The Artists
Kenny Garrett
Accolades:
Grammy Award Winner, the NAACP Image Award, NEA Jazz Master Award, ECHO Award, Jazz Journal Jazz Award, Downbeat Critic Awards, Downbeat Readers Poll Alto Saxophone player of the Year, Downbeat Readers Poll Album of the Year, and the Soul Train Awards.
Inspirations:
Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock
Years Playing Music:
40 years
What are some of your other interest?
Kenny has a deep passion for languages, especially Japanese. He even hopes to have a speaking role in a Japanese movie or TV show.
Takuya Kuroda
Accolades:
Signed to the legendary Blue Note Records in 2014 for his album 'Rising Son', as well as appearing on their 2019 cover versions project, 'Blue Note Voyage'. Takuya’s last album 'Fly Moon Die Soon' received strong support from the likes of Apple Music, Jazz FM, Huey Morgan (BBC 6 Music), BBC Radio 3, and KCRW.
Inspirations:
Clifford Brown, Count Basie, Quick Jones, just to name a few
Years Playing Music:
30 years
What are some of your other interest? When Takuya isn't on stage, you'll find him perfecting his jumper on the basketball court or creating new dishes in the kitchen.
Band & MC
BIGYUKI
Masayuki Hirano, also know as "BIGYUKI", is a ground-breaking songwriter and virtuoso keyboard player who blends jazz, soul, hip-hop and electronica to create a sound that’s wholly his own. Alongside releasing his own music, BIGYUKI is highly sought-after as a performer and collaborator by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Kamasi Washington and Lauryn Hill. He made his name as a session player in New York, where he has been known to make his mark in every genre he loves.
Matty Taylor
Matty Taylor is a bassist and producer living in the Los Angeles area but originally came from the East Coast. He has been a touring and recording musician since 2009 playing with artists like Lupe Fiasco, Xzibit, Tyrese, The Game, Eric Benet, Usher, and Robin Thicke. He recently produced music for the BET Network Movie, "Twice Bitten". He is currently writing music for TV and is performing with Eric Benet, Robin and various other artists across varying genres.
Ronald Bruner
Ronald Bruner Jr. has been playing the drums since the age of two. His earliest influence was his father, Ronald Bruner, Sr., who was a world class drummer performing and recording along Diana Ross, The Temptations, Randy Crawford, and Gladys Knight. Ronald Bruner Jr. is also the older brother of Thundercat's bassist, Jameel Bruner. He is currently a regular member of Kenny Garrett's band and continues to collaborate with a diverse group of musicians and artists.
Mario Bueno
Mario Bueno is a vocalist, actor, producer, and emcee. He is the founder of NYC-based production brand Digital Era Entertainment, creators of weekly nerdy content and the upcoming pro wrestling-themed visual novel "Kokoro no Pro." He was previously a host of Frederator Networks' "The Leaderboard" and can be heard as a Voice Over Artist for Screen Rant.
Follow Us