Atsuko Hashimoto
Encyclopedia
Atsuko Hashimoto, is a jazz
musician from Osaka
, Japan
who plays Hammond B-3
electronic organ
and has performed in Japan and the United States
. To date, she has recorded five albums of organ trio
and organ quartet jazz.
standards. Before choosing to specialize in jazz she trained in classical music for several years. At 18, she began working for Hammond Japan demonstrating organs and giving lessons as a Hammond-certified instructor.
In 1991, Hashimoto became the house organ player at the Don Shop in Osaka. The next year, she fronted her own organ quartet at the Osaka Jazz Festival and Naniwa Arts Festival. These appearances led to collaborations with Makoto Ozone
and Terumasa Hino
.
In 1999, Hashimoto debuted in the US, playing at clubs in New Orleans as well as Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco
, where she performed with Bruce Forman on guitar and Vince Lateano
on drums. In 2000, she toured Japan with "Brother" Jack McDuff
and his band, and in September that year shared the bill with Dr. Lonnie Smith
at Blue Note Osaka. 2001 saw Atsuko return to California, playing at the San Jose Jazz Festival
, The Baked Potato
in Studio City and the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz
. She played at the 2001 Jazz Organ Summit with Yutaka Hashimoto and Fukushi Tainaka.
In 2002, while he was touring Japan with Diana Krall
, Jeff Hamilton
first heard from other musicians about the electrifying Atsuko Hashimoto "holding court" at the Don Shop, enthralling audiences while playing jazz after hours. Following his set in Osaka, Hamilton went to hear her play and after a few songs, he asked and was invited to sit in with her on stage for a 'jam'. Hamilton has said the experience resolved in him a desire to tour and record with Hashimoto. Hashimoto and Hamilton have recorded two CDs together, touring to support the recordings.
In 2003, at the 40th Naniwa Arts Festival in Osaka, Atsuko received the Shoji Nakayama Jazz Award, the Progressive Musician's Prize, and awards from both the governor of Osaka Prefecture
and the mayor of the city of Osaka.
Club Manhattan in Osaka hosted Atsuko Hashimoto in 2004.
September, 2006, was a very busy month for the artist. September 5, Atsuko and Yutaka Hashimoto recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles accompanied by Jeff Hamilton. Houston Person
swapped in for Yutaka Hashimoto on a second collection of songs. The extended recording session resulted in both the Thousand Days Records album Time After Time, released March 5, 2008 and the Azica Records album Introducing Atsuko Hashimoto, released February 12, 2008. The next day, on September 6, Atsuko Hashimoto, Jeff Hamilton and Houston Person performed at San Diego Museum of Art
where they received a standing ovation. On September 8, Hashimoto appeared at the White Noise Music Festival in Sacramento
. On September 10, 2006 at the Jazzschool in Berkeley
, Atsuko and Yutaka Hashimoto were joined by Juasa Kanoh on drums. Late in September, Atsuko and Yutaka Hashimoto were invited to the 12th West Coast Jazz Party in Irvine, California
. There Mrs. Hashimoto played two sets with Jeff Hamilton on drums: one with Yutaka Hashimoto and Ron Eschete trading licks on guitar and one with Houston Person
on tenor saxophone—the latter group billed as "Organ Magic Trio." They also played at the LAX Crowne Plaza Hotel's Brasserie Lounge in Los Angeles
and Steamers Jazz Club in Fullerton
.
At the 50th Monterey Jazz Festival
in September 2007, Atsuko Hashimoto took part in the "Hammond B-3 Blowout" featuring the Joey DeFrancesco
Trio and the Atsuko Hashimoto Trio. Her trio included Houston Person and Jeff Hamilton; the two trios were said to "blow out the Night Club." Prior to the Monterey date, Hashimoto appeared at Centrum
(also known as Port Townsend
Jazz Festival), Steamers Jazz Club, the Brasserie Lounge and the Pasadena Jazz Institute where Ron Eschete covered guitar.
At the 8th Newport Beach Jazz Party (a sister event to the West Coast Jazz Party) on February 17, 2008 Atsuko Hashimoto, Jeff Hamilton and Houston Person played a set billed as "International Power Trio". The next day, the Atsuko Hashimoto Organ Trio played Pasadena Jazz Institute, featuring Yutaka Hashimoto on guitar and Jeff Hamilton on drums. On February 22, 2008 Atsuko Hashimoto and Jeff Hamilton joined tenor saxophonist Red Holloway
at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival
at the University of Idaho
.
era, some Wild Bill Davis
, some Milt Buckner
, some Jackie Davis". Mrs. Hashimoto plays Hammond B-3 through one or two Leslie speaker
s. She often wears gloves or tapes her fingers before playing in order to enable smooth, fast glissandi
without injury.
