Atsuko Hashimoto (橋本有津子, はしもとあつこ), is a

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

musician from

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...

, Japan, who plays

Hammond B-3 The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...

electronic organ An electric organ, also known as electronic organ, is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally designed to imitate their sound, or orchestral sounds, it has since developed ...

and has performed in Japan and the United States. To date, she has recorded five albums of

organ trio An organ trio is a form of jazz ensemble consisting of three musicians; a Hammond organ player, a drummer, and either a jazz guitarist or a saxophone player. In some cases the saxophonist will join a trio which consists of an organist, guitarist, ...

and organ quartet jazz.

Career

Hashimoto first played the organ at the age of four, beginning with popular songs and jazz standards. Before choosing to specialize in jazz she trained in classical music for several years. At 18, she began working for Hammond Japan demonstrating organs and giving lessons as a Hammond-certified instructor. In 1991, Hashimoto became the house organ player at the Don Shop in Osaka. The next year, she fronted her own organ quartet at the Osaka Jazz Festival and Naniwa Arts Festival. These appearances led to collaborations with

Makoto Ozone is a Japanese jazz pianist. Career He was born in Kobe, Japan. He began playing organ at two and by seven was an improviser. He appeared on Japanese television with his father from 1968 to 1970. At twelve he switched to piano after being impre ...

and

Terumasa Hino is a Japanese jazz trumpeter. He is considered one of Japan's finest jazz musicians. His instruments include the trumpet, cornet, and flügelhorn. Early life He was born in Tokyo, Japan, and his father was a trumpeter and tap dancer. Hino start ...

. In 1999, Hashimoto debuted in the US, playing at clubs in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

as well as Jazz at Pearl's in

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

, where she performed with Bruce Forman on guitar and Vince Lateano on drums. In 2000, she toured Japan with "Brother" Jack McDuff and his band, and in September that year shared the bill with

Dr. Lonnie Smith Lonnie Smith (July 3, 1942 – September 28, 2021), styled Dr. Lonnie Smith, was an American jazz Hammond B3 organist who was a member of the George Benson quartet in the 1960s. He recorded albums with saxophonist Lou Donaldson for Blue Note be ...

at Blue Note Osaka. 2001 saw Atsuko return to California, playing at the

San Jose Jazz Festival The San José Jazz Summer Fest (originally known as the San Jose Jazz Festival) is an annual music festival organized by non-profit San Jose Jazz and held in downtown San Jose, California. The festival was established in 1990. The festival beg ...

The Baked Potato The Baked Potato is a prominent jazz club on Cahuenga Boulevard in Studio City, Los Angeles, California, opened by Don Randi (father of bassist Leah Randi) in 1970. Randi formed his own group, Don Randi and Quest, as the house band. Over the ye ...

Studio City Studio City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 1927, ...

and the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz. She played at the 2001 Jazz Organ Summit with Yutaka Hashimoto and Fukushi Tainaka. In 2002, while he was touring Japan with

Diana Krall Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, '' Billboard'' maga ...

, Jeff Hamilton first heard from other musicians about the electrifying Atsuko Hashimoto "holding court" at the Don Shop, enthralling audiences while playing jazz after hours. Following his set in Osaka, Hamilton went to hear her play and after a few songs, he asked and was invited to sit in with her on stage for a 'jam'. Hamilton has said the experience resolved in him a desire to tour and record with Hashimoto. Hashimoto and Hamilton have recorded two CDs together, touring to support the recordings. In 2003, at the 40th Naniwa Arts Festival in Osaka, Atsuko received the Shoji Nakayama Jazz Award, the Progressive Musician's Prize, and awards from both the governor of

Osaka Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Osaka Prefecture has a population of 8,778,035 () and has a geographic area of . Osaka Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture to the northwest, Kyoto Prefecture ...

and the mayor of the city of Osaka. Club Manhattan in Osaka hosted Atsuko Hashimoto in 2004. September 2006, was a very busy month for the artist. September 5, Atsuko and Yutaka Hashimoto recorded at

Capitol Studios Capitol Studios are recording studios located at the landmark Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood, California. The studios, which opened in 1956, were initially the primary recording studios for the American record label Capitol Records. While t ...

in Los Angeles accompanied by Jeff Hamilton.

