FEATURE: A Fairytale Life: Jazz Violinist Tomoko Omura Once Again Taps Her Roots on ‘Branches Vol. 1’ – Strings Magazine

January 21, 2021
FEATURE: A Fairytale Life: Jazz Violinist Tomoko Omura Once Again Taps Her Roots on ‘Branches Vol. 1’ – Strings Magazine

By Greg Cahill, Strings Magazine Downbeat magazine recently named jazz violinist Tomoko Omura one of its Rising Star Violinists for the fifth year in a row. Her new album, Branches Vol. 1 (Outside in Music), was inspired by Japanese folktales. It solidifies her reputation as a gifted composer and passionate instrumentalist. “I hope that, through the lens of contemporary … Read More

REVIEW: O’s Place Jazz Newsletter Reviews Several LLP Artists!

December 14, 2020
REVIEW: O’s Place Jazz Newsletter Reviews Several LLP Artists!

Derrick Gardner – ‘Still I Rise’ 78 Derrick Gardner takes a grand leadership role on Still I Rise leading his Big dig! Band, arranging, producing and composing all of the music. The North American band has many musicians from Manitoba where Gardner resides, and they all stand tall. The layered brass on “Push Come To Shove” is … Read More

REVIEW: Tomoko Omura “Branches Vol.1” – JazzTimes

September 17, 2020
REVIEW: Tomoko Omura “Branches Vol.1” – JazzTimes

By J.D. Considine, JazzTimes In 2015, violinist Tomoko Omura released an album called Roots, which offered jazz takes on 10 Japanese folk and pop songs. It was a clever way of situating herself as a Japanese musician working in the North American jazz milieu, but there were also moments—the walking bass beneath the sing-song vocal … Read More

REVIEW: Tomoko Omura “Branches Vol 1” – Downbeat

September 1, 2020
REVIEW: Tomoko Omura “Branches Vol 1” – Downbeat

By Dave Cantor, Downbeat There’s a promise inherent in contemporary music, and it goes something like this: With people from various backgrounds—culturally, ideologically, religiously, aesthetically—creating art, everyone can benefit from the exposure to new ideas. Read this review here.