KIYOTSUGU "KAY" AMANO
Profile
Solo Album
1991「AZURE」(Don Grusin/keys,Alex Acuna,/perc. Gary Herbick/sax,flute)
1992「Branche」
1993「Heaven」(Abe Labored/bass,Alex Acuna/drs)
1995「Heaven and beyond」(special guest:New York Voices、Gil Goldstein)
1996「Yuman's Dance」
2000「Book Of Colors」
2003「Navajo Trail』
2004「Silent Jazz Trio」
2006「Four Corners」
2007『In the air』
2012『Showa Nippon/Okiraku gig』(w/Issei Noro)
2013『September Steps』(strings quartet)
2013『Okiraku Gig/Showa Nippon Vol2』
2020 "MASKINFABRIK"
2022 "Don't go breaking my heart" single release
Kiyotsugu Amano was born in Tokyo, Japan Aug17 1956.
As a child he learned to play piano. At eleven he started to play guitar.
He began to concentrate on playing Jazz guitar at St. Paul Univ. in Tokyo.
After graduated Univ. Sadao Watanabe asking him to join the band and did one concert tour
Then he started to play at Japanese Jazz and pop scene for several years.
At the age of 29, he went to California and graduated Composing and Arranging Program
at Grove School of Music in San Fernando Valley 1989.
At that time he accompanied with Bernard Ighner with Michael White (ds),Michael Paulo,(sax), Ricky Minor (bass),Smitty Smith(bass), Eve Evans (vo, pf), etc.
And he join the band called 'Book of colors' and played at some Jazz clubs in California.
He stayed in U.S.A. for one and half year and then came back to Tokyo
And he released 14 his own album, 1st Album "Azure" made a big hit in Japan. He won a prize for hit for the Victor entertainment company twice. This album was recorded in Tokyo and L.A. with Don Grusin, Alex Acuna, Gary Herbic, etc. Also Album "Heaven" recorded L.A. with Abe Laboriel, Alex Acuna, "Heaven and beyond" recorded in New York with New York Voices, Gil Goldstein. He recorded and played in lots of Japanese music industry.
New Albu"MASKINFABRIK" released in June 2020.
He used to toured in Italy, France, Spain with Accordionist Coba. Also He played with Accordionist Franc Marocco, Richard Galliano at 3 Big Accordionist Concert in Tokyo. Sometimes he played with Ron Carter.
Now he has some his own project.
SJT(Silent Jazz Trio)、EJT(Electric Jazz Trio) .EJQ(Electric Jazz Quartet"September Steps"(2Violons, 1Viola and guitar. 4piece group Performing some Japanese traditional songs combined with western harmony) Okiraku Gig (with Issei Noro from Casiopea)
he was accompanied with Katsumi watanabe,Sadao Watanabe,Taro Hakase, Coba(he did Europian tour on 2009,2010),etc.
He is doing many studio works and he played at many albums
He plays versatile in style, Jazz Fusion, Funk, Rock, Flamenco style, Salsa, Brazilian stuff.