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Rie Akagi

Latin Jazz Flutist

About Me

By making the full use of her excellently trained classic background, Rie Akagi is the only female flutist in Japan who can perform salsa/latin jazz and soul jazz with a startling aggressiveness. Known to be the leading Caribbean Flutist for her “Magic Flute”, she has gained great reputation from the Caribbean Seas and around the world as one of the promising contemporary performers, ripe and blooming. The Big Guys of the salsa world such as Tito Puente, Larry Hallow, Willie Colon or Michel Camilo, Dave Valentin from the jazz scene have all recognized the energetic performance and great technique of Rie Akagi. She has performed at famous jazz festivals such as “The Concord Jazz Festival” in San Francisco, “Jazz Plaza in Cuba”, “Noche y Galería”, ”Carolina International Jazz Festival 2012” in Puerto Rico and has received a full standing ovation from the excited audience everywhere she went. One opportunity, which made her name known outside Japan was the six months stay in Puerto Rico as a Culture Exchange member dispatched from the Japanese Government. Even though the stay was short, she actively performed in various occasions such as the Japan/Puerto Rico Friendship Concert held at the National Museum of Arts (co-sponsored by the Japanese Consulate in New York) or performing together with Luis Perico Ortiz, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Cacheto Maldonado (Batacumbele & Los Majaderos), Pedro Guzman and many other top artists concerts or recordings. In 1985, she made her first album debut. She has recorded up to now 17 albums, including the albums, Isla Verde (2011), The Promised Land (Isla del Encanto) (2002), Moon Island (Perla del Caribe) (2003), Café con Leche (2014), the producer of each of these albums was Luis “Perico” Ortiz / producer. The albums were recorded and distributed in Puerto Rico. Caribbean Flutes (Flautas Caribeña) (2007) had the participation of GRAMMY AWARDS® winner Michel Camilo who recorded two songs in New York.

Rie Akagi went to Puerto Rico to promote the Isla Verde album which was welcomed enthusiastically by the people and the media. In 2020, Rie Akagi made her dream come true with her album La Flauta Mágica which was produced by Fania All Stars Legend, Larry Harlow, and it is sparking big sensation with latin lovers all over the world. Furthermore, in 2003 and 2008 she made The U.S ~The Caribbean Seas tour with great success. Since then she has been performing periodically in and around Puerto Rico.

In 2005, she was a “Professora Invitada” at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico to give a lecture on Japanese Culture. She has also been invited as Professor for the Conservatorium of Music of Puerto Rico, founded by the late Pablo Cazals. Considering all the important duties she has worked upon with great effort, the UNESCO office in Puerto Rico awarded her for contributing deeply to cultural exchange among different regions. Her vital role between Japan and Puerto Rico has been highly evaluated and appreciated. Her approach towards music is borderless, take a look at her works in Japan.

Rie Akagi has formed a latin/soul jazz unit in 2006, and has also been experimenting with different units adding musical essence from India and Spanish flamenco. Not to mention performances in contemporary music and classical music, she shows her talents by writing and arranging songs . She has written flute score books such as Flute Pieces by Rie Akagi (Ongaku-no-tomo-sha), Let’s Play the Flute (Ongaku-no-tomo-sha), and Easy Ways to Play the Flute (Seibido). Graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts & Music, Wind and Percussion Instruments Course (Flute major).