Mamiko Watanabe - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Mamiko Watanabe was born in Fukuoka, Japan and began studying piano at the age of 4 at the Yamaha Music School. In 1999 Mamiko received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music where she studied jazz piano, improvisation and composition. While at the Berklee College of Music she received several awards for Jazz Piano and Composition. In both 2002 and 2003 Mamiko Watanabe was a semi-finalist at the renowned Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition in Montreux, Switzerland. Ms. Watanabe has toured Germany, Italy and Japan and performed with several jazz greats such as Joe Lovano, Kevin Mahogany, Bobby McFerrin, Tiger Okoshi and Phil Wilson. Ms. Watanabe has recently moved to New York and has performed at many venues such as The Kitano NY, the Blue Note, Cleopatra's Needle, Triad NYC, Smith Jazz Bar, The Europa Club, The Lenox Lounge, St. Nick's Pub, Zinc Bar,Jazzmobile, 55 Bar,Fat Cat,The knitting Factory and S.O.B.'s. Mamiko has performed in several Jazz Festivals in the United States, Europe and Japan. Ms. Watanabe's playing has been described as mature and creative with a good sense of dynamics. Mamiko Watanabe recorded her first CD, "One After Another" as a leader in 2005.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 1/19/2006
Band Website: cdbaby.com/cd/mamiko
Band Members: Personnel on "One After Another" CD: Mamiko Watanabe - piano, Walter Smith - tenor sax, Massimo Biolcati - bass, Francisco Mela - drums.Personnel on "ORIGIN/JEWEL" CD: "ORIGIN" (Funk/Latin) Mamiko Watanabe - piano, Ruben Austin - electric bass, Maurice Brown - trumpet, Karel Ruzicka, Jr. - tenor sax, Harvey Wirht - drums, Roland Guerrero - percussion."JEWEL" (Acoustic piano trio) Mamiko Watanabe - piano Massimo Biolcati - bass, Francisco Mela - drums
Influences: My influences and favorite artists - George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Teddy Wilson, Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Michel Petrucciani, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Danilo Perez, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bobby McFerrin, Ray Charles, Bob Marley, J.S. Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Prokofiev...
Sounds Like:

Type of Label: None

My Blog

More Kudos from Jazzreview.com!!!

My CD was also reviewed by jazzreview.com (http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-19436.html); Please visit this website to read the review of my latest release, "ORIGIN/JEWEL"!
Posted by Mamiko Watanabe on Sat, 29 Dec 2007 04:48:00 PST

"Mamiko Watanabe is a wonderful jazz pianist, who is simply fun to watch in performance!"

For a review of Mamiko Watanabe's November, 2007 performance at Fat Cat's, NYC, please visit: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=27562.
Posted by Mamiko Watanabe on Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:43:00 PST

"ORIGIN/JEWEL" REVIEWED BY ALLABOUTJAZZ.COM!

My latest CD, entitled "ORIGIN/JEWEL" was recently reviewed by allaboutjazz.com; Please visit: www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=27312 to read the review.
Posted by Mamiko Watanabe on Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:22:00 PST

Mamiko Watanabe's Newest Release Now Available at CDBABY.COM!!!

New Release by Mamiko Watanabe Now Available at CDBABY.COM!!! Mamiko has just released "ORIGIN/JEWEL" and it is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mamiko2. This 2 CD set represents the t...
Posted by Mamiko Watanabe on Thu, 19 Jul 2007 12:27:00 PST

My website-www.mamikowatanabe.com

Check out my website!www.mamikowatanabe.com
Posted by Mamiko Watanabe on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 08:46:00 PST

"One After Another" CD Now Available On CDBABY.COM!!!

Mamiko Watanabe's "One After Another" CD is now available on cdbaby.com. To preview selected songs and purchase her CD, visit: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mamiko ...
Posted by Mamiko Watanabe on Thu, 05 Oct 2006 12:27:00 PST