Trombonist/Composer
Eijiro Nakagawa was born in Tokyo(1975), Eijiro is already busy playing along side some of the top musicians in both Japan and the USA. Having been brought up in a very musical family, Eijiro started to play trombone at the age of 5. By the time he was 6, he was already performing "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" in his father's band. While being influenced by JJ Johnson, Carl Fontana and Urbie Green, Eijiro attended the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music where he studied with Kiyoshi Itoh of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Soon after, he was sent abroad to seminars at the Berklee School of Music - all this, by the time he was 16.
In 1991, he recorded his first CD, "The Down Unders" with Rikiya Masuda. Shortly after, he produced his first solo CD in New York entitled "Eijiro Nakagawa & Funk '55". Other CDs include, "Babe", "Peace", "From the Cradle to the Grave", "For Musician's Only", "ASAP", "E" and "Trisense". These CD's feature the talents of Nicholas Payton, Abraham Burton, Daniel Faulk,Makoto Ozone and the Brecker Brothers.
Eijiro is also a very fine classical trombonist. Since his solo debut in 1996, performing the David "Concertino" with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, Eijiro has performed with several orchestras including the Kosei Wind Orchestra. He was a huge success when he performed along side fellow Yamaha trombonist, Alain Trudel. Eijiro has also had the privilege playing and recording with such elite trombonists as Joe Alessi, David Taylor, Jim Pugh,Mark Nightingale and James Morrison・・・
By being fluent in both jazz and classical idioms, Eijiro is in constant demand in the recording studios. He can be heard on countless records backing up some of the hottest artists in Japan as well as being on many jingles, soundtracks and television shows.
With the support of Yamaha-Japan, Eijiro has designed his own models of both tenor and tenor-bass trombones. Yamaha has also helped Eijiro become known throughout Japan and the United States.
Eijiro has several projects presently in the works. His new Japanese jazz group, the "Beat Detectives" had their first live performance at Blues Alley Japan. In New York he has teamed up with Jim Pugh in a group, "E'nJ" which has completed it's first CD after being a hit at the Blue Note.
In 2018,Featuring the fantastic group "Slide Monsters"(4Trombone ensemble) with Joseph Alessi, Marshall Gilkes and Brandt Attema . Monsters CDs and Japan tours became a hot topic, and the performance thrilled the world.
With these and other new projects under way, Eijiro Nakagawa is certain to become a prominent musical voice on both sides of the world.
In 2020-2023, ITA Board of Advisors
(04/2020)