Michelle I . New Host of the Jazz Cafe

Originally from the East Coast, Michelle I now lives in Santa Clara, California. Michelle became a fan of jazz at the age of 10, listening to tunes of Coltrane, Ramsey Lewis, Booker T & MG’s and other great artist. She extended her music appreciation by playing music through high school. It wasn’t until her college days that fell in love with the Contemporary Jazz Sounds of Noel Pointer, Earl Klugh, Yellow Jackets, Joe Sample, Quincy Jones and other.  Michelle later went on to produce/write/direct her own Jazz Show called the Jazz Scene which feature local jazz artist and national Jazz Artist such as her idol Ramsey Lewis, Art Porter, Masa, Stanley Clark, Jean-Luc Ponty,  Al De Meola just to name a few.

Now she’s back in the Jazz Scene hosting The Jazz Café, sharing her love of jazz and inside knowledge of the Jazz World.

MONDAY MICHIRU

Born August 19, 1963 in Tokyo, Japan, Monday Michiru was 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, and classical flute from 11 years of age.
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. During her years at IAA, she studied the flute and also minored in voice and performed with the school orchestra, 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 entered the International Tokyo Film Festival in 1987, earning honorable mention for Best Actress. She debuted in the film under the stage name Michiru Akiyoshi which earned her 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 film career, expanding into other fields such as radio DJ, modeling, appearing on television as a “personality,” and even tried her hand
at journalism. 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 for groups such as DJ Krush, Mondo Gross, Kyoto Jazz Massive,
Cosmic Village, Basement Jaxx and many others. She has also produced and remixed tracks for other artists. 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.
Monday Michiru now resides in New York and continues to record, produce and tour with her own group.

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