Mai Sugimoto

Description

Mai Sugimoto is a saxophonist, composer, and active member of Chicago's jazz and improvisational music scene. "A compelling performer" with "dry-champagne tone and lyrical lines" (Chicago Tribune), Sugimoto draws inspiration from her upbringing in Japan and her roots in jazz to compose and perform from her unique multicultural experience. Born/Raised, her debut album (Asian Improv Records, 2018), explores this cultural and musical binary, juxtaposing, among others, a jazz rendition of a Japanese children's song alongside compositions inspired by the American jazz idiom. Sugimoto is also a core member of the quartet Hanami, whose two albums similarly mix Japanese culture into creative music. Mai has performed four times at the Chicago Jazz Festival: in 2015 with Hanami, in 2019 and 2022 as a leader, and in 2018 with renowned bassist Tatsu Aoki, with whom she frequently plays, including appearances in his Fred Anderson Legacy Band. Her first solo album, monologue (Asian Improv Records) was released in March of 2021. Mai's most recent work appears on Natural Information Society's album, Since Time Is Gravity.

Work Sample

https://www.maisugimoto.com/music-sample

This work sample is a video of my trio playing our version of "Black Woman" by the late Fred Anderson. The 14-minute video was recorded in the July, 2020 for the City of Chicago's Millennium Park at Home series. This trio consists of me on alto saxophone, Joshua Abrams on bass, and Isaiah Spencer on drums.

The work sample(s) I submitted are some of my favorite projects I'm currently working on, and showcases the aesthetics as well as range of my entire body of work.

History

I'm a Japanese born saxophonist, composer, and improviser based in Chicago. Inspired by
Chicago's rich music history, I provide a platform for people with multi-cultural backgrounds and women such as myself through my ensembles.
My experience immigrating to the States as a teenager had an enormous impact on my growth as a person and a musician. My compositions draw inspirations from Japan, as well as my musical encounters in Chicago. Although I had a successful career as a working musician when I moved to Chicago in 2007, I felt pressure to conform to the existing jazz scene. As the only Asian woman saxophonist in Chicago, it was difficult for me to find my voice. It wasn't until my debut album, Born/Raised (2018), that I felt the confidence to explore my bi-cultural identity as a musician. I began incorporating the sounds of my childhood, Japanese folk songs, and the energy of Tokyo. In a music scene that is severely underrepresented by Asian women, I want to use my experience to help pave the way for future Asian women artists by continuing to expand my body of work, performing and collaborating in various cities, and continuing to educate the public and strive to be a role model for the Chicago community.

Artistic Vision

As music is the reflection of my life, my music is constantly evolving. The concepts for my recent work reflect my musical experiences between Tokyo and Chicago in a philosophical and aesthetical approach towards writing and playing that is deeply influenced by my bi-cultural Asian American identity. Chicago's rich musical history and environment have also played an important role in my musical inspirations and growth. Over the last decade, I have collaborated with some of Chicago's phenomenal improvisers with various musical and cultural backgrounds. I have decided to also work towards solo improvisation, which is an idea borne of the consequences of the pandemic. I believe it is crucial to explore various ways and settings to improvise, and on the upcoming solo album, I play multiple instruments besides saxophone "“ flute, auxiliary percussion, children's toys, and voice "“ sounds I have been exploring more recently. The solo album will be released by Asian Improv Records in March of 2021.
One of my goals as an artist is to promote awareness of diversity in Chicago's creative music scene. The ensembles in my work combine improvisers of various cultures and generations. This multicultural configuration is a reflection of my life, and I strongly believe that an ensemble consisting of musicians from different cultural backgrounds yet similar musical aesthetics would create a unique sound to contribute to and deepen the body of creative music.

Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise

I have been an instructor at colleges in the Chicagoland, and I'm very passionate about educating young adults and adults at various skill levels. As a college instructor, I've been the director of the jazz combos at Moraine Valley Community College, and the jazz ensemble director at South Suburban College. I have also taught a lecture course on American music for about a decade at Moraine Valley. In addition to the collegiate instruction, I have taught many saxophone, piano, and improvisation students and been invited to do workshops with students ranging from middle school to college.