Chie Imaizumi profile picture

Chie Imaizumi

The 2007 Rockymountain Jazz Artist of the Year!

About Me

In 2007 DownBeat Critics Poll recognized Chie Imaizumi as a " Rising Star Composer"!
Since the release of Chie Imaizumi "Unfailing Kindness"(Capri Records), it has received critical acclaim and appeared in five categories on the ballot for the 50th Grammy Awards.
One of the most well-received and up-and-coming musicians of her generation, Composer/Arranger/Conductor Chie Imaizumi's music has been received with standing ovations by audiences and accolades from the press(pronounce Chee-ay Ee-my-zoo-me). Her new CD "Unfailing Kindness"(Capri Records) is produced by world-renowned trumpet recording artist Greg Gisbert who is also featured on the date. The recording features a program of original compositions and arrangements by Chie and an all star line-up of musicians from New York and Colorado that include the phenomenal baritone saxophonist, Gary Smulyan.
Chie has worked for Mr. Teo Macero, Dave Schroeder, Big Apple Circus, Convergence, and John Gunther as their copyist. Chie is a guest artist for the Denver School of the Arts where she teaches Jazz Composition Master Class.
Far from a stranger to the stage, Chie started her musical career at the early age of four, when she started playing the electric organ in her native homeland of Saitama, Japan. Continuing with the instrument all through her early years, Chie went on to win the Yamaha Electone Competition for outstanding performance on the electric organ at the regional and national levels several years in a row. At 18, Chie began her intensive study of the jazz language at Senzoku Gakuen Junior College in Kanagawa, Japan, while changing her primary musical focus to the piano, and graduated top of her class.
While at Kanagawa, Chie appeared on several CD releases. Under the direction of producer and percussionist, Youichi Hosohata, Chie performed on "Voice Vol. 3" on piano and keyboards. During this time she also recorded with Syamisen (traditional Japanese instrument) player Masahiro Nitta on King Records release entitled " SOU". Soon after entering Berklee in the fall of 2001, while attending the institution on a Full Merit Scholarship, Chie began to shift her focus from performing to composing. Her extraordinary talents being soon recognized by the professors at Berklee, she was awarded the Herb Pomeroy award for Jazz Composition in 2003. She had the extreme honor of performing her compositions with her own band at the 2004 North Sea Jazz Festival in the Hague, Netherland! Her compositions have been performed with countless different bands at the IAJE Conference, the Regattabar Jazz Festival, the New Music Festival, and the Berklee Jazz Festival, to name just a few. Chie Imaizumi recorded her demo CD in July 2005 entitled ' A Change for the Better'. This disc features all original compositions by Chie, performed some amazing musicians including Greg Gisbert and Phil Wilson.
Upon graduating from Berklee, while keeping a busy schedule of composing and conducting her original music for variety of musical groups, Chie has also kept an active touring schedule, both here in the United States and abroad. Chie has toured Europe extensively, in 2005 alone having completed both a three week tour in the spring, and a three month tour in the winter, with the widely acclaimed Edith Piaf tribute band Ziaf. While in Europe, on top of playing performances nightly, the group also appeared on the foremost Radio stations and premier publications in Paris. While busy in their touring schedule, Ziaf caught the attention of Zoom-Zoom Productions and had the pleasure of being featured in the film/documentary Marguerite Monnot, Dans I'ombre de Piaf, having just been released in November of 2005.
Chie has also toured across her native country, Japan, numerous times, with the high energy and well received voice and piano duo " Tsune-Chie", of which she is the principal collaborator, composer, and pianist for the group. They have toured the country three times in the last three years, playing nightly without fail to packed houses and sold out shows. In 2002, she also had pleasure of touring Japan with rising stars and Geneon Entertainment Artists, the jazz vocal group " Syncopation ".

