Akiko Pavolka

Akiko Pavolka is a New York-based musician, composer and singer/songwriter who's strikingly original music blends pop and jazz with the music and sensibilities of her native Japan. Her new release "Begin Again" on Tone of a Pitch Records (Portugal) is her third as a leader. The previous two include "House of Illusion" (1998) and the critically acclaimed follow-up "Bridge" (2002). Her band House of Illusion has been performing regularly in New York since 1998. They have toured in the United States, Europe and Japan. Akiko has also composed music for commissioned projects in Japan, was a founding member of the underground rock band Entropy in the late 90's, and can be heard on Alan Ferber Nonet's new release "Scenes From An Exit Row" for the Fresh Sounds, New Talent label in Spain. Most recently she completed a month-long tour of Portugal and Spain to promote "Begin Again". She performed at venues including The Hot Clube, Bicaense Cafe and the Centro Cultural de Belem in Lisbon, Auditorio Gulbenkian in Braga, Jamboree in Barcelona and Nova Jazz Cava in Terrasa.Akiko is currently at work on her fourth album, to be released in the spring of 2008.Akiko was born in Tokyo and grew up in Yokohama, Japan. By her teen years she was performing as a singer, bassist and drummer with rock and roll bands. Her interests turned to jazz and after several years of gigging as a vocalist in Tokyo, she was ready to move to the United States to further her studies at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music. She graduated in 1994 with a degree in Performance and was also awarded the Cleo Laine Outstanding Vocalist Award. She moved to New York in 1995. Her band has performed in New York City venues including Joe's Pub, Barbes, The Knitting Factory, Fez, The Living Room, Cornelia Street Cafe and Rockwood Music Hall.