Pianist Yuko Fujiyama leads her trio Contemporary East with drummer Lesley Mok and dancer Miki Orihara. The trio will perform original compositions and improvisations with the aesthetics of Eastern expression. Drummer/percussionist Reggie Nicholson will lead his quintet, the Reggie Nicholson Brass Concept, with Eddie Allen (trumpet), Marshall Sealy (horn), Steve Swell (trombone), and Joe Exley (tuba). The group will perform Nicholson’s original compositions from the quintet’s 2009 album Surreal Feel as well as new works.
About the artists:
Born in Sapporo, Japan, Yuko Fujiyama studied music in college and moved to the U.S. in 1987, after being touched by the music of Cecil Taylor. Since 1993, she has been an active performer of original music in concerts, clubs, and festivals in and around New York City and overseas. She has performed as a leader with musicians such as William Parker, Mark Dresser, Ikue Mori, Susie Ibarra, Billy Bang, Mark Feldman and Roy Campbell, among many others. She is featured on a number of CDs, including a release with her trio, (with Graham Haynes and Ikue Mori,) on the Intakt Records. In the words of the Village Voice, “she’s created her own path.”
The instantly recognizable style and sound of Reggie Nicholson has elevated him to one of the most distinctive, inventive and inspirational drummer/percussionist of his generation; a formidable technician, but one who uses his considerable skills constructively and with infinite taste. An active member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) since 1979, Nicholson has absorbed the musical influences of his fellow AACM members, honing his philosophy and concepts. Nicholson has performed and recorded with a wide variety of jazz and new music luminaries such as Henry Threadgill, Muhal Richard Abrams, Amina Claudine Myers, Leroy Jenkins, Dewy Redman, Anthony Braxton, Sam Newsome, Myra Melford, Wilber Morris, Elektra Kurtis, Billy Bang, Butch Morris, James Spaulding, Yuko Fujiyama, Oliver Lake, Fay Victor, Roy Campbell, just to name a few. In addition, Reggie has toured throughout USA, Europe, and Japan. Nominated twice for the Cal Arts Composition Award in 1993/1994, his compositions were performed during the AACM concert series at Interpretations, Roulette, Constellations, The Stone, Firehouse 12, Knitting Factory, Jazz Shares, and Vision Festival.