko Grace, whose music is a terrific blend of sophistication and raw jazz. She was first exposed to jazz in her teens when she heard the masterful sounds of Oscar Petersonﾕs piano on the radio.
Akiko Grace won a sweeping victory over most of all major jazz and music awards in Japan during the two years of her debut:
★ "Best Gold Disc of the Month" of Swing Journal Magazine, January 2002 for the first album "From New York".
★ "Best Gold Disc of the Month" of Swing Journal Magazine, November 2002 for the second album "Manhattan Story"
★ "New Star of The Year"04.11.11 of Swing Journal Jazz Disc Award 2002 for the second album "Manhattan Story"
★ "Best Popular Concert Performance of Domestic Artist of The Year" of Music Pen Club Award 2002, for the concert featuring her second album "Manhattan Story" joined by bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jorge Rossi.
Paul McCartoney received Best Popular Concert Performance of Foreign Artist of the Year for his concert in Japan given after 10 years' interval. The winners of this award are selected by poll of 200 music critics and writers
★ "Phonograph Record of the Year" of National Arts Festival 2003 for her third album "New York Style".
The National Arts Festival, which is organized and sponsored by the Agency of Cultural Affairs, is the most reputable award in Japan for fine arts, music, performing arts, and drama.
★ "Japan Jazz Grand Prize" of Swing Journal Jazz Disc Award 2003 for the third album "New York Style"
Akiko Grace, whose real name is Akiko Iwase, was born in 1974 in Kanagawa Prefecture, the suburbs of Tokyo.
She began to train classical piano at the age of 3 and continued her classical training even as she began to take a deep interest in jazz, especially the music of jazz piano greats such as Michel Petrucciani, Larry Goldings, Tommy Flanagan, Lennie Tristano and Paul Bley, to name just a few.
While a student of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Akiko Grace applied for a sabbatical to study at Bostonﾕs Berklee College of Music, where she was chosen to perform at a special concert in 1997 to honor prominent jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi, who was awarded an honorary Ph.D. from the college.
She graduated at the top of the list from both schools, Tokyo National University and Bostonﾕs Berklee College.
In January 2002, Akiko Grace released her debut album, ﾒFrom New York,ﾓ on the Savoy label from Nippon Columbia as a Savoy's first Japanese artist.
Backed by bassist Ron Carter and drummer Bill Stewart, on the album Akiko Grace displayed a deft touch with a driving forcefulness in her remarkably crystalline piano melodies.
This album was selected as Best Gold Disc of the Month of Swing Journal Magazine.
Akiko Graceﾕs debut concert given at Triphony Hall in Tokyo, which was backed by bassist Eddie Gomez and other jazz greats featuring her first album, was sensationally reported for the birth of a new jazz star.
A radio program, "Akiko Graceﾕs Jazz Street," launched in April 2002 on WOWOW Wave 2, in which she introduced various young artists.
On April 22, 2002, with Helen Merrill and other jazz greats, Akiko Grace joined the charity event to extend a helping hand to NYC.
Her second album, "Manhattan Story," was recorded with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Bill Stewart and released in September 2002.
Following the first album, her second album was selected as Best Gold Disc of the Month of Swing Journal Magazine.
It surprised jazz fans since it was amazing for a new star obtaining two consecutive winnings.
Her third album, "New York Style," was the last one of a series of three albums with the theme of NY.
For this album Akiko Grace won "Japan Jazz Grand Prize" of Swing Journal Disc Award 2003, which is regarded the top prize of jazz in Japan.
She achieved the glorious success in a brief period of two years.
In March 2004, she released her fourth album, "Tokyo," by creating a new world of jazz with the theme of Japan.
She splendidly blended and fused Jazz and Japanese classical and modern tunes.
Participating musicians were including bassist Kiyoto Fujiwara, drummer Tappy Iwase, violinist Toshihiro Nakanishi, Shakuhachi player Dozan Fujiwara.
The national concert tour featuring original recording members was well-received not only by jazz fans but also by lovers of various music.
Fortunately for jazz fans, the beautiful and slender pianist no longer needs to keep her real love a secret.
"Jazz transcends barriers like race, age, sex and nationality in its creation. That's the wonderful thing about jazz," Akiko Grace remarks.
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