Biography
Born in Tokyo on February 8, 1972, jazz pianist Toru Dodo began classical piano studies at four and continued absorbing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, Fryderyk Chopin, Gustav Mahler, Claude Debussy, Sergei Prokofiev, and Giacomo Puccini through his teens. While pursuing an economics degree at Meiji University in his native city, he first encountered jazz, citing formative influences that ranged from Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, and Joe Zawinul to Steve Reich along with the Japanese fusion figures Ryuichi Sakamoto and Toru Takemitsu. After gaining experience in Tokyo’s clubs and concert halls, he relocated to the United States and entered the Berklee School of Music in Boston during the summer of 1995. An exceptional student and performer, he earned his degree summa cum laude before establishing himself on the New York jazz circuit as leader of a trio featuring bassists Reuben Rogers or Joseph Lepore and drummers John Lamkin or Rodney Green. In sideman roles he has toured with drummer Pete Zimmer’s quartet and collaborated with Kenny Garrett, Wallace Roney, Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, Randy Brecker, Louis Hayes, Ruth Brown, Terumasa Hino, Rene McLean, Tom Harrell, Wayne Escoffery, Carl Allen, Delfeayo Marsalis, Robin Eubanks, Carolyn Leonhart, and Satoshi Inoue. Guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo has produced Dodo’s recordings, and since 2002 the pianist has hosted the weekly Sunday-evening jam session at Cleopatra’s Needle in New York City.
Albums