Mrs. Hashimoto travels with an interpreter when outside of Japan.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician from Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
who plays Hammond B-3
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
electronic organ
Electronic organ
An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....
and has performed in Japan and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. To date, she has recorded five albums of organ trio
Organ trio
An organ trio, in a jazz context, is a group of three jazz musicians, typically consisting of a Hammond organ player, a drummer, and either a jazz guitarist or a saxophone player. In some cases the saxophonist will join a trio which consists of an organist, guitarist, and drummer, making it a quartet...
and organ quartet jazz.
Career
Hashimoto first played the organ at the age of four, beginning with popular songs and jazzstandards. Before choosing to specialize in jazz she trained in classical music for several years. At 18, she began working for Hammond Japan demonstrating organs and giving lessons as a Hammond-certified instructor.
In 1991, Hashimoto became the house organ player at the Don Shop in Osaka. The next year, she fronted her own organ quartet at the Osaka Jazz Festival and Naniwa Arts Festival. These appearances led to collaborations with Makoto Ozone
Makoto Ozone
is a Japanese jazz pianist.He began playing organ at two and by seven was an improviser. He appeared on Japanese television with his father from 1968 to 1970. At twelve he switched to piano after being impressed by albums by Oscar Peterson. In 1980 he entered the Berklee College of Music and later...
and Terumasa Hino
Terumasa Hino
is a Japanese jazz trumpeter. Currently based in New York, Hino is widely acknowledged as one of Japan's finest jazz musicians. His instruments include the trumpet, cornet and flügelhorn.-Biography:...
.
In 1999, Hashimoto debuted in the US, playing at clubs in New Orleans as well as Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, where she performed with Bruce Forman on guitar and Vince Lateano
Vince Lateano
Vince Lateano is an American jazz drummer who has toured with numerous great jazz musicians over the years, including Cal Tjader, Woody Herman, Vince Guaraldi, and Stan Getz....
on drums. In 2000, she toured Japan with "Brother" Jack McDuff
Jack McDuff
"Brother" Jack McDuff was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era of the 1960s, often performing with an organ trio.-Career:...
and his band, and in September that year shared the bill with Dr. Lonnie Smith
Lonnie Smith (jazz musician)
Dr. Lonnie Smith is a jazz Hammond B3 organist and pianist.-Biography:He was born in Lackawanna, New York, into a family with a vocal group and radio program. Smith says that his mother was a major influence on him musically, as she introduced him to gospel, classical, and jazz music...
at Blue Note Osaka. 2001 saw Atsuko return to California, playing at the San Jose Jazz Festival
San Jose Jazz Festival
The San José Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival organized by the San Jose Jazz Society and held in downtown San Jose, California, USA. The festival was established in 1990, and is mainly outdoors....
, The Baked Potato
The Baked Potato
The Baked Potato is a noted night club located in Studio City, Los Angeles, often regarded as the world's oldest music venue specializing in jazz fusion music. The club's name is derived from its unusual menu which features more than 20 types of baked potatoes....
in Studio City and the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
. She played at the 2001 Jazz Organ Summit with Yutaka Hashimoto and Fukushi Tainaka.
In 2002, while he was touring Japan with Diana Krall
Diana Krall
Diana Jean Krall, OC, OBC is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 6 million albums in the US and over 15 million worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 1990s and 2000s...
, Jeff Hamilton
Jeff Hamilton (drummer)
Jeff Hamilton is an American jazz drummer. He is co-director of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and leader of his own trio.-Career:...
first heard from other musicians about the electrifying Atsuko Hashimoto "holding court" at the Don Shop, enthralling audiences while playing jazz after hours. Following his set in Osaka, Hamilton went to hear her play and after a few songs, he asked and was invited to sit in with her on stage for a 'jam'. Hamilton has said the experience resolved in him a desire to tour and record with Hashimoto. Hashimoto and Hamilton have recorded two CDs together, touring to support the recordings.
In 2003, at the 40th Naniwa Arts Festival in Osaka, Atsuko received the Shoji Nakayama Jazz Award, the Progressive Musician's Prize, and awards from both the governor of Osaka Prefecture
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
and the mayor of the city of Osaka.
Club Manhattan in Osaka hosted Atsuko Hashimoto in 2004.
