Tsuyoshi Niwa is an internationally acclaimed jazz saxophonist and composer with 20+ years of experience recording original compositions.
His performances span prestigious stages across the globe, from New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club to international jazz stages in Mexico, Japan, and Italy.
Tsuyoshi Niwa 🔈 is a highly respected jazz saxophonist and composer, renowned for his expressive soprano saxophone sound and inventive compositions. While celebrated for his original works on soprano sax, Tsuyoshi is a skilled multi-woodwind artist, equally proficient on tenor saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet. His debut album, Sequence X, marked his emergence as a distinctive voice in modern jazz, earning widespread critical acclaim and global recognition. Subsequent releases, including the acclaimed At the End of the Day, have further solidified his reputation as an influential figure in the international jazz community.
Tsuyoshi's extensive performance history includes appearances at premier venues in New York and Tokyo, as well as headlining jazz festivals in Italy and Mexico. Known for pushing creative boundaries, he captivates audiences with his sophisticated compositions and dynamic live performances, offering an engaging and memorable experience at every performance.
Throughout his career, Tsuyoshi has collaborated with a range of renowned musicians, including:
Randy Brecker – Grammy Award-winning trumpeter
Bob Brough – Canadian Juno Award-winning saxophonist
Daniel Foose – Bassist known for performing with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Robert Glasper – Grammy Award-winning pianist
Otis Brown III – Drummer known for performing with Esperanza Spalding and Joe Lovano
Matt Wilson – Drummer
Phil Markowitz – Pianist for Bob Mintzer and Dave Liebman
Amalia Gre – Italian singer (EMI Italy)
Riccardo Biseo – Pianist
Megumi Yonezawa – Pianist known for performing with Greg Osby
Tsuyoshi has also performed at a variety of distinguished events and institutions, including:
Blue Note New York
Blue Note Milan
ShapeShifter Lab
Knitting Factory
Parker Jazz Club (Austin, TX)
Torino Jazz Festival
Jazztival (Mexico)
Session 505 (Japanese national jazz radio show)
Pit-Inn (Tokyo)
videos
@ Blue Note NYC
@ ShapeShifter Lab
“jazz in the living room”
recordings
At the End of the Day
Randy Brecker (trumpet)
Billy Kilson (drums)
Yuichi Inoue (piano)
Phil Palombi (bass)
Tsuyoshi composed, performed and led his ensemble in the recording of “At the End of the Day." His side persons for this recording include some of jazz's biggest names: Grammy winning trumpeter Randy Brecker and acclaimed drummer Billy Kilson. "At the End of the Day" garnered overwhelming positive press in major cultural and music media such as Pop Matters, Jazz Weekly, Midwest Record, and Pittsburg Tribune Review.
Sequence X
Phil Markowitz (piano)
Matt Wilson (drums)
Tony Marino (bass)
Tsuyoshi led his quartet in his 1998 debut CD recording, "Sequence X," with renowned jazz musicians pianist Phil Markowitz, bassist Tony Marino and drummer Matt Wilson, which also earned positive reviews in major Japanese jazz magazines Swing Journal and Jazz Life, as well as in the U.K.-based award-winning jazz journal Cadence Magazine, and The Green Mountain Jazz Messenger.
Internal Dance (2004 Italy)
Leo Tardin / Riccardo Biseo (piano)
Ian Riggs / Francesco Puglisi (bass)
Otis Brown III / Nicola Angelucci (drums)
Internal Dance (2000 NYC)
Leo Tardin (piano)
Ian Riggs (bass)
Otis Brown III (drums)
Tsuyoshi’s second album, Internal Dance, was independently released in 2000. In 2004, Italy’s Alfamusic offered to re-release it worldwide. The Alfamusic version includes additional original compositions recorded in Rome.
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