Video Clip from ArtsWestchester Concert 2012

HIROSHI YAMAZAKI QOARTET

RINGO OIWAKE

http://youtu.be/Y_rQNSNRkUE

Playing Over The Rainbow in the dark- Piano, Hiroshi Yamazaki

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o83M07mOYY

Hiroshi Yamazaki began playing classical piano at the age of seven in  Osaka, Japan.As a young adult, he  attended the Osaka College of Music. It  was there where Hiroshi was introduced to jazz, the style of music that would  quickly become his passion. At age  22, Hiroshi gave his first professional jazz performance, leading a trio at the  popular S.A.B. Hall in Osaka.
Shortly after completing his collegiate studies in Japan, Hiroshi moved  to New York City. There, he  continued to grow as a musician and a performer. Study with grerat pianist Buddy Montgomery few years. New York allowed Hiroshi to forge his own voice not only as an  improviser, but also as a composer and arranger.  His New York City performance debut took place in 1988 at the Jazz  Center of New York. Also featured at  the same show were bassist Paul West and drummer Leroy Williams. Other memorable performances followed, with Hiroshi leading groups at  some of the most popular jazz venues in New York City such as the VillageGate, the Bluenote, and Birdland. Hiroshi  has shared the stage with several of New York's finest players.  In 1996, Hiroshi's debut recording, Sketch  Of Bridge, was released with players Ron Carter on bass and Lewis Nash on  drums. A second album, We  May Say Love, followed in 2000.
Currently, Hiroshi is touring in the New York region and in Japan with Rufas Reed,Akira Tana,Tony Jefferson,Steve LaSpina,Andrew Beals.  He leads his own jazz groups and also serves as a sideman with the Glenda Davenport Quartet. Bill Crow Trio and the Jan Leder Quartet.  Aside from performing, Hiroshi is a talented arranger and is always  willing to work with new individuals.
In 2001, Hiroshi joined the faculty at the Music Conservatory of  Westchester. Hiroshi believes  teaching is an extremely important responsibility. As a teacher, he strives to hand down the knowledge to his students that  he has gained from his experiences of playing with so many great individuals. Hiroshi would be the first to claim that music theory is indeed important  for understanding the complex nuances of jazz.  Possessing a supreme love and ambition for the genre however, is what  truly makes the difference between an average player and a great one.