The Night Beat: National Piano Month for September

Wednesday Night Beat host Doug Crane features pianist Junko Onishi’s May 1994 performances at New York City’s Village Vanguard as his National Piano Month programming continues on September 17, at 8 p.m.

Pianist Junko Onishi was born in Kyoto, Japan in 1967.  As a child growing up in Tokyo, she began taking classical piano lessons and soon developed an interest in jazz. She graduated from the BerkleeCollegel of Music in 1989. 

“WOW”, her debut recording was released in early 1993. Never issued in the US, it won the Japan Jazz Award at the Swing Journal Jazz Disc Awards.

The artists she has performed with include Betty Carter, Joe Henderson, and Jackie McLean. In 1996, she appeared on McLean’s album “Hat Trick”. It featured Lewis Nash (drums) and Nat Reeves.

Her first album to be issued in the US was “Crusin” in 1993 with Rodney Whitaker (bass) and Billy Higgins (drums). The Blue Note date featured compositions by Duke Ellington, Sonny Rollins, Juan Tizol, Ornette Coleman and jazz greats. Warmly received by critics and jazz fans, it was followed by two albums recorded live at the Village Vanguard in May of 1994. 

The Vanguard dates, our choice for this week’s National Piano Month program, are anchored by drummer Herlin Riley and bassist Reginald Veal.  They feature a collection of jazz standards, compositions by John Lewis, Charles Mingus, Gigi Gryce, Ornette Coleman, and Thelonious Monk, plus an original tune by Junko.

After the murder of her mentor, teacher, and fellow jazz pianist Jaki Byard in 1999, Junko moved back to Japan and stopped performing publicly.

In 2010, she recorded “Baroque”, a recording which reunited Junko with Veal and Riley. Nicholas Payton (trumpet), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), and James Carter (reeds) are also heard on this album, which was hoped to be a return to form for Junko. 

But since 2010, she has issued very few new recordings. Sadly, most of them are only available for purchase in Japan.

While Junko’s live dates at the Village Vanguard may not have the stature or perceived importance of other recordings from the club, it’s not that they shouldn’t be. But with the passage of thirty years and Junko’s low profile as a jazz performer, it’s easy to understand how they’ve been overlooked.

Hear what you’ve been missing next time on The Night Beat with your host Doug Crane.