About Me
KAZUMI IKENAGA, Drummer
Born in Kyoto, Japan in1961.Kazumi started playing guitar & piano when he was age12. At age 13 he switched to the drums. He started his carerr as professional studio drummer when he was age 19.He has been a professional drummer for over 20 years, performing all kinds of music styles. Although currently Kazumi mainly perform modern jazz music(focused on after Bill Evans school) and ECM type music. He has performed in numerous Jazz festivals and toured with various recording artists world wide.Performance with: Alejandro Santos(Argentine), Javier Girroto,
Marchello Allulli, Alfred Ponissi, David Boato, Ales Tavollatti(Italy), Victor Merlo(Spain), Shigeo Fukuda,Akiko Grace, Hiroyuki Namba, Makoto Aoyagi, Misako Kano,
Isao Suzuki, Takashi Matsunaga,Takashi"Gon"Mizuhashi, Hideto Kanai(Japan), Chris Cheek, John Lockwood, Bert Seager,Othello Molineaux, Tom Pierson, Kurt Resenwinkel,
Matt Garrrison,Samus Blake, Mike Noonam, Ray Parker(U.S), Mike Nock(Australia)
George Donchev(Bulgaria), Christian Vuust,Kasper Tranberg(Denmark), Mika Pohjola(Finland),
Ole Mathisen(Norway)In 1986 Kazumi moved to Tokyo, joined the group of Isao Suzuki, Hideto Kanai.
In 1988 he was awarded a full scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He lived in the United States for 6 years. Since then, he has been well known in Boston for being one of the most musical, and creative drummer in the music scene.In 1992 he has been selected as "Artists-in-Residence"(supported by National Endowment for the Arts) for ten month in the community of Decorah, IA in their public schools. At Luther College he joined the " Unified Jazz Ensemble" as a drummer and engaged in teaching and band directing duties.
After that he kept playing as free-lance drummmer in Boston & N.Y.C.and returned to Japan in 1994 due to health problem.Then he moved back to his home town in Kyoto. A year later he relocated to Yokohama to continue his career. Kazumi has been organizing tour and workshops (inviting musicians from United States and Europe to perform with)in Japan. Also visited U.S and Europe to perform with various musicians.In 1998, Kazumi join " Tr[iframe]" (reunion with Makoto Aoyagi). Exploring his potential as all-around drummer, since then he is more active to join with many groups and musical set up not only in jazz categoly.
