Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Natsuki Tamura 田村 夏 樹 was born on July 26, 1951 in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. He played in a wind band during his school days and after his graduation he became a professional musician performing with the World Sharps Orchestra, Consolation, the Skyliners Orchestra, the New Herd Orchestra, the Music Magic Orchestra and in different band configurations with his future wife, pianist Satoko Fujii .

He appeared in various Japanese television shows from 1973 to 1982, such as The Best Ten, Music Fair and Kirameku Rhythm. In 1986 he moved to the United States to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. After returning to Japan, Tamura taught at the Yamaha Music School and gave at private trumpet studios in Tokyo and Saitama.

Back in the United States, he worked with among others, the improvisation quartet Gato Libre, led his own groups, performed in the duo with his wife and as a soloist. Signed to Leo Records he released four albums, A Song for Jyaki, Buzz, Libra and NatSat. He also worked with Masahiko Satō, the Roca Saxophone Quartet, Larry Ochs, the Juggernaut Jug Band, Misha Mengelberg, Angelo Verploegen, Chris Brown, Jimmy Weinstein, Elliott Sharp, Paul Bley, Takayuki Katō, Takaaki Masuko, Ryōjirō Furusawa and the band Junk Box.

Trumpeter and composer Natsuki Tamura, whose influences have been Hugh Ragin, Roy Campbell, Wadada Leo Smith, Toshinori Kondo, Don Cherry and Lester Bowie, continues to perform, record and compose.

ROBYN B. NASH

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