Jeff Kashiwa

Smooth Jazz領(lǐng)域擁有著很多出色的多人音樂團(tuán)體, 比如Fourplay, Urban Knights以及The Rippingtons, 其中前面兩個(gè)分別是由已經(jīng)非常出名的爵士樂手固定和不固定所組成的團(tuán)體, 而The Rippingtons正好是相反, 從這個(gè)團(tuán)體成立開始, 就成為了培養(yǎng)新人的基地工廠, 而曾經(jīng)或現(xiàn)役的樂團(tuán)成員都是從The Rippingtons為起點(diǎn)已經(jīng)成為了能夠獨(dú)當(dāng)一面的優(yōu)秀樂手, 就連創(chuàng)建人Russ Freeman也是順著這根竿子爬上來的, 樂團(tuán)現(xiàn)役SAX手是Paul Taylor, 這位年輕黑人樂手已經(jīng)成為了Smooth Jazz界頂尖的高音SAX手了, 而他的前任, 擁有一張黃色的皮膚和一個(gè)日本的姓氏的Jeff Kashiwa, 依靠著自己的不懈努力以及樂團(tuán)給他帶來的聲譽(yù)也已經(jīng)成為了一面Smooth Jazz特有的亞裔旗幟了.
雖然膚色不同, 但Jeff Kashiwa的從藝道路和那些西方音樂家并沒有太多的不同,從小學(xué)習(xí)SAX的演奏, 然后依靠亞洲人特有的勤奮進(jìn)入伯克利音樂學(xué)院, 而這些美國頂級學(xué)院派的爵士樂手們來從事Smooth Jazz的演奏都應(yīng)該在技術(shù)上是游刃有余的. 而在進(jìn)入The Rippingtons以后的Jeff Kashiwa也越來越得到美國樂迷的認(rèn)可和喜愛,而且他還因此廣交朋友,到后來就算是在個(gè)人發(fā)行的專輯里面都能夠得到一大批優(yōu)秀的樂手參與錄音制作.
by Matt Collar & Jonathan Widran
One of the most successful smooth jazz saxophonists, Jeff Kashiwa made his name as a member of the popular group the Rippingtons. Starting out on the clarinet at age ten, it would be two years before the Seattle-born musician switched to saxophone. Influenced early on by such smooth jazz progenitors as Chuck Mangione and Spyro Gyra, Kashiwa eventually moved to Boston to attend Berklee College and developed an interest in straight-ahead jazz -- a skill that often colors his live performances. His hard work paid off when he landed the second alto chair in Disney's All American College Band. Kashiwa found he liked Southern California and transferred to Cal State Long Beach to work on his Bachelors of Music. During this time he toured with the ska/reggae group the Untouchables performing on MTV's first Spring Break. Later, while working at a grocery store by day and playing at night, Kashiwa hired bassist Steve Bailey -- then with the Rippingtons -- to play on a gig. Bailey introduced Kashiwa to the Rippingtons' pianist and leader Russ Freeman who hired Kashiwa in 1989 when the group's original saxophonist, Brandon Fields, left the group. It was during this time with the Rippingtons that Kashiwa recorded two solo albums, Remember Catalina in 1995 and Walkamile in 1997. Then, in 1999, he left the Rippingtons to concentrate more energy on his own band, Coastal Access. Kashiwa's solo career has been in joyfully frenetic overdrive since the incredible success of "Hyde Park (The Aah, Ooh Song)," a number one hit on the Radio & Records airplay chart for over eight weeks in 2000. His Native Language debut Another Door Opens and its more acoustic oriented 2002 follow-up Simple Truth established him as one of smooth jazz's most dominant saxophone voices, and he's consistently performed 60-80 shows annually with Coastal Access in addition to heavy gigging with artists like Joyce Cooling, Chieli Minucci and Acoustic Alchemy, frequent collaborator and co-producer Chuck Loeb, and for several years as part of the the Sax Pack, touring with Steve Cole and Kim Waters. In 2006, he reunited with the Rippingtons for the group's 20th Anniversary Tour and appeared as a guest on the band's 20th Anniversary release. In the summer of 2007, he was featured on more live dates with the Rippingtons and released his fourth Native Language disc Play.