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 5/26/2006
Band Website: thousandpictures.org
Band Members: Greg Gisbert, Ron Miles, John Gunther, Peter Sommer, Alex Heitlinger, Gary Smulyan, Mike Abbott, Jeff Jenkins, Mark Simon, Paul Romaine, Manavihare 'Mimy' Fiaindratovo, Jeremy Ragsdale
..
Mitchell Feldman - Radio Promotion
Ann Braithwaite - Publicist
Tom Burns - Capri Records
Influences: My goal as a composer is to create music that brings happiness and joy to my listeners.
My intention is to inspire moods and emotions within my audience that can range from tears of sadness to leaps of joy and laughter!

There are many bumps on the road through life. If my music can help my listeners to overcome their obstacles, give them strength, or even just make them a little happier and put a smile on their face, then there is no better way to make me smile and be happy!
- Chie Imaizumi

Record Label: Capri Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Commissioned for the JWO/Denver School of the Arts 2008

I've been a Guest Composer/Arranger/Artist in Residence at the Denver School of the Arts from August 2007 to May 2008. Early this year, the Director of Bands Department Mr. Dave Hammond commissioned m...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Mon, 26 May 2008 10:30:00 PST

jazz89 KUVO Jazz Appreciation Month featured artist

April is Jazz Appreciation Month - Join jazz89 KUVO for this joyous celebration of Jazz!www.kuvo.orgDuring Jazz Appreciation Month they are highlighting Colorado musicians every day!April 1  Dianne R...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:27:00 PST

CBS 4 aired the story on Chie!

CBS 4 and CBS4 Critic-at-Large Mr. Greg Moody aired the story on me and our sound. Check this out! http://cbs4denver.com/moodypicksP.S: If you can't find the video, just search my name Chie Imaizumi...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 04:25:00 PST

sad news... Mr. Teo Macero, R.I.P.

I was just told Mr. Teo Macero passed away on Tuesday.I feel very fortunate to have known him and worked for him even for a brief time. I'll miss him...from New York TimesTeo Macero, a record producer...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 05:00:00 PST

Great Review by The Metropolitan

The Metropolitan is produced by and for the students of the Metropolitan State College of Denver serving the Auraria Campus. Here is the review of our last concert by Jeremy Johnson" Her style of cond...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:38:00 PST

Concert Pictures by Ned Radinsky(Rockymountainjazz.com)

Hi!Here is the link to the pictures from our last concert at the King Center Concert Hall. Please copy and paste it thanks! http://rockymountainjazz.com/photos.htmlandhttp://www.rockym ountainjazz.com/...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:28:00 PST

featured article on Rocky Moutain News

Composer's joyful works to unfold at King CenterBy Norman Provizer!Like works of origami, Chie Imaizumi's compositions fold complex notes on paper into a pattern of elegant simplicity. On Thursday, yo...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:04:00 PST

Jan 31,08The King Center Concert Hall Sponsored by Consulate General of Japan etc SOLD OUT

"An Evening with The Chie Imaizumi Jazz Orchestra"Uniting Japanese Music, Jazz, and Colorado Presentation of the Annual Golda Meir Leadership Award to Dianne Reeves-Four- time Grammy Award winning Jaz...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:17:00 PST

The 2007 Rocky Mountain Jazz Artist of the year! Yes!

I'm very pleased and honored to announce that I was selected " The 2007 Rocky Mountain Jazz Artist of the Year" http://www.rockymountainjazz.com/2007/12/rmj-artist-of-year. htmlwow! I'm so flattered an...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 05:53:00 PST

10 BEST OF 2007 LIST OF JAZZ CDs

Jeff Krow from AUDIOPHILE AUDITION 10 BEST OF 2007 LIST OF JAZZ CDs OLIVER NELSONhttp://www.audaud.com/article.php?ArticleID=2324 CHIE IMAIZUMIhttp://www.audaud.com/article.php?ArticleID=2450 ...
Posted by Chie Imaizumi on Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:49:00 PST