Yoko Miwa Trio

One of the most powerful and compelling pianists on the scene today brings her trio to The Side Door for an unforgettable evening of jazz.

Yoko Miwa – Piano

Will Slater – Bass

Scott Goulding – Drums

Born in Kobe, Japan, Yoko Miwa grew up playing classical piano before discovering jazz through Minoru Ozone, a celebrated organist and father of pianist Makoto Ozone, in whose club she worked and taught until the 1995 Kobe earthquake destroyed the facilities. That pivotal moment led her to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she has since become a piano professor and one of the most beloved figures in the New England jazz scene.

Miwa’s musicianship evokes the harmonic finesse and rhythmic brilliance of her key influences, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, McCoy Tyner, and Oscar Peterson, while remaining entirely her own. DownBeat praises her “impressive technique and tuneful lyricism that combines an Oscar Peterson-ish hard swing with Bill Evans-like introspection,” and JazzTimes lauds her “jaw-dropping degree of technique” and “enviable ability to play in any context with authenticity, clarity, and spontaneity.” Ahmad Jamal, one of jazz piano’s supreme masters, named her among his favorite pianists and said of her: “Yoko Miwa has been gifted with both extraordinary musical skills and the pure spirit that is necessary for great art.” Benny Green has added: “I greatly appreciate and respect the clarity and strength in Yoko’s playing. It is very apparent, the honesty, care and depth of foundation she touches the piano with.”

A radio chart-topping artist and internationally acclaimed performer, Miwa has headlined at Scullers Jazz Club, the Mad Monkfish, and Lincoln Center, and has toured across the United States, Japan, and Europe. Her latest album, Songs of Joy, hit #1 on the JazzWeek chart and earned widespread critical acclaim. As a bandleader she heads one of the finest jazz trios playing today, a group defined by remarkable telepathy, infectious energy, and a shared commitment to swinging hard and playing beautifully.

The Side Door Jazz Club is a dedicated jazz listening room located inside the historic Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Tickets are reserved seating. Guests dining at the Old Lyme Inn prior to the show receive 10% off their dinner bill.