Akiko Tsuruga January 13, 2010

Hailing from Osaka, Japan, the Hammond Organist and pianist, Akiko Tsuruga is in a center stage of New York jazz scene since 2001. This talented young organist began to play organ at the age of three and started off her career right after her graduation from Osaka College of Music. While she was based in Osaka, she had numerous opportunities to play with renowned jazz men from the United States such as Roy Hargrove, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Grady Tate to name a few. Particularly, Grady Tate is considered as one of her mentors, and perhaps she admires the most and was influenced infinitely. He played on her Japanese debut album and convinced her to move to the United States.
Once she has landed on Jazz Mecca, New York, it didn’t take much time to be recognized by musicians. She embraced herself to be called one of top organ players in the city. She is always a crowd pleaser in Dizzy Club in Jazz at Lincoln Center, and performed in many well-known jazz venues such as Blue Note, Birdland, and Smoke. She also enjoys being a sideman of other great jazz artists. Grady Tate’s vocal group and Lou Donaldson Quartet fill up her schedule along with her own group.
Her debut CD, “Harlem Dreams” featuring Grady Tate and Frank Wess was released in Japan from M&I Company in May, 2004. CD sales was very successful and she led a “home coming” tour featured Grady Tate and Satoshi Inoue in the Summer of 2004.
She returned to Japan in the following year, September 2005, with Eric Johnson and Fukushi Tainaka. This tour wasn’t just her another successful tour. It brought an endorsement deal with Hammond Suzuki and she became an official Hammond XK-3 endorser. She also had an opportunity to write a jazz organ instructional book and published by Berklee Press, titled “Hammond Organ Complete,” and it was translated from English to Japanese and published in Japan as well.
Her second Japanese release, “Sweet and Funky” came out in November 2006. In the same year, she made appearance in Japanese movie, “Last Love,” as a jazz pianist. In Mach 2007, “Sweet and Funky” was released in North Americas through 18th & Vine Records, and Downbeat gave her four stars in their review. The album scored #13 on the jazz radio charts, and Downbeat included her “Sweet and Funky” within their “Best CDs of 2007” list. Downbeat Critics Poll also made a good remark on her talent and gave her 10th spot in Rising Star Organist ranking. In October 2007, her 3rd Japanese release, “St. Luis Blues” featuring Bernard Purdie and Houston Person came out. More noteworthy, she performed extensively as a member of Lou Donaldson Quartet throughout the United States, and appearances at Birdland, the Village Vanguard, and Carnegie Hall were another highlights of this year. Then, she concluded her glorious 2007 with the New Star Award by Swing Journal Magazine.
In 2008, she had released an album from Mojo Records called “N.Y.C. Serenade” with Jimmy Cobb followed by a three-week long CD release tour in Japan with her regular trio. Recent recording of her 2nd North Americas release, “Oriental Express” from 18th & Vine Records are scheduled in this Summer, 2009. This album features Eric Johnson, Rudy Petschauer and Jerry Weldon and it is eagerly waited by the fans.

Official Website: http://yoshis.com/oakland/jazzclub/artist/show/1063