Houston Person Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He received the ...

swapped in for Yutaka Hashimoto on a second collection of songs. The extended recording session resulted in both the Thousand Days Records album ''Time After Time'', released March 5, 2008 and the Azica Records album ''Introducing Atsuko Hashimoto'', released February 12, 2008. The next day, on September 6, Atsuko Hashimoto, Jeff Hamilton and Houston Person performed at

San Diego Museum of Art The San Diego Museum of Art is a fine arts museum located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park in San Diego, California that houses a broad collection with particular strength in Spanish art. The San Diego Museum of Art opened as The Fine Arts Galler ...

where they received a standing ovation. On September 8, Hashimoto appeared at the White Noise Music Festival in

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

. On September 10, 2006 at the

Jazzschool The California Jazz Conservatory is a private conservatory in Berkeley, California. It is the only independent music conservatory in the United States devoted solely to jazz and related styles of music. Located in the Downtown Berkeley Arts Distr ...

Berkeley Berkeley most often refers to: *Berkeley, California, a city in the United States **University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California * George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher Berkeley may also refer ...

, Atsuko and Yutaka Hashimoto were joined by Juasa Kanoh on drums. Late in September, Atsuko and Yutaka Hashimoto were invited to the 12th West Coast Jazz Party in

Irvine, California Irvine () is a Planned community, master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on ...

. There Mrs. Hashimoto played two sets with Jeff Hamilton on drums: one with Yutaka Hashimoto and

Ron Eschete Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...

trading licks on guitar and one with

on tenor saxophone—the latter group billed as "Organ Magic Trio." They also played at the LAX Crowne Plaza Hotel's Brasserie Lounge in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

and Steamers Jazz Club in Fullerton. At the 50th

Monterey Jazz Festival The Monterey Jazz Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Monterey, California, United States. It debuted on October 3, 1958, championed by Dave Brubeck and co-founded by jazz and popular music critic Ralph J. Gleason and jaz ...

in September 2007, Atsuko Hashimoto took part in the "Hammond B-3 Blowout" featuring the

Joey DeFrancesco Joey DeFrancesco (April 10, 1971August 25, 2022) was an American jazz organist, trumpeter, saxophonist, and occasional singer. He released more than 30 albums under his own name, and recorded extensively as a sideman with such leading jazz perfo ...

Trio and the Atsuko Hashimoto Trio. Her trio included Houston Person and Jeff Hamilton; the two trios were said to "blow out the Night Club." Prior to the Monterey date, Hashimoto appeared at

Centrum (Latin for ''center'') may refer to: Places In Greenland * Nuuk Centrum, a district of Nuuk, Greenland * Centrum Lake, Greenland In the Netherlands * Amsterdam-Centrum, the inner-most borough of Amsterdam, Netherlands * Rotterdam Centrum, a borou ...

(also known as

Port Townsend Port Townsend is a city on the Quimper Peninsula in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,148 at the 2020 United States Census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County. In addition to ...

Jazz Festival), Steamers Jazz Club, the Brasserie Lounge and th
Pasadena Jazz Institute
where

covered guitar. At the 8t
Newport Beach Jazz Party
(a sister event to the West Coast Jazz Party) on February 17, 2008 Atsuko Hashimoto, Jeff Hamilton and Houston Person played a set billed as "International Power Trio". The next day, the Atsuko Hashimoto Organ Trio played Pasadena Jazz Institute, featuring Yutaka Hashimoto on guitar and Jeff Hamilton on drums. On February 22, 2008 Atsuko Hashimoto and Jeff Hamilton joined tenor saxophonist

Red Holloway James Wesley "Red" Holloway (May 31, 1927 – February 25, 2012) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Born in Helena, Arkansas,Daniel E. Slotnik"Red Holloway, Swinger of the Sax, Dies at 84" ''The New York Times'', February 28, 2012 ...

at the

Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival, the largest west of the Mississippi River, that takes place in February on the campus of the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. In 2007, the festival was awarded the National Medal ...

at the

University of Idaho The University of Idaho (U of I, or UIdaho) is a public land-grant research university in Moscow, Idaho. It is the state's land-grant and primary research university,, and the lead university in the Idaho Space Grant Consortium. The University ...

Musical style

Atsuko Hashimoto plays primarily jazz standards, augmenting them with solos. YS organ-ize Records, her first label, has described her playing as "pre- Jimmy Smith era, some

Wild Bill Davis Wild Bill Davis (November 24, 1918 – August 17, 1995) was the stage name of American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger William Strethen Davis. He is best known for his pioneering jazz electric organ recordings and for his tenure with t ...

, some

Milt Buckner Milton Brent Buckner (July 10, 1915 – July 27, 1977) was an American jazz pianist and organist, who in the early 1950s popularized the Hammond organ.Arwulf ArwulfMilt Buckner biography All Music. He pioneered the parallel chords styleFeathe ...

