Go Behind The Scenes Of Yoko Miwa’s Life

Back in 2015 Yoko Miwa was interviewed by The Jazz Session host Jason Crane for a series of podcast episodes called The Yoko Miwa Show. The series follows her life from her childhood in Kobe, Japan, through her years learning piano and being introduced to jazz, and then on to her time at Berklee and her professional career. The podcast is a great way to get to know Yoko as a person as well as an artist. (Note: Due to a numbering error, there was never an episode 7.)

Episode 1: In this episode, Yoko and co-host Jason Crane talk about her childhood years in Kobe, Japan.

Episode 2: On the second episode of the Yoko Miwa Show, Yoko talks about her college years in Osaka, Japan, and the movie that introduced her to jazz.

Episode 3: On this episode, Yoko talks about her first real jazz teacher, famed pianist and organist Minoru Ozone.

Episode 4: Yoko talks more about her apprenticeship with musician and educator Minoru Ozone, and also about being thrown into the musical deep end as a teacher and accompanist.

Episode 5: Yoko talks about her recent appointment as a full-time instructor in Berklee’s piano department. Plus, she discusses her work with Jazz At Lincoln Center.

Episode 6: Yoko talks about her early days playing professionally in duos with singers.

Episode 8: Yoko talks about her experiences during the Great Hanshin Earthquake, which struck her hometown of Kobe in 1995.

Episode 9: In this episode, Yoko talks about how she first started playing her annual shows at Scullers, and about what the audience can expect at the show on November 19.

Episode 10: On this episode of The Yoko Miwa Show, Fred Taylor tells the amazing story of his life in jazz, from The Jazz Workshop and Paul’s Mall to his current club, Scullers.

Episode 11: In this episode, Yoko talks about how to learn from your musical influences, and how to move past them to find your own sound.

Episode 12: On this episode, Yoko talks about her time at Koyo Conservatory, and her decision to audition for Berklee College of Music.

Episode 13: On this episode, Yoko talks about her recent trip home to Japan, and announces some upcoming gigs.

Episode 14: In this episode, Yoko talks about her recent gig at the Regattabar, her new status as a Yamaha artist, and her October show in Washington, DC.

Episode 15: On this episode, Yoko talks about her early days at Berklee College of Music, and about playing her first gigs in Boston.

Episode 16: On this episode, Yoko talks about the new music she recently recorded.

Episode 17: On this episode, Yoko talks about her 15 years playing brunch shows at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, MA.