Junko Onishi Trio

Blue Note pianist Robert Glasper has been obliged to cancel his concert at JazzFest Berlin ’09 on short notice. Substituting for him is pianist Junko Onishi (Blue Note Japan), with her trio. Her most recent Musical Moments was released in July of this year a couple of weeks after this year’s festival programme deadline. The album has been celebrated as a comeback for Onishi, whose last CD came out 10 years ago (Fragile, Blue Note 1999). By chance a special “Berlin-tinged” aspect is added to her album and performance which centres around compositions of reed player Eric Dolphy who died in Berlin (1964) under tragical circumstances.

Born in Kyoto in 1967, Junko Onishi learned to play the piano and soon developed an interest in jazz. After continuing her piano studies for three years at Berklee (Boston), she moved to New York City, where she was taken up enthusiastically by the jazz scene, and where she worked together with Joe Henderson, Betty Carter, Kenny Garrett, and the Mingus Dynasty, among others. Junko Onishi has also collaborated with Jackie McLean, Holly Cole, Billy Higgins, and Joe Lovano. She cites Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Ornette Coleman among her main influences.

Lineup

Junko Onishi piano
Ugonna Okegwo bass
Gene Jackson drums