Yayoi Ikawa (Jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, educator)
Born in Tokyo, Japan, but raised musically in New York, pianist/composer Yayoi Ikawa is an
experience of ingenuity and compassion. Using music as a powerful communicational tool, Yayoi strives to lift humanity through understanding and encouraging herself and others.
After recording a straight-ahead jazz piano trio on Nippon Crown release “Angel Eyes” in 2004, she self-produced “Color of Dreams” displaying her original compositions. Since then her group has featured in various music festivals and concerts in U.S., Italy, Japan, Costa Rica Guadeloupe, and Martinique.
In 2008, Yayoi started “The Bridge Project” to create musical dialogues between different cultures. Based on that experience, she often plays the role of coordinator. In 2000, she assisted a legendary producer Jim Luce to create an online solo piano concert series “Love Letter from New York” featuring New York’s finest jazz pianists. In 2021, she was a coordinator for a multicultural performance event “Jazz United” by Japanese Radio Station Jazz.net.
While working towards her master's degree at NYU, Yayoi’s orchestra work for film was premiered at Lincoln Center in 2007. As a composer and arranger, Yayoi received commissions from the Modern Music Society of Tokyo, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and Montreal-based sculpture David Baumflek.
Yayoi believes that Jazz is a social activity, and strives to learn from elders, collaborate with peers and pass it on to future generations. Yayoi has worked with such legendary artists as Reggie Workman, Michael Carvin, Howard Johnson, Butch Morris, Craig Harris, Michal Urbaniak, Frank Lacy, Salim Washington, Emeline Michel, James Germain, Daniel Bernard Roumain, The Meditations, etc. Yayoi holds a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from New School University as well as one in International Studies from International Christian University, Tokyo Japan. More of her musical journey can be seen on www.yayoiikawa.net
Ronnie Burrage -Drums
A versatile drummer who also plays vibes and marimba, Ronnie Burrage forged a style as much at home with the bristling pace of hard bop and bebop as with the heavy backbeats of funk, soul, and R&B. Burrage's mother was a classical pianist, and he sang in the St. Louis Cathedral boys' choir and played drums with various funk bands. In the early '80s, while working with the St. Louis Metropolitan Jazz Quintet, he accompanied Arthur Blythe, Jackie McLean, Andrew Hill, and McCoy Tyner during their visits to St. Louis. Burrage played in the Woody Shaw quintet in the mid-'80s, then formed the avant-garde-meets-bop trio Third Kind of Blue with John Purcell and Anthony Cox in 1986; they recorded that same year. During the '90s, Burrage recorded with Courtney Pine, Sonny Fortune, Gunther Schuller, Hamiet Bluiett, the World Saxophone Quartet, and Billy Bang, among others; he also led a 1993 session released as Shuttle, with help from Bluiett, Cyrus Chestnut, and Charnett Moffett. During the 2000s, his work included two top-billed dates, 2001's Just Natural and 2004's In It. He stayed busy during the 2010s, releasing Blue Noise in 2010 and Spirit Guides in 2011.
Ricky Rodriguez - bass
Bassist Ricardo Rodriguez is part of the jazz scene in NYC , which embraces the entire scope of contemporary music . Besides being an in-demand jazz bassist , he can be found playing jazz , contemporary music, Afro-Caribbean, folkloric music and pop music. He studied classical bass and composition at the Conservatory of Music in Puerto Rico. In addition to his work with Branford Marsalis , Joe Locke, Ray Barretto, Ignacio Berroa Quartet , Claudia Acun~a, Magos Herrera , The Wayne Escoffery Quintet, The Rodriguez's Brothers, David Sanchez Quartet, Miguel Zenon Quartet, The Kenny Werner/David Sanchez Quartet and his own Quintet has also worked with Michel Camilo’s Trio , The SNL BAND ( from Saturday Night Live Show ), Arturo O’ Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Donny McCaslin trio ,The 90 Miles Project with Stefon Harris , Manuel Valera Group, Michele Rosewoman, Samuel Torres band , Vincent Herring/ Eric Alexander Band, Jamie Baum Septet among others.
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