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Tokyo Blue
HIROAKI MAEKAWA (Japan)
bassist band leader |
YWENNA CAROLLIN (Indonesia)
pianist |
JOSHUA MARAN (Malaysia)
drummer |
Profile
Tokyo Blue was formed in 2008 by Japanese bassist Hiroaki Maekawa, Indonesian pianist Ywenna Carollin and Malaysian drummer Joshua Maran to compose and perform original instrumental music. This Malaysia-based band is considered one of Malaysia’s hottest jazz acts and are still actively gigging. Heavily in?uenced by international artists and composers including Hiromi Uehara, Avishai Cohen, Marcus Miller, Joe Hisaishi and more, Tokyo Blue's music has essences of Jazz, Fusion, Latin, Progressive Rock and even Film music.
The trio uses sweet melodies with funky rhythm section and odd meters at times, constantly pushing their limits of jazz writing and improvisation while still keeping the songs melodious and story-full. While still performing at jazz venues, festivals and private events in Malaysia, after wowing local music lovers and industry veterans with their instrumental forays into jazz, local jazz trio Tokyo Blue stepped it up a notch with debut album ‘The Naked Soul’ which was just released in October 2009, that promises songs that bare the core of their beings and push the edge of experimentation.
The trio has a distinct sound featuring the adventurous bass playing, aggressive yet sensitive piano and rock solid drum beats. The album also includes variety of tunes that re?ect the different sides of their personalities. With the tunes featuring pounding rock riff on piano, mellow fretless bass taking the lead, disco beat with montuno, melodious odd meter piano with double bass, funky latin beats with slap bass and more, Tokyo Blue demonstrates their capabilities to write creative and meaningful tunes, and even to entertain through instrumental music.
Members
Each member of Tokyo Blue is an active composer. While bassist Hiroaki is the founder and the main composer of Tokyo Blue, pianist Ywenna has been composing for her own Jazz Soul band while penning few compositions for Tokyo Blue and drummer Joshua is a composer for his own Funk Rock band. As sessionists and arrangers, each member is constantly busy performing and writing music for other artistes. However, when these 3 members compose, arrange and perform together, blend of the different styles and musicality learnt through composing set them apart from other jazz fusion bands. Hiroaki and Ywenna studied jazz under Malaysia’s voted best pianist -Michael Veerapen while Joshua is a scholarship recipient from Berklee College of Music, USA. Having performed with various artists in clubs, festivals, private events, TV shows and more, each member is equipped with versatility and experience. Lead by Hiroaki who has performed in Penang Island Jazz Festival 06 (Malaysia), Rock The World 06 (Malaysia), Genting International Jazz Festival 07 (Malaysia), Gumi Jazz Festival 07 (Korea), Sunrise Jazz Festival 08 (Malaysia), Sunburst Festival 09 (Malaysia), Dig It All Festival 09 (Malaysia) and Jarasum Jazz Festival 09 (Korea), Tokyo Blue is determined to deliver distinct compositions and performance. In addition, different cultures and ethnic sounds that each member brings in from Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia effect their music to be different from other Jazz oriented bands.
Our shows
Despite the band was formed only less than two years ago, Tokyo Blue has been actively
performing at Malaysia’s renown local jazz clubs, private events and festivals.
Notable Venues (Malaysia):
- Bangkok Jazz
- Groove Junction
- No Black Tie
- Laundry Bar
- La bodega
- The Apartment
- Alexis Jazz Bistro
- Alexis Jazz Jam @ Sino bar
- Urbanattic, Capital square
- The attic
- Luna Bar
- Sunway Hotel
- Mandarin Oriental Hotel
- Midvalley Mega Mall
- Backyard Pub
Television Appearances and Interviews:
- Time Out magazine, Malaysia
- Unseentv.au, Australia
- TMnet.ty, Malaysia
- Hypetunes.com.my, Malaysia
- The star, newspaper, Malaysia
- Hits.tv, Malaysia
- Voize.my
Festivals:
- Penang Island Jazz Festival 2009 (Malaysia)
Tokyo Blue will be playing at the fringe stage alongside Michelle Nicolle Quartet (Australia), Buzz Bros Band (Holland), Dainius Pulauskas Group (Lithuania), Paulo Bellinati & Cristina Azuma (Brazil), Charlie Jung Band (South Korea), In The Country (Norway), Janek Gwizdala Project (USA/Norway), Studnitzky Trio (Germany) and others.
- 32nd Jazz Goes to Campus,November 2009, Jakarta,Indonesia
The 1st Jazz Goes to Campus (JGTC) started from a small Jazz Festival held in the Faculty of Economics University in Indonesia in 1978 and it was held just one year after North sea Jazz Festival, the oldest Jazz Festival in the wold, which makes JGTC the second oldest Jazz Festival in the world, and the oldest Jazz Festival in Indonesia.
Consistency of JGTC has already been proven, myriad of both topIndonesian musicians (such as Bubi Chen, Bill Saragih, Benny Likumahua, Ireng Maulana, Idang Rasjidi,Tohpati ,and many more) and International artists (such as Bob James, Dave Koz, Ron Reeves, Los Cabaleros, Coco York, Claire Martin Quintet, Curtis King, and Lica Cecato) has performed on the stages of JGTC.
Targeting 20.000 over visitors, there’ll be 35 national and international artists on 3 stages.
- Dig-it-all -Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Taking place at Cap Square, the event was the ?rst in a series of open-air music festivals, featuring an electrifying line-up of international acts -international headliners Grammy winners “Dirty Vegas”, MTV award recipients “Tocadisco, and DJ Mason featuring Viva Kova.
Promotional Videos
All live performances videos with original compositions are able to be viewed at the youtube links below:
Please do visit our myspace page at
www.myspace.com/tokyobluetokyoblue for sample mp3s.
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