September, 2006, was a very busy month for the artist. September 5, Atsuko and Yutaka Hashimoto recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles accompanied by Jeff Hamilton. Houston Person
Houston Person
Houston Person is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. Person is also known for his distinctive sassy sound and his expressive style of playing...
swapped in for Yutaka Hashimoto on a second collection of songs. The extended recording session resulted in both the Thousand Days Records album Time After Time, released March 5, 2008 and the Azica Records album Introducing Atsuko Hashimoto, released February 12, 2008. The next day, on September 6, Atsuko Hashimoto, Jeff Hamilton and Houston Person performed at San Diego Museum of Art
San Diego Museum of Art
The San Diego Museum of Art is a fine arts museum located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California that houses a broad collection with particular strength in Spanish art. The San Diego Museum of Art opened as The Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego on February 28, 1926, and changed its name to the San...
where they received a standing ovation. On September 8, Hashimoto appeared at the White Noise Music Festival in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. On September 10, 2006 at the Jazzschool in Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, Atsuko and Yutaka Hashimoto were joined by Juasa Kanoh on drums. Late in September, Atsuko and Yutaka Hashimoto were invited to the 12th West Coast Jazz Party in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
. There Mrs. Hashimoto played two sets with Jeff Hamilton on drums: one with Yutaka Hashimoto and Ron Eschete trading licks on guitar and one with Houston Person
Houston Person
Houston Person is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. Person is also known for his distinctive sassy sound and his expressive style of playing...
on tenor saxophone—the latter group billed as "Organ Magic Trio." They also played at the LAX Crowne Plaza Hotel's Brasserie Lounge in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and Steamers Jazz Club in Fullerton
Fullerton, California
Fullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 135,161.It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
.
Monterey Jazz Festival
The Monterey Jazz Festival is one of the longest consecutively running jazz festivals. It debuted on October 3, 1958 and was founded by San Francisco jazz radio broadcaster Jimmy Lyons.-History:...
in September 2007, Atsuko Hashimoto took part in the "Hammond B-3 Blowout" featuring the Joey DeFrancesco
Joey DeFrancesco
Joey DeFrancesco is an American jazz organist, trumpeter, and vocalist. Down Beat's Critics and Readers Poll selected him as the top jazz organist every year since 2003.DeFrancesco was born in Springfield, Pennsylvania...
Trio and the Atsuko Hashimoto Trio. Her trio included Houston Person and Jeff Hamilton; the two trios were said to "blow out the Night Club." Prior to the Monterey date, Hashimoto appeared at Centrum
Centrum (arts organization)
Centrum, located in Fort Worden State Park near Port Townsend, Washington in Jefferson County is a multidisciplinary nonprofit arts organization that presents workshops and performances in a wide variety of artistic disciplines.-Origin:...
(also known as Port Townsend
Port Townsend, Washington
Port Townsend is a city in Jefferson County, Washington, United States, approximately north-northwest of Seattle . The population was 9,113 at the 2010 census an increase of 9.3% over the 2000 census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County...
Jazz Festival), Steamers Jazz Club, the Brasserie Lounge and the Pasadena Jazz Institute where Ron Eschete covered guitar.
At the 8th Newport Beach Jazz Party (a sister event to the West Coast Jazz Party) on February 17, 2008 Atsuko Hashimoto, Jeff Hamilton and Houston Person played a set billed as "International Power Trio". The next day, the Atsuko Hashimoto Organ Trio played Pasadena Jazz Institute, featuring Yutaka Hashimoto on guitar and Jeff Hamilton on drums. On February 22, 2008 Atsuko Hashimoto and Jeff Hamilton joined tenor saxophonist Red Holloway
Red Holloway
James W. "Red" Holloway is an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:Holloway started playing banjo and harmonica, switching to tenor sax when he was twelve years old...
at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival
Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival
The Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival, the largest west of the Mississippi, that takes place on the campus of the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho in the month of February...
at the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
.
Musical style
Atsuko Hashimoto plays primarily jazz standards, augmenting them with solos. YS organ-ize Records, her first label, has described her playing as "pre-Jimmy SmithJimmy Smith (musician)
Jimmy Smith was a jazz musician whose performances on the Hammond B-3 electric organ helped to popularize this instrument...
era, some Wild Bill Davis
Wild Bill Davis
Wild Bill Davis was the stage name of American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger William Strethen Davis.Davis was born in Glasgow, Missouri...
, some Milt Buckner
Milt Buckner
Milt Buckner was an American jazz pianist and organist, originally from St. Louis, Missouri. He was orphaned as a child, but an uncle in Detroit taught him to play...
, some Jackie Davis". Mrs. Hashimoto plays Hammond B-3 through one or two Leslie speaker
Leslie speaker
The Leslie speaker is a specially constructed amplifier/loudspeaker used to create special audio effects using the Doppler effect. Named after its inventor, Donald Leslie, it is particularly associated with the Hammond organ but is used with a variety of instruments as well as vocals. The...
s. She often wears gloves or tapes her fingers before playing in order to enable smooth, fast glissandi
Glissando
In music, a glissando is a glide from one pitch to another. It is an Italianized musical term derived from the French glisser, to glide. In some contexts it is distinguished from the continuous portamento...
without injury.
