It seems natural to follow last week’s post about Women in Jazz Day in New York and the many women in jazz festivals out there with a post on the fifth and sixth episodes of Ken Burns’ film JAZZ. For the first time in the series, these episodes give us biographies of influential women in jazz world. In fact, details about women’s lives are conspicuously absent in the first half of the series – to be sure, there were fewer women who were well-known in the early years of jazz, but the film could have explored in more depth the life of Lil Hardin, for example. Hardin, who is mentioned in a previous episode, was an accomplished jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and band leader. She also played the role of PR agent for her husband Louis Armstrong, advising him on how to dress and which jobs to take, and coordinating some of his advertising.

Episode six of JAZZ, “Swing: The Velocity of Celebration,” includes stories from the careers of singers Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, and pianist Mary Lou Williams. Both five and six show the career of Billie Holiday, who faced poverty, abuse and neglect as a child and grew to be one of the most vocally artistic singers of jazz. The film gives a poignant treatment of Holiday’s song “Strange Fruit,” a somewhat graphic and incredibly moving song written by Abel Meeropol about racism and lynching.

The episode also gives a taste of the difficulties and prejudice women in jazz have faced. It quotes a piece from the jazz magazine Down Beat saying in 1938, “Why is it that outside of a few sepia females, the woman musician never was born capable of sending anyone further than the nearest exit? You can forgive them for lacking guts in their playing, but even women should be able to play with feeling and expression, and they never do it.”

We wish we could send a video of Yoko’s playing one of her own compositions, such as Wheel of Life, back in time to that Down Beat writer, but he could have also been proven wrong if he had listened to some of the great musicians of his own time!

“Hey! Hey!”

I was walking down State Street on Tuesday when I heard a local, standing on a stoop taking a cigarette break, shouting at a man in a Boston Marathon jacket. The runner paused, confused – locals don’t usually call out at tourists unless something’s wrong.

“Did you run, man?” said the local.

“Yep.”

“God bless you, man,” said the local, with emotion in his voice.

This could have happened any year. The Marathon is a big deal in Boston, and many people have a lot of respect for the athletes who run it. But this conversation happened this year, and it was clear from the tone the local was thinking of the explosions, and showing support.

Boston feels like a family right now.

We will be going on with the concert at Regattabar tonight as planned. We hope to see you there, but more importantly, we hope that you and yours are safe and well.

Two weeks ago, we posted about Berklee College of Music’s admissions season, and by now, students are celebrating their acceptances. You know that we are celebrating the fact that a number of new videos are up on the Yoko Miwa Trio’s Youtube page.

A night out listening to live music is a great way to celebrate a special occasion or just the little things in life, and next week, you can see the Yoko Miwa Trio at The Regattabar in Cambridge – 7:30 pm, Thursday, April 18. If you don’t have your tickets yet, you can get them here.

If you don’t have a college acceptance, birthday, anniversary, promotion, or marathon success to toast to at the moment… here are some ideas for what to celebrate:

• Someone else’s birthday! Haley Mills of Parent Trap fame, for example, was born on April 18. Or, you could treat a friend to the show.
• If you’re a student or member of the Japanese Association of Greater Boston or the Japan Society of Boston, there are discounts available for your show tickets.
• In Japan, April 18 is “Invention Day,” honoring the country’s first patent law.
• On April 18 in 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes began the famous “midnight ride,” warning Patriots that British Regulars were on their way to capture Patriot leaders. The third “midnight” rider, Dr. Samuel Prescott, joined them at one or two in the morning, after visiting his fiancee. The next day, the American Revolution began.
• The weather forecast for Boston is in the 50s and 60s all this coming week. Hello Spring!

Are you subscribed to the Yoko Miwa Trio’s Youtube channel? Half a dozen new videos from the November 2012 performance at Scullers Jazz Club went up this week. The videos include covers of artists from Jimi Hendrix and Neil Young to Thelonious Monk and McCoy Tyner as well as one of Yoko’s original compositions, Flood of Tears.

A limited number of copies of the Trio’s album Act Naturally, released last summer on the Japanese label JVC Victor Entertainment, will be available for purchase at the April 18 show at Regattabar. That show is only two weeks away, so get your tickets now!

Not sure you’re coming to the show? Below are some videos that might change your mind.

Only Love Can Break Your Heart — this song is on Act Naturally

Bossa Beguine

No, it’s not the Head of the Charles rowing regatta. Regattabar is the musical heart of the Charles Hotel, and the jazz soul of Harvard Square.

The Yoko Miwa Trio will be performing at Regattabar in Cambridge, MA, Thursday, April 18, at 7:30pm. Regattabar has been named one of the “Best of Boston” by Boston Magazine thirteen times, and they are also home to a stunning annual jazz festival.

Considered by many to be one of Boston’s premier jazz venues, largely because of their ability to attract big-name musicians from around the world, Regattabar can also be a hot spot to catch up-and-coming jazz acts. Regattabar is on the third floor of the Charles Hotel, transforming what could have been a conference room into a special place for amazing music. Regular customers say that while there isn’t a bad seat in the house, there are good seats and then great seats, and you’ll want to buy tickets with your friends to sit together – a good incentive to get your tickets early!

