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Lionelle Hamanaka

Lionelle Hamanaka is a 3rd generation Japanese American born in NYC, a singer-pianist.

About Me

A native New Yorker, Lionelle inherited her love of jazz from her father, actor Conrad Yama, a jazz fan who handed out leaflets at Bob Reisner’s Open Door to get in free to hear Bird. Her father was a friend of Dave Lambert and Zoot Sims and MC’d many jam sessions. Her parents met at a concentration camp for Japanese Americans near Little Rock, Arkansas during WWII. They relocated to New York after stopping in Chicago after the war. Lionelle was born on the lower east side and then her family moved to Harlem. As a toddler she heard records of Bird, Monk, Diz, and all jazz greats. She studied solfeggio with Alberto Soccorras on 53 Street, voice with Camilla Williams, and now studies with Atarah Hazzan, a former Met star. She attended Barry Harris’ jazz workshops for many years and studied classical piano with John Kamitsuka.

She began to sing with Joyspring, a female jazz vocal quartet that was popular in NYC. She went to the well to hear Doc Cheatham, an idol who later honored her by recording with her and guest starring at a concert at St. Peters. Mercer Ellington chose Ellington material for a special concert at St. Peters, and Lionel Hampton featured Lionelle at a concert at his jazz festival in Moscow, Idaho. She worked with the great pianist Chris Anderson, bass legend Walter Booker and the fabulous drummer Frank Gant. “A Jazz Bouquet” was the first cd featuring Lionelle, with Don Friedman, Ron McClure, Frank Gant, Kenney Gates and received good reviews.

A latest cd “A Different World” features great musicians including Richard Wyands, Ron McClure, Jimmy Madison, Kuni Mikami, M. Ferghu, William Fielder, Mark McGowan and Clarence Banks with Lionelle’s vocals. The music reflects her point of view about jazz singing-to keep the flame of bebop and the jazz repertoire and American composers alive, and feature the original songs of stunning artists like Lonnie Hillyer, Barry Harris, Monk, Benny Golson, as well as standards from the Golden American Songbook. Tristate audiences have heard Lionelle in clubs, concerts and festivals throughout the area, including Foxwood Casino, Harry’s in the Woolworth Building, Montauk Yacht Club, in singer-pianist duos with bassists Vishnu Wood or Fred Hunter, and solo piano gigs as well.

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because my father was an actor who was a jazz fan who played Bird, Prez, Monk, Bud, and all the greats when I was a toddler. I was first exposed to jazz floating from my dad's record player. I met Barry Harris at his workshop and since then many great artists. The first jazz record I bought was a cd of Bud Powell playing Monk. My advice to new listeners--listen chronologically, but first to the people you fall you in love with. Learn music-anyone can.