Personal life
In the early 1990s, Atsuko Hashimoto married Yutaka, a skilled jazz guitarist. The couple lives in Osaka when they aren't touring.Mrs. Hashimoto travels with an interpreter when outside of Japan.
Discography
- Until the Sun Comes Up (2011) featuring Jeff HamiltonJeff Hamilton (drummer)Jeff Hamilton is an American jazz drummer. He is co-director of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and leader of his own trio.-Career:...
(drums) and Graham Dechter (guitar)- 1. All Or Nothing At All (6:05)
- 2. Soul Station (5:44)
- 3. So In Love (5:05)
- 4. Moon River (5:22)
- 5. What A Wonderful World (6:06)
- 6. Blues For Naka (6:19)
- 7. You Are My Sunshine (4:17)
- 8. Cherry (6:28)
- 9. Your's Is My Heart Alone (4:18)
- 10. The Good Life (5:46)
- 11. Hallelujah, I Love Her So (4:56)
- Introducing Atsuko Hashimoto (2008) featuring Jeff HamiltonJeff Hamilton (drummer)Jeff Hamilton is an American jazz drummer. He is co-director of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and leader of his own trio.-Career:...
(drums). Houston PersonHouston PersonHouston Person is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. Person is also known for his distinctive sassy sound and his expressive style of playing...
plays tenor sax- 1. Sunny (6:50 by Bobby Hebb)
- 2. Blue Moon (6:47 by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart)
- 3. Only Trust Your Heart (8:18 by Sammy Cahn & Benny Carter)
- 4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (7:40 by Duke Ellington)
- 5. Black Velvet (6:44 by Illinois Jacquet & Jimmy Mundy)
- 6. My Babe (4:33 Traditional)
- 7. God Bless the Child (7:16 by Arthur Herzog Jr. & Billie Holiday)
- 8. Hammer Time (5:34 by Houston Person)
- 9. That's All (6:21 by Alan Brandt & Bob Heymes)
- 10. Sunny Reprise (2:42 by Bobby Hebb)
- Time After Time (Thousand Days Records. 2008) with Yutaka Hashimoto (guitar) and Jeff Hamilton (drums)
- 1. Time After Time
- 2. Just One Of Those Things
- 3. I've Never Been In Love Before
- 4. Max
- 5. Estate
- 6. The End Of A Love Affair
- 7. Shiny Stockings
- 8. Love For Sale
- 9. Please Send Me Someone To Love
- 10. Little Suede Shoes 11) Summertime
- Songs We Love (Thousand Days Records. 2005) with Yutaka Hashimoto (guitar) and Juasa Kanoh (drums). Vocal appearances by Harvey Thompson, Toni Scruggs and Elijah Levi
- 1. Ladybug
- 2. Bye bye blackbird
- 3. My ship
- 4. You don't know what love is
- 5. Misty
- 6. The song is you
- 7. Nature Boy
- 8. Ruggin' the blues
- 9. What's going on
- 10. The more I see you
- 11. Will You still love me tomorrow
- 12. God bless the child
- 13. Stormy Monday
- Full Organ (self-produced, recorded at Osaka Municipal Space of Arts, January 25, 2003) with Yutaka Hashimoto (guitar) and Jimmie Smith (drums)
- 1. Minor Somethin
- 2. Cherokee
- 3. Time After Time
- 4. Go See Dr. Lonnie
- 5. I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
- 6. Groove Thang
- 7. La Luna De Jubio
- 8. Blues For Jimmy
- 9. The Chase
- 10. Everyday I Have The Blues
- Jazz Tribute (YS organ-ize records, recorded July 1999, at Le Club Jazz, Kyoto, Japan) with Yutaka Hashimoto (guitar), Tatsuhiko Takeda (drums) and Jin Mitsuda (percussion). The album also features the Midori Ono Trio
- 1. That's All (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1)
- 2. Vera Cruz (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1)
- 3. Gumbo (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1)
- 4. Little Girl Blue (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1)
- 5. Little Latin Chat (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1)
- 6. Comin' Home Baby (Midori Ono Trio)
- 7. In A Mellow Tone (Midori Ono Trio)
- 8. Old Folks (Midori Ono Trio)
- 9. Silver's Serenade (Midori Ono Trio)
- 10. Moment's Notice (Midori Ono Trio)
External links
- Atsuko Hashimoto official website
- Atsuko Hashimoto on Facebook
- Atsuko Hashimoto on MySpace
- Atsuko Hashimoto's blog (Japanese)
- Atsuko Hashimoto Organ Trio Live at Flamingo The Arusha, Japan (Youtube video)
- Centrum's photostream on Flickr. Photos of Atsuko Hashimoto, Jeff Hamilton and Houston Person. July 27, 2007