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Biography:

Born in Osaka Japan, Guitarist Hideaki Tokunaga left for New York when he was 19 years old. He went to NYU to study jazz with Joe Lavano and worked as a bus boy at the jazz club owned by Michael Brecker called Seventh Avenue South. The main performer at this club was the late great bassist Jaco Pastorius. After Pastorius' main set was over, Tokunaga was also hired as an after hour solo guitarist. At this after hour job, Pastorius always sat in and gave Tokunaga the greatest encouragement and advice.

After Seventh Avenue South was closed, he started playing with an organization called Music Under New York (MUNY), which arranged for musicians to play in subways.

In 1990 he moved to Southern California and started attending California Institute of the Arts through the Charlie Mingus Scholarship Program. He studied with Larry Koonse, James Newton, Tootie Heath, Charlie Haden, David Roitstein, Joe LaBarbera and many other teachers at CalArts. In 1998 he graduated from CalArts with his Master's Degree.

During his school years the 18th Annual Down Beat Magazine Student Music Awards gave one of three Best USA Jazz Instrumental Soloist-College Awards to Tokunaga. After receiving this award, Tokunaga contracted with Moo/MIDI Records. His debut CD "The Wind Told Me" was released in 1997 and the second album "Midnight Rainbow" was released in 1998. On "Midnight Rainbow" the core band features the Hammond B3 playing of Greg Kurstin and the drums of legendary jazz drummer Billy Higgins.

Through CalArts Community Arts Partnership Program, Tokunaga was sent to teach jazz guitar classes at the Cultural Center for the Arts and Education in Los Angeles, otherwise known as "Plaza de la Raza". Tokunaga began teaching at Plaza in 1992. He left soon after this concert (June 2002) due to his move to Japan. Even though he relocated his jazz activity to Japan, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Department of State nominated Tokunaga for the 2001 and 2002 Jazz Ambassadors. Tokunaga was the first native Japanese who was nominated as a "Jazz Ambassador" (Fall 2002)


DVDs: HIDEAKI TOKUNGA QUINTET "Adios Plaza" Link: Hideaki Tokunaga's Home Page	Hideaki Tokunaga (Guitar) Biography: Born in Osaka Japan, Guitarist Hideaki Tokunaga left for New York when he was 19 years old. He went to NYU to study jazz with Joe Lavano and worked as a bus boy at the jazz club owned by Michael Brecker called Seventh Avenue South. The main performer at this club was the late great bassist Jaco Pastorius. After Pastorius' main set was over, Tokunaga was also hired as an after hour solo guitarist. At this after hour job, Pastorius always sat in and gave Tokunaga the greatest encouragement and advice. After Seventh Avenue South was closed, he started playing with an organization called Music Under New York (MUNY), which arranged for musicians to play in subways. In 1990 he moved to Southern California and started attending California Institute of the Arts through the Charlie Mingus Scholarship Program. He studied with Larry Koonse, James Newton, Tootie Heath, Charlie Haden, David Roitstein, Joe LaBarbera and many other teachers at CalArts. In 1998 he graduated from CalArts with his Master's Degree. During his school years the 18th Annual Down Beat Magazine Student Music Awards gave one of three Best USA Jazz Instrumental Soloist-College Awards to Tokunaga. After receiving this award, Tokunaga contracted with Moo/MIDI Records. His debut CD "The Wind Told Me" was released in 1997 and the second album "Midnight Rainbow" was released in 1998. On "Midnight Rainbow" the core band features the Hammond B3 playing of Greg Kurstin and the drums of legendary jazz drummer Billy Higgins. Through CalArts Community Arts Partnership Program, Tokunaga was sent to teach jazz guitar classes at the Cultural Center for the Arts and Education in Los Angeles, otherwise known as "Plaza de la Raza". Tokunaga began teaching at Plaza in 1992. He left soon after this concert (June 2002) due to his move to Japan. Even though he relocated his jazz activity to Japan, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Department of State nominated Tokunaga for the 2001 and 2002 Jazz Ambassadors. Tokunaga was the first native Japanese who was nominated as a "Jazz Ambassador" (Fall 2002)
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