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East-West Alliance Septet with Maya Hatch

Jay Thomas, premiere trumpet player in Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra says this about his East-West Alliance and singer, Maya Hatch
"Kohama is a jazz zealot and he works tirelessly 24 / 7 spreading the gospel of jazz and what it means as a metaphor and a higher way of life for humans. He is truly an advanced human being and he has a jazz Orchestra that just keeps evolving and getting better every year. Going strong now for 30 years. I have been playing with Kohama for 22 years now. He changed my life in so many ways. He introduced me to the joys of being part of a group. Before I met him i was always alone.

Atsushi Ikeda is a premier alto saxophonist . Atsushi is at the apex of the Tokyo scene appearing in many groups including CUG and No Name Horses run by Mokoto Ozone. Atsushi has been on hundreds of CD's and used to have a group with Marcus Belgrave . Marcus Belgrave is the trumpet soloist on so many Ray charles albums.

Daisuke Kurata is a first call drummer in Japan who used to live in NY and and recorded with Grady Tate and used to play at the Sportsmans Club in Harlem as well as Cleopatras Needle and many Manhattan night spots. Daisuke traveled to Cuba to increase his skill at Afro Cuban music as well as American jazz.

Maya Hatch is a vocalist who resides in Japan now. Maya has deep roots in the NW and graduated from Roosevelt High and later the New School in NY. Maya has recorded with Gerald Clayton and others. Maya is bi-racial and speaks fluent Nihongo . Maya's mother is japanese and her father American.

Phil sparks is a first call bass player in Seattle and also happens to be bi-racial. Phil's mother is Japanese and his father African American. Phil plays with many groups and currently plays the bass chair with SRJO Seattle's premier big band.

The " kid " in the band is Yuuki Hirate. Yuuki is 25 years old now and lives in Japan. Yuuki is quickly establishing his credentials in the jazz world wherever he performs. A summer ago I had him perform at Tulas Jazz Club in Seattle. Yuuki was amazing everyone with his chops and taste and command of the jazz language. At one point in the evening he played his trumpet with his right hand and played unison lines with his left hand on piano. the people who were already amazed were on the floor after that!"

Definitely a group worth seeing