Takana Miyamoto

Takana Miyamoto - Pianist/composer/producer - VOTED "ATLANTA'S BEST JAZZ ACT" in creative loafing in 2005 and 2006.Born in Japan, Takana Miyamoto began playing the keyboard at age 4, and decided to become a composer when she was 14, choosing music over the visual arts career. She left Japan at age 19 to study in the US, with the aspiration of becoming a film composer. Accepted to Berklee College of Music with an honorary scholarship, Takana received several awards for her performance and composition talents from Berklee, and graduated as an honor student with a dual degree in Film Scoring and Jazz Composition. She won first place in the Randy Edman Jazz Piano Competition in 1998, and moved to New York City where she performed with renowned musicians, and began touring and recording internationally. In 2001, she was accepted as a U.S. permanent resident based on her musical talent (category EB-1), and moved to Atlanta where she was given the "RISING STAR" recognition from the International Jazz Society. Women Looking Ahead magazine selected Takana to be one of "GEARGIA'S MOST POWERFUL AND INFLUENTIAL WOMEN" as a composer. In 2004 She graduated from Georgia State University with a master's degree in music. Asian american community im GA awarded her an "ELITE ASIAN" recorgnition in 2006. Takana scored for a theater " A Long X'mas Ride Home" and a motion picture "Dear Willie".Years of classical training are apparent in her piano sound, and she has an unusual sense of telling a story in her improvisation and composition. Her compositions are visual and emotional, coming from her film music study. She has produced four albums as a leader featuring her original compositions. Her current concert projects are; "Takana Miyamoto Trio" featuring Takana's Original compositions, "PIANO TALES- Solo Piano concert" (calming, peaceful solo piano music from her "Piano Tales" CD), "Healing Music", "Music for Koto and a jazz piano trio" feat. Junko Takeo, and the Bill Evans tirbute feat. the original Evans Trio drummer Marty Morell.Since 1998, Takana has recorded and toured with the five-time Grammy nominated vocalist, NNENNA FREELON. Takana was the pianist, arranger and the musical director for Freelon's two-time Grammy nominated "Soulcalll" and "Live at the Kennedy Center" albums. In 2003, Takana joined the vocalist RENE MARIE's group, and she is featured on Marie's album of 2004. As a versatile musician, Takana continues to record/perform with the top Atlanta artists such as multi grammy nominated KIRK WHALUM (sax), two-time Grammy nominee RUSSELL GUNN (Jazz/Krunk jazz trumpeter), JIMMY HEATH (sax), R&B vocalist DIONNE FARRIS (voc from Arrested Development), KHARI SIMMONS's Soul Bossa Nova group "JIVA", house music "ANANDA PROJECT", KEVIN MAHOGANY (Jazz vocal) LIZZ WRIGHT, TOKU (voc/flugelhorn) and many other greats. (Website: www.takana.net)