For those unaware, Akiko Aoki is a professional singer, voice instructor and Japanese teacher who is known for her jazzy phrasing and pitch control, as well as being experienced and solid vocalist. Indeed, Akiko’s flexible character with a sense of warmth and humor, is one that encapsulates the audience.

Born in Morioka of Iwate prefecture in Japan, Aoki moved to Sendai of Miyagi prefecture at the age of 3. There, she received vocal training in various chorus groups in her elementary, junior and senior high years in Japan.

It was actually during her youth that she said to herself, “I could spend all day singing without ever getting bored”. As she carried this thought with her, at age of 16, she won the chances to perform on the TV shows NHK Nodo-Jiman and Star-Tanjo-(meaning Star in born) the following year.

A few years later, at age of 19, Aoki would begin her professional singing career at Jazz clubs and lounges in Sendai and Yokohama Japan. Booked almost daily, she sang around six nights a week in various styles such as American pops, Jazz, and Japanese pops.

Akiko would later attend the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship in 1986 where she took voice lessons with some great instructors, such as Jan Shapiro, Maggie Scott, and Anne Packham, and piano lessons with Yuki Arimasa and Bob Winter.

Post graduation, Aoki returned to Tokyo and performed in Jazz clubs as well as Jazz festivals in local cities and Hotel lounges. She was also teaching at several private music schools, such as the Yokohama Contemporary School of Music and Mate school of Music.

In 1998, Aoki released her debut album, entitled Alfie, with The Yuki Arimasa piano trio (Tomas Hebb on Bass, Marc Gratama on Drums), receiving high ratings by the Japanese jazz magazine, Jazz Life.

Shortly after this, Aoki returned to New England upon her marriage, where she would continue singing at venues, restaurants as well as teaching Japanese and voice.

This was done all while managing and singing at her husband’s restaurants, Sushi Island and Junji Fine Japanese Cuisine. Akiko however, lost her husband to Cancer in 2017, but despite this, she continued to teach and perform in the Boston area.

She currently teaches music at Marblehead school of music as well as Japanese, in both in-person and online settings at the Japanese School of Greater Boston, the Amherst Japanese Language School and at her own studio.

Akiko Aoki has now released her sophomore album, the truly beautiful Pure Imagination via the help of some online project starters (see below), on which she joins together with the Tim Ray Piano quartet, along with Reedsman Ken Peplowski, Mike Monagan on Tenor sax, and Greg Hopkins on trumpet.

1. Almost Like Being In Love
2. Yesterday I Heard The Rain
3. Sugar
4. Two For The Road
5. No More Blues
6. You’ll Never Know
7. Moondance
8. Just The Two Of Us
9. I Love Being Here With You
10. Jardin D’hiver
11. Pure Imagination
12. Caravan
13. Smile

This beautifully crafted and wholesomely heartfelt new album of work from Aoki, opens on the billowing Almost Like Being In Love and the delicate gossamer of Yesterday I Heard The Rain and backs those up seamlessly with the soulful R&B-jazz of Sugar, the shimmering Two For The Road, and then we get the finger-snapping delights of No More Blues and the late night jazz cafe vibe of You’ll Never Know.

Up next is a rather perky, unashamedly flirtatious Moondance and a superb rendition of the melodious Just The Two Of Us, which are in turn followed by the percussion-led beauty I Love Being Here With You, the atmospheric Jardin D’hiver, a smooth as silk Pure Imagination, the album rounding out on the controlled fervency of Caravan, coming to a close on the dutifully elegant Smile.

Musicians:
Tim Ray (Piano & Arranger)
Marshall Wood (Bass)
John Baboian (Guitar)
Mark Walker (Percussion and Drums)
Greg Hopkins (Trumpet)
Ken Peplowsky (Tenor Sax)
Mike Monaghan (Tenor Sax)
Hiro Honshuku (Flute)
Mari Aoki (Vocals)
Peter Kontrimas (Audio Engineer)

Official Website

Akiko Aoki @ Facebook

Akiko Aoki @ Twitter

Akiko Aoki @ YouTube

Akiko Aoki @ Instagram

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