Billy Hart (left), Matthew Parrish (right) and Shinobu Honda (seated)

at the new Sound On Sound Recording Studio in Montclair, NJ
(owner Dave Amlen engineered the session).

a rare gathering of phenomenal musicians performing Vana’s music at La Marbrerie in Paris.   From left: Vana, Philippe Botta (sax & flutes), Romain Lecuyer (bass), Shinobu Honda (vocal), Idriss Agnel (percussion), Henry Agnel (oude & guitar), Cyril Garac (violin),Victor Villena (bandoneon)

teaching a 2-day workshop in Tokyo, Japan. 2 days with the most talented students from 2 of Tokyo’s high schools.

with the super talented piano students after one of Vana’s classes

drummer Gene Jackson (second from left) coming to see the band: Billy Kilson (drums, left), Will Lyle (bass, background), James “Saxsmo” Gates (sax) and Vana

Having the most incredible time working in Prague with my favorite arranger/conductor, 6-time Grammy winner Vince Mendoza and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra plus rhythm section. His new arrangements for Ute Lemper are amazing.

Vana at the Shanghai Symphony Hall, playing piano and conducting the orchestra’s string section for the “9 Secrets” concert.

Translation:

We literally played in a swimming pool….fantastic & unique location with great sound and audience.

Great 4-country tour, which included the Luxembourg Philharmonie, the Blue Note in Milan, Porgy & Bess in Vienna, and the Kassel Jazz Spring Festival in Germany.

   at the beautiful Luxembourg Philharmonie

   the core trio                                                                                 photos by Shinobu Gierig

Quincy Jones and Vana reminisced about the days when Quincy had personally handed Vana his degree at Berklee College many years earlier…