Tokyo Trio to Perform Jazz at UC Irvine

Kei Akagi (Photo by Moto Uehara)

IRVINE — The Tokyo — Kei Akagi (piano), Shunya Wakai (bass), and Tamaya Honda (drums) — will be performing Feb. 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. at Winifred Smith Hall on the UC Irvine Campus.

Featuring Akagi’s compositions, the trio’s music spans the spectrum of jazz from post-bop to the avant-garde. They have performed over 500 concerts in Asia, Europe, Africa, and America and recovered seven albums together.

Tickets: $19, general; $16, seniors; $6 students. For additional information, call the Arts Box Office at (949) 824-2787, email artstix@uci.edu, or visit www.arts.uci.edu/shuttle.

The trio will also perform Sunday, Feb. 17, from 9 to 11:45 p.m. at Blue Whale, 123 Astronaut E.S. Onizuka St, (Weller Court), Ste 301, Little Tokyo, For more information, call (213) 620-0908, email info@bluewhalemusic.com or visit www.bluewhalemusic.com.

The Tokyo Trio was formed in 2000 as a group for experimenting with modern concepts within jazz improvisation. The group has given close to 500 performances. Its music is documented on seven CDs: “Palette” (2001), “A Hint of You” (2003), “Modern Ivory” (2004), “Live – Shapes in Time” (2006), “Liquid Blue” (2007), “Circlepoint” (2014), and “Contrast & Form” (2016).

The point of departure for the group is the rich history of jazz and its tradition. At the same time, the trio extends the genre through a spontaneous deconstruction of the rhythmic and harmonic elements that define the music. Eschewing the traditional roles of the instruments associated with a piano trio format, the Tokyo Trio emphasizes the equal role of each member within a collective ensemble.