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Shigeki Kawahara

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Japanese Smooth Jazz artist Shigeki Kawahara, you couldsay, is an internet success story that continues to be told. Avery accomplished keyboardist/pianist, he began recordingmusic in 1995 and released his first CD (and to date only fullalbum) “Another World” in 2005. He had been doing music onthe side while his day job as an economist takes him aroundthe world. The convenience of the internet however, allowedhim to release his music via the world wide web, catching theattention of FM DJs abroad. The album was an onlinesuccess leading Shigeki to form the jazz trio TIG (Three Inthe Groove) with Toru Ishiwata (guitar) and Hiroki Ide(drums). Previews of their music can be heard online on hismyspace and lastfm pages. Kawahara’s and TIG’s music isreminiscent of smooth jazz legends like Joe Sample, BobJames and FourPlay.(original review by “DJ Aki” of JIN Radio)

Shigeki Kawahara was born in Albany, New York, USA in1960. One year later, he moved to Japan. He began learningthe piano at age three.

In 1972, he bought an album of Quincy Jones named“Smackwater Jack”. This album turned him to Jazz music. Itwas reallyfascinating for himto listen to such rich and jazzy arrangement he had neverlistened to before.Ever since then, he became a long time big fan of Quincy. Helearned manycool sounds of musical instruments such as Rhodes Electricpiano, MiniMoog, Hammond B-3, Solina String Ensemble, and manymore.

During his high school age, he joined a brass band where hehad experiencesin playing trumpets and saxophones. In that brass band, hebecame more likean arranger/ band leader than a horn player, practicingarrangement ofbigband, and learning characteristics of different horninstruments. You cansee, he was already a “Quincy-wanna-bee”.

In his first 3 years in college (1979-82), he was most activeand busy as akeyboard and piano player mostly in live performance. Hewas playing with a9-piece jazz/ fusion combo around 50 live sessions per year.At the time, JoeSample and Herbie Hancock were (sure, they still are) hisidle. “Rhodes Piano”was a main keyboard. Even now, Rhodes sound is a basicingredient of hissound arrangement.

During 1979-1983, he had one regular place to play solo jazzpiano. Theplace was a small cozy bar restaurant in Jiyugaoka, Tokyo.Every Wednesdayand Friday night, he played mellow standard jazz tunes there.A grand pianowas placed in the very center of the restaurant and it wassurrounded by abig bar table. He was playing almost face to face with theaudience.

In August 1983, he went back to Albany, New York. He joinedGraduateSchool in State University of New York at Albany for Master’sdegree in publiceconomics and policy. Well, this was the period he studiedmost in his life.Where was Jazz? In Albany, there was an old jazz placecalled “Gemini JazzCafe”. Every once in a while, he went there and enjoyedlistening to andplaying jam session.