Introducing YAZ BAND
Yasuyuki "Yaz" Takagi (Tenor Saxophone)
A native of Osaka, Japan, Yasuyuki Takagi (call him Yaz) was influenced by
the sounds of jazz at a very early age.
As a child, Yaz listened to both the music of his native homeland as well as his father's
jazz collection.
Looking back on his childhood, Yaz always felt that the presence of his father's
records had a big influence on his musical development.
And though he admits that he didn't know what it was he was listening to back then,
it had enough of an impact to shape his musical direction for the rest of his life.
As a student, Yaz listened to artists such as Bob James, Dave Grusin, The Crusaders,
Earth, Wind and Fire, Grover Washington Jr. and other American jazz artists.
And while his friends were listening to the energy and power of rock'n roll,
it was David Sanborn's music that led him to pursue the saxophone as his instrument of choice.
Subsequently, upon entering Japan's Kochi University Yaz began to study the saxophone
while earning his Bachelor's Degree in Education.
And although he started to listen to and collect more of the same albums
which he heard as a child in his father's house, he never dreamed
that one day he might go to the United States, New York in particular,
to pursue a career as a professional musician.
After graduation, Yaz worked through the day as a social worker in Osaka
while studying saxophone with
Tetsuyuki Miya
and theory with
Sadayasu Fujii.
As his passion for jazz grew stronger through time;
He began to play with jazz groups and also sat in on some of teacher's gigs, as well.
At this point Yaz decided that he wanted to continue his jazz studies abroad and
moved to New York in April, 1992.
After moving to New York, Yaz was impressed with the higher level of musicianship
and began to lose confidence in his own abilities.
Feeling that his own ability was inadequate to pursue a career as a professional musician
in New York, he decided to return back to Japan.
However, with only a month left in N.Y. before his scheduled return home,
he met a fellow saxophonist who encouraged him to stay and pursue his dreams.
Hence, he decided to stay in New York and began studying with
Rob Scheps
while working as a dishwasher in a Japanese restaurant.
As time passed, his abilities (and confidence) improved as his continued to work
at night and practice during the day until soon he was able to switch to a day job,
thus leaving his evenings open for music.
As Yaz began to play with more and more groups and jam sessions,
his abilities came to the attention of some N.Y. area local bands, such asJoy Ryder and the New York Rhythm All Stars,
the smooth jazz group Since When?,
and
The Sly Geralds Band,
to name a few.
When he lost his day job as the result of the September 11th, tragedy,
Yaz became a full time musician, formed his own group (Yaz Band)
and became a regular feature with the New York City Transit Authority's
"Music Under New York" series.
Eric Smith (Keyboards)
Keyboardist, composer and arranger Eric J. Smith has been involved with several music projects.
He was a member of the group Me and My Friends, which performed at various clubs
in the New York metropolitan area during the early 1980's.
He has also been the music director for such performers as T West, Tracy B and singer John Lewis,
and produced the theme music from popular NHK Japan series "New Yorkers".
Although influenced by jazz, he has deeper roots in the classic R&B music of Motown and
"The Philadelphia Sound" as exemplified by artists such as MFSB, Gamble & Huff, Jean Carne.
He has performed at venues such as Sweetwaters, The Cotton Club,
the legendary Apollo Theatre and other popular New York City venues
He has released his own CD "Come In From The Cold" in 2007.
Currently he is producing the debut CD of the smooth jazz group "Since When?" while performing with Yaz Band.
Sly Geralds studied classical music at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music
in New York City and later with virtuoso acoustic/electric bassist Stanley Clarke
of Return to Forever fame.
He has also been a coach for young viola, cello and bass players and writes and
performs his own compositions with his group, The Sly Geralds Band.
Sly has worked with Bob Dylan, the Indigo Girls, the Del Vikings, Michael Urbaniak,
Maceo Parker, Al Green, Southside Johnny, and Baba Olatunji.
Of special significance; In 1996, Sly and his own band had the privilege to play for
then-Russian premier Boris Yeltsin while also touring as bassist in Bob Dylan's Band, as well.
In 2003, he participated in a world tour of Europe, South America, Australia and Japan
as bassist, vocalist and musical director of the world renowned Harlem Gospel Choir.
He has released his own CD "New York's My Home" in 2007.
Tomoaki Kanno (Drums)
Tomoaki started playing piano when he was five years old, and subsequently learned to play many different instruments as a child in Kanagawa, Japan. At the age of 17, he became interested playing the kit drum and decided to continue his study on the instrument at "Tokyo Communication Art''. While studying at the school, he joined a band called "Will" with "Sing Like Talking" bassist Sakuma Akihiro and played extensively throughout Japan. Upon graduation from school, he started playing with Yujiro Wada and although he learned much about playing the drums while with Wada, decided to go to New York to learn music.
Currently he is involved in an intensive study program at the New School of Social Research's Jazz Program and plays with groups such as The MK Groove Orchestra, Manipulation and toured with Yaz Band's 2003 Korea tour.
Shinya Miyamoto (Drums)
Shinya Miyamoto is a versatile musician from Hiroshima, Japan
with a background in arranging, engineering, producing and sequential programming
(recording, mixing, mastering, etc.).
Shinya began his musical education at age four on piano and continued with the drums
at age fourteen.
With the drums, he found his true means of personal expression and musical freedom.
He attended The Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where he majored
in Professional Music and graduated Cum Lade in 1994.
After doing many live music shows and recording projects in Boston,
Shinya relocated to New York City to work as an engineer and music programmer for
a commercial jingle house. Most recently,
he worked as mastering engineer and editor at Sterling Sound,
the largest music mastering plant in the world. While there,
Shinya learned to rely on his musical ability to help him master complicated musical situations.
He performs and records on numerous projects
throughout New York City and is the current drummer for the Harlem Gospel Choir.
Tak Sokusai (Bass)
Hitoshi Kanda (Keyboards)
Matsu (Drums)
Robb Roberts (Bass)
Sly Geralds (Bass)