, some Jackie Davis". Mrs. Hashimoto plays Hammond B-3 through one or two

Leslie speaker The Leslie speaker is a combined amplifier and loudspeaker that projects the signal from an electric or electronic instrument and modifies the sound by rotating a baffle chamber ("drum") in front of the loudspeakers. A similar effect is provided ...

s. She often wears gloves or tapes her fingers before playing in order to enable smooth, fast

glissandi In music, a glissando (; plural: ''glissandi'', abbreviated ''gliss.'') is a glide from one pitch to another (). It is an Italianized musical term derived from the French ''glisser'', "to glide". In some contexts, it is distinguished from the co ...

without injury.

Personal life

In the early 1990s, Atsuko Hashimoto married Yutaka, a skilled jazz guitarist. The couple lives in Osaka when they aren't touring. Mrs. Hashimoto travels with an interpreter when outside Japan.

Discography

* ''Until the Sun Comes Up'' (

Capri Capri ( , ; ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. The main town of Capri that is located on the island shares the name. It has been ...

, 2011) featuring Jeff Hamilton (drums), Graham Dechter (guitar). **1. All Or Nothing At All (6:05) **2. Soul Station (5:44) **3. So In Love (5:05) **4. Moon River (5:22) **5. What A Wonderful World (6:06) **6. Blues For Naka (6:19) **7. You Are My Sunshine (4:17) **8. Cherry (6:28) **9. Yours Is My Heart Alone (4:18) **10. The Good Life (5:46) **11. Hallelujah, I Love Her So (4:56) * ''Introducing Atsuko Hashimoto'' (Azica, 2008) featuring Jeff Hamilton (drums).

plays tenor sax. **1. Sunny (6:50) by Bobby Hebb **2. Blue Moon (6:47) by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart **3. Only Trust Your Heart (8:18) by Sammy Cahn & Benny Carter **4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (7:40) by Duke Ellington **5. Black Velvet (6:44) by Illinois Jacquet & Jimmy Mundy **6. My Babe (4:33) Traditional **7. God Bless The Child (7:16) by Arthur Herzog Jr. & Billie Holiday **8. Hammer Time (5:34) by Houston Person **9. That's All (6:21) by Alan Brandt & Bob Heymes **10. Sunny (Reprise) (2:42) by Bobby Hebb * ''Time After Time'' (Thousand Days Records. 2008) with Yutaka Hashimoto (guitar), Jeff Hamilton (drums). **1. Time After Time **2. Just One Of Those Things **3. I've Never Been In Love Before **4. Max **5. Estate **6. The End Of A Love Affair **7. Shiny Stockings **8. Love For Sale **9. Please Send Me Someone To Love **10. Little Suede Shoes **11. Summertime * ''Songs We Love'' (Thousand Days Records. 2005) with Yutaka Hashimoto (guitar), Juasa Kanoh (drums), plus voices: Harvey Thompson, Toni Scruggs and Elijah Levi. **1. Ladybug **2. Bye Bye Blackbird **3. My Ship **4. You Don't Know What Love Is **5. Misty **6. The Song Is You **7. Nature Boy **8. Ruggin' The Blues **9. What's Going On **10. The More I See You **11. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow **12. God Bless The child **13. Stormy Monday * ''Full Organ'' (self-produced, recorded January 25, 2003, at Osaka Municipal Space of Arts) with Yutaka Hashimoto (guitar), Jimmie Smith (drums). **1. Minor Somethin' **2. Cherokee **3. Time After Time **4. Go See Dr. Lonnie **5. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter **6. Groove Thang **7. La Luna De Jubio **8. Blues For Jimmy **9. The Chase **10. Everyday I Have The Blues * ''Jazz Organ Tribute''
YS organ-ize Records
recorded July 1999, at Le Club Jazz,

Kyoto, Japan Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the city ...

) with Yutaka Hashimoto (guitar), Tatsuhiko Takeda (drums) plus Jin Mitsuda (percussion). This album also features the Midori Ono Trio. **1. That's All (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1) **2. Vera Cruz (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1) **3. Gumbo (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1) **4. Little Girl Blue (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1) **5. Little Latin Chat (Atsuko Hashimoto Trio+1) **6. Comin' Home Baby (Midori Ono Trio) **7. In A Mellow Tone (Midori Ono Trio) **8. Old Folks (Midori Ono Trio) **9. Silver's Serenade (Midori Ono Trio) **10. Moment's Notice (Midori Ono Trio)

References

External links