 |  | "She is the rare female singer/songwriter who also produces her own works."
| 11/21/2008 11:00:37 AM - Born August 19, 1963 in Tokyo, Japan, Monday Michiru was so named by her parents, jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and jazz saxophonist Charlie Mariano, to reflect both her Japanese and American heritage. With music obviously in her blood, Monday showed interest in the arts from an early age, studying modern dance and ballet from the age of 8 (for 5 years), and classical flute from 11 years of age (for 8 years). After winning first place in several local flute competitions in Los Angeles, she attended the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan and was recognized for her talent and awarded a scholarship from both the Armstrong Flute Association and Interlochen Arts Academy to attend the prestigious school full time, which she did from 1979-1981. It was during her years at IAA that she discovered her other instrument, the voice, and while majoring on the flute and performing with the school orchestra, she also minored in voice, singing with the school choir and choral groups.
After graduating IAA, Monday shifted her studies from the classical flute and began concentrating on the voice more seriously. In 1987, she was scouted by a young Japanese movie director, Shinji Somai, to appear as a lead in his movie “Hikaru Onna” (“Luminous Woman”) about an opera singer; Mr. Somai was infamous in Japan for starring unknown young people who had never had previous experience in acting. Monday decided to move to Japan to coincide with the filming of the movie which, by the request of its producer, debuted her to the Japanese public under the name Michiru Akiyoshi. The film entered the International Tokyo Film Festival in 1987, earning honorable mention for Best Actress, as well as Best New Actress awards from Kinema Junpo, The Japan Academy, and the Yokohama Film Festival.
At the urging of her management company in Japan, she continued in her newfound and unexpected acting career which included theatre and television, and expanded into other fields such as hosting her own radio programs (J-Wave, FM Tokyo, etc.), modeling for major commercial ads (Kohdansha, Yubinchokin, NTT, and most recently for Four Roses), and appearing on television as a “personality." She even tried her hand at journalism, with a regular page in the Tokyo Journal, and a ground breaking article "What Is Jazz" which she conceptualized herself, interviewing legendary jazz artists such as Don Cherry, John Lewis, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter and many others, as well as those in the new wave of jazz-inspired commercial music, such as Pete Rock and CL Smooth, Digable Planets, Guru, Gilles Peterson, etc for Switch Magazine.
It was in 1991 that she finally had the opportunity to reroute her endeavors back to her roots in music and released her debut solo album. By 1993, Monday steadily began recording and releasing albums in Japan and later in Europe, Australia, and South America, both solo and as a featured singer/writer, collaborating with such groups and artists such as DJ Krush, Mondo Grosso, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Basement Jaxx, UA, Masters At Work, Joe Clausell, Lisa Ono and many others. She has also produced and remixed tracks for artists such as Mondo Grosso, Wyolica, Soul Source Productions, Angelica, etc.. While she is best known for being one of the pioneers of the acid jazz movement in Japan in the early 90s and later as one of the few women in Japan's underground club scene, she has undoubtedly crossed over and beyond the scope of club music to a style that is undeniably hers. She is the rare female singer/songwriter who also produces her own works.
Monday has appeared in numerous music festivals and clubs both in Japan and Europe, including the Greater Tokyo Music Festival at Honmonji, Tokyo (2003), the Okayama Jazz Festival (2003), the Blue Note Clubs in New York and throughout Japan, the Newport Jazz Festival in Madarao (1999), The Baltic Jazz Festival (1999), North Sea Jazz Festival (1997), Montreux Jazz Festival (1997), Stuttgart Jazz Festival (1997), The Phoenix Festival (1996), Beppu Jazz Festival (1995), etc.
She now resides in New York with her husband, jazz trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, and their son, and continues to record and tour with her own group as well as collaborating with other artists. She is following up her U.S. debut ("Naked Breath", an intimate guitar and vocal duet CD featuring guitarist Adam Rogers) with her self-produced album "Routes," which includes a track produced by long time friend and musical partner Shinichi Osawa, as well as tracks fusing both programmed sonics as well as appearances by many of New York's finest musicians. Both can be found exclusively through her website at: www.mondaymichiru.com. | | |
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 |  |  | | | |  | |  | | | CONTACT INFORMATION
FOR JAPAN:
Tours, Live performances, recordings, interviews, etc:
Nyoro Yokozawa
TEA BROOK SOUNDS
246@teabrooksounds.com
GS Heim Taishido 301, 5-3-10
Taishido, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 154-0004
Japan
tel/fax: +81 090-8326-5246
IN THE U.S.
For Live performances, press, recordings, or other inquiries, please contact us at:
info@mondaymichiru.com
Fan letters:
monday@mondaymichiru.com | | |
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