First album" From NY"
akiko grace(p) Ron Carter(b) Bill Stewart(ds)
Second album"Manhattan Story"
akiko grace(p) Larry Grenadier(b) Bill Stewart(ds)
Third album"NY Style"
akiko grace(p) Larry Grenadier(b) Bill Stewart(ds)
Fifth album"Tokyo"
akiko grace(p) Toshihiro Nakanishi(vln) Kiyoto Fujiwara(b)
Tappy Iwase(ds) Dozan Fujiwara(shakuhachi) Kinbara strings(strings)
Forth album"From Oslo"
akiko grace(p) Larry Grenadier(b) Jon Christensen(ds)
Fifth album"Momentum"(live recording in tokyo)
akiko grace(p) Daiki Yasukagawa(b) Taro Koyama(ds)
Sixth album"Illume"
akiko grace(p, electric p) Bill Laswell(produce, electric b)
"Another story of New York"
akiko grace(p) Ron Carter(b) Larry Grenadier(b) Bill Stewart(ds)
Goerge Garzone(tenor sax)
"Graceful Vision"
akiko grace(p) Larry Grenadier(b) Ari Hoenig(ds)
Influences
John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Lennie Tristano, Michelangeli, Glenn gould, etc...
Akiko Grace 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 greats such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Lennie Tristano and Paul Bley, to name just a few.
While attended the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Akiko Grace applied for a sabbatical to study at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, snd she graduated at the top of the list from both schools, Tokyo National University and Boston’s Berklee College of Music.
In January 2002, Akiko Grace released her debut album, “From New York”, on the Savoy label from Columbia Music Entertainment Japan 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’s debut concert given at Triphony Hall in Tokyo, which was backed by bassist Eddie Gomez and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel featuring her first album, was sensationally reported for the birth of a new jazz star.
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. This year Akiko Grace won "New Star of the year " of Swing Journal Disc Award.
In December, Akiko formed special trio with bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jorge Rossy featuring her second album "Manhattan Story", and made a memorable concert at Daiichi Seimei Hall in Tokyo.
This concert was selected as "Best Popular Concert Performance of Domestic Artist of The Year" of Music Pen Club Japan Award 2002, (this year the winner for “Best Popular Concert Performance of Foreign Artist of the Year” was Paul McCartoney.) The winners of this award are selected by poll of 200 music critics and writers.
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. Akiko Grace won a sweeping victory over most of all major jazz and music awards in Japan during the two years of her 2002 debut. She achieved the glorious success in a brief period of two years.
In 2004 March 3, 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.
In December of that same year, "From Oslo" was released. Recorded at Rainbow Studio in Oslo, with bassist Larry Grenadier and Oslo-based legendary drummer Jon Christensen.
In 2006 , Akiko ventures further to explore Ambient atmosphere, welcomed Bill Laswell as a producer, a bassist and a synthesis sound creator. This album “Illume” ‘s cosmic vibe is extensive, and assured Akiko’s diverse expression make “piano music” even further ahead.
In 2008 July 22, her monumental work "Graceful Vision" was released, recorded with her New Trio, Larry Grenadier on bass and welcomed Ari Hoenig on drums. "Graceful Vision" carries highly artistic vibes to piano trio music, its creative approach fascinates all the art-form lovers.
Akiko’s latest CD is a piano solo album “Pianorium”, released in January 2009, contains 12 songs, all Akiko’s original works. This album is reflecting rich contents of “Akiko Grace Mode”. In 2009 April 22, 12 inches Analog version of “Graceful Vision” has been released.
"Jazz transcends barriers like race, age, sex and nationality in its creation. That's the wonderful thing about jazz," Akiko Grace remarks.
-Herald Tribune International
