Cincy Gets Jazzy This Fall
The Keigo Hirakawa Quartet performs at the American Sign Museum in Camp Washington. Photo provided by Keigo Hirakawa.
Notes of piano, brass and percussion can be heard echoing in the streets of downtown Cincinnati as jazz locals perform for various jazz-focused events.
- The annual “Fall Jazz Series” at the Taft Museum of Art will kick off Sunday, September 22, from 2:20 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. It will recur every Sunday with different performers.
- GBBN Architects and 3CDC will host “Jazz at the Park” and “Jazz at the Square” in Washington Park and Fountain Square, respectively. All events are free to the public.
- The park performances will occur every Monday night from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. until October 28. Jazz performances at the square will occur every Tuesday night from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. until October 8. Each performance will host a different artist/band, each with its own unique variation of jazz.
One local jazz and boogie-woogie artist, Ricky Nye, says there are many opportunities for jazz musicians and lovers in the Cincinnati area.
“It’s a great place to be for jazz,” Nye said. “There is really substantial talent here and many places to go see jazz.”
Jazz History
The earliest sounds of jazz can be traced back long before the first official recording in the early 1900s in New Orleans. The music originated from enslaved people in the United States who created jazz songs for work, prayer and worship, solidarity, and more.
Jazz spread throughout the US and eventually found itself in Cincinnati in the 1920s. Since then, the Queen City has remained a hotspot for jazz musicians and clubs.
One local artist, Keigo Hirakawa, recognizes the importance of jazz culture and the historical frameworks that guide it.
“I feel responsible for making sure that I represent this music, not just for myself, but like you know, this music actually has a deeper connection to all the things that happen in the United States,” said Hirakawa.
Hirakawa moved to the US from Japan at 11 years old due to his father’s work. He took a break from playing music while adjusting to American life and learning English. However, in his teens, Hirakawa became fascinated with jazz music.
He graduated from Cornell University with a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering in 2005 and a Master’s in Music focusing on jazz studies and piano from the New England Conservatory one year later.
After nearly 20 years of professional piano playing, Hirakawa has seen a vast influence and evolution in jazz music. Playing in numerous cities, he has met many musicians who have created and mixed subgenres into jazz.
“I think there is going to be a lot more evolution,” said Hirakawa. “And I think it’s going to be driven by these musicians that are building these subcultures.”
The jazz series, both in downtown Cincinnati and at the Taft Museum, will showcase bands who manifest the evolving skills of jazz artists around the world.
For more information on the upcoming jazz events, check out: visitcincy.com.