Regattabar is closer than you might think to Harvard Square, just a few blocks away. If you want to take the T, take Brattle Street to Elliot Street and you’ll find the Charles Hotel on the corner of Elliot and Bennett. Because it’s so close to Harvard Square, you have all kinds of options for dining or a drink before the show. Both of the restaurants in the Charles Hotel, cozy Henrietta’s Table and swanky Rialto, offer discounts to Regattabar ticket holders, and there are also drinks and light fare at the venue.

Two weeks ago, this blog featured a video montage of past Yoko Miwa Trio performances at Regattabar. Check it out, then buy your tickets for April 18 on the website or by calling (617)395-7757.

On Thursday, April 18, the Yoko Miwa Trio will be performing at Regattabar in Cambridge, MA.

If you want to know more about the venue, stay tuned for an upcoming blog post, but to really get the feel of the place, this video shows moments from the trio’s past performances at Regattabar.

If the video got you excited for the real thing, don’t worry, April’s right around the corner. The April 18 show will be at 7:30 pm at Regattabar at the Charles Hotel, One Bennett Street, Cambridge MA. Tickets are $20, buy yours online or call 617-395-7757.

Live music on a weekend morning? Absolutely. The second and fourth Sundays every month, the Yoko Miwa Trio plays at 10:30 at Ryles Jazz Club, one of the gems of quirky-hip Inman Square, Cambridge. You may also know Ryles as a popular dance spot for latin, salsa, swing, and more — it’s the same club, but their dance floor is upstairs, whereas the jazz takes place right where you walk in. The Trio plays at the beloved Ryles Jazz Brunch, gracing a stage that regularly hosts national as well as Boston jazz talent. Some weeks, the place really fills up, so Ryles recommends you call ahead or use their online reservation form.

Yoko at the Keys

Ryles is a personal favorite of mine (Tegan, the blogger, here). I took my mother and grandmother here for brunch one of the first times they visited me after I moved to Boston several years ago. I know that Yoko only plays venues where there is a high-quality piano, but I’m starting to suspect she has a secret policy of only taking recurring gigs at venues that have really great food. It must be out of love for the fans, since the Trio doesn’t get to eat while they play! Not only is Ryles’s brunch food delicious, there’s plenty of it. When I went with my mom and grandma, neither of them could finish their plates, even though they loved the food. With my voracious appetite, I finished mine, and I think I helped my mom with her home fries as well.

Yoko snapped this shot of the brunch while on a break.

New York may be the city that never sleeps, but in Boston, we go home when the T stops and start celebrating local stars again on Sunday morning. I recommend Ryles Brunch when you’re entertaining out-of-town guests, or why not start a twice-a-month tradition with your friends here?

There are only 11 days left in 2012.  The year has absolutely flown by!  But it’s been a year full of so many wonderful experiences and opportunities.  Here’s a snapshot of just a few.

We Won

The award: a gold record.

This year, we won the Phoenix’s Best Jazz Act poll.  It was such an honor to be voted to top act by fans and friends.  We could not have won without your support (and votes!).

New Album

This summer, we recorded and released a new album, Act Naturally, in Japan.  With that CD release, we had not one but two tours in Japan.  On top of that, we had the honor of performing in Tokyo’s famed Cotton Club.

Local Performances

Playing during sunset.

We returned to both Regattabar and Scullers, which by the way was filmed and being edited right now, in 2012.  In the summer, we participated in Downtown Crossing’s summer series and made our debut at the Shalin Liu in Rockport.  We also played at the Mount Auburn Club this fall.  All on top of our residencies at Les Zygomates and Ryles.

Interviews and Press

We had a lot of press this year.  We were live on WICN last month, and we interviewed in several Japanese publications for our new album.  Plus our Scullers performance was highlighted in the Boston Globe’s Fall Arts Preview.  Jazziz featured us twice this year, too.

In addition to our residencies at Ryles and Les Zygomates we have some exciting concerts coming up in 2013 including the Sahara Club in January and a new project of the Yoko Miwa Trio with Special Guest Rebecca Parris. This group is already booked at the Shalin Liu on February 15 but we plan to do a mini tour in the greater New England area so stay posted.

Happy holidays and see you all in 2013!

December can be crazy with a million things to do and events to attend.  Give yourself a break.  Round up your friends for a night of great music instead of another ugly sweater party.

Come out to see us at Les Zygomates this Saturday.  We’ll be playing at 8 pm. Tickets are free, and reservations are recommended but not required.  Give yourself the gift of fantastic jazz.  Your ears will thank you!

Yesterday, the world lost a jazz legend.  Dave Brubeck passed away at the age of 91.  Today would have been his 92nd birthday.

Brubeck was a pianist and composer whose style ran the gamut of jazz.  He had a background in classical piano, but he had a talent for improvisation.  He’s best known for his unusual time signatures such as the 5/4 time in “Take Five”, recorded in the 1950s.  He also pioneered an all jazz radio station in the 60s, today’s WEZN.

Many of our fans are probably familiar with his jazz standards.  However, a lesser known work that may be of interest is his quartet’s Jazz Impressions of Japan from 1964, “Koto Song” being the most popular song from the album.

He’ll be greatly missed by the jazz community.  His work shaped American jazz as we know it.