Critically acclaimed New York City guitarist & composer brings the music of his all-original Pi Recordings album, Trickster (2017), to the Rubber City for a special masterclass (6PM, FREE) and live concert event (8PM)! Featuring Miles Okazaki, Matt Mitchell, Anthony Tidd, Sean Rickman. Presented by the BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation.
Miles Okazaki is an American musician working with many of the leaders of today’s creative music scene. His approach to the guitar is described by the New York Times as “utterly contemporary, free from the expectations of what it means to play a guitar in a group setting — not just in jazz, but any kind.”
Trickster was released on Pi Recordings in 2017 to great acclaim, called “a brilliant individual statement” and “a mature work for the ages” by Pop Matters (best of 2017), ” “a true concept album” by the Wall Street Journal, and “an expression of deep, systemic intrigue” by the New York times. Trickster made best of 2017 lists on Pop Matters and the Los Angeles Times, and was an Editor’s Pick at both Downbeat and JazzTimes. The album features Craig Taborn on Piano, Anthony Tidd on Bass, and Sean Rickman on drums. Recent performances have included Matt Mitchell on piano.
Trickster is Okazaki’s fourth album of original compositions. His first project Mirror was released independently and received a “Critics Pick” in the New York Times, calling it “a work of sustained collectivity as well as deep intricacy.” He expanded to a septet for his second album Generations, described by pianist Vijay Iyer “the sonic equivalent of Escher or Borges, but with real emotional heft”. His third album Figurations was recorded live with a quartet, and was a New York Times top ten album of 2012, described by Ben Ratliff as “slowly evolving puzzles of brilliant jazz logic.”
“…utterly contemporary, free from the expectations of what it means to play a guitar in a group setting — not just in jazz, but any kind…”
- The New York Times
As a sideman, Okazaki works in many areas, ranging from Standard repertoire to experimental music. He has been most widely seen as the guitarist for saxophonist Steve Coleman from 2009 to 2017. In recent years, he has worked with a variety of artists including Kenny Barron, Steve Coleman, Jonathan Finlayson, Amir El Saffar, Adam Rudolph, Dan Weiss, Aka Moon, Linda Oh, Darcy James Argue, Jane Monheit, Vijay Iyer, Francois Moutin, Doug Hammond, Carl Allen, Ohad Talmor, Mary Halvorson, John Zorn, Jen Shyu, Mark Giuliana, Patrick Cornelius, Rajna Swaminathan, Matt Mitchell, Craig Taborn, Tony Moreno, Ben Wendel, Donny McCaslin, and many others. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
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About BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation
Committed to the preservation of America’s treasured art form of jazz, BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation (BJMF) is a new program developed by the founders of BLU Jazz+ Akron (BJA) that brings “front-row” jazz education performance & mentorship opportunities to student musicians and art lovers alike by presenting a series of masterclasses led by top visiting musicians from all over the world.
Recipient of a 2015 Knight Arts Challenge grant award by the Knight Foundation, BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation expands upon the essence of Akron, Ohio’s award-winning live jazz destination, BLU Jazz+ Akron (BJA), launched in Fall 2014. Learn more at blujazzmasterclass.org.