9/21 Yoko Miwa and Mikayla Shirley (piano & vocals)

Yoko Miwa, piano
Mikayla Shirley, vocals

BIO: 

Yoko Miwa: 

Miwa’s story of becoming a jazz musician is full of serendipity and happy twists of fate. In the late 1990s the classically-trained artist auditioned for Berklee College of Music on a lark and ended up winning a full scholarship. She arrived at the school from her homeland of Japan in 1997, intending to stay for a year.

In 2024, she’s still in Boston, enriching the city’s musical life and serving as one of the most popular professors in the Berklee piano department.

Act Naturally, the Yoko Miwa Trio’s major label debut in Japan, came out in 2012 on the JVC Victor Entertainment label and the band toured Japan that same year. “She is one of the best jazz pianists in Japan,” said Yozo Iwanami, Jazz Hihyo Magazine. A native of Kobe, Japan, Miwa was classically trained and didn’t pursue an interest in jazz until she met and studied with Minoru Ozone, a popular television organist and nightclub owner who is the father of pianist Makoto Ozone. Miwa worked at Ozone’s club and as an accompanist and piano instructor at his music school until the great Kobe earthquake of 1995 destroyed both facilities. Then, while continuing to take private lessons from Minoru Ozone, she also pursued musical studies at the Koyo Conservatory in Kobe. From there she won first prize in a scholarship competition to attend Berklee. Miwa quickly began playing with a host of talented students and teachers, and she formed a strong bond with vocal great Kevin Mahogany, who chose the pianist to serve as accompanist in his classes and on his gigs.

Mikayla Shirley:

Currently a student at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Mikayla's passion for jazz is contagious and her performances are captivating. With a voice that effortlessly traverses genres and languages, Mikayla's versatility as a performer is truly remarkable. From the sultry sounds of classic jazz to vibrant contemporary arrangements, she brings a fresh and innovative approach to all she sings. 

Mikayla's ability to sing fluently in multiple languages adds a captivating global dimension to her performances. Mikayla's incredible improvisational skills as she fearlessly explores new melodies and rhythms, creates spontaneous moments of musical brilliance on stage.

Don't miss the chance to experience the talent and artistry of Mikayla Shirley. 

"Mikayla is freakin' amazing! ADORE HER! When she sings, I feel something in my chest relax; I feel calmer, better!" --Jamme Chantler, proprietor of The Mad Monkfish and Hobgoblin Bar. 

"This young woman was born to sing jazz. She owns every song she sings!" -- Scott Goulding, drummer for Yoko Miwa Trio and Music Director for The Mad Monkfish and Hobgoblin Bar.