Musicians from Home: Haruka Kikuchi and Yoshitaka "Z2" Tsuji

NOMA presents a series of virtual concerts featuring a range of music’s best and brightest performing from their homes. Assembled by internationally renowned multi-instrumentalist and composer Mahmoud Chouki, enjoy these relaxed and informal music experiences with acclaimed musicians from New Orleans and beyond.⁣

Haruka Kikuchi was born in Japan and always had a knack and a love for music, listening to as much of it as she could at a young age as well as picking up instruments like piano and violin. It wasn’t until she heard an old recording of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band that she decided to pick up a trombone, a decision that would predicate her later move to New Orleans.
Since she came to New Orleans, she has been playing with Shotgun Jazz Band, Shake'Em Up Jazz Band, Preservation Hall All Stars, Kermit Ruffins and many more local musicians both within and outside the country, festivals like North Sea Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Jazz Festival etc. Also she was a nominated member for 61st Grammy Awards, Best Regional Roots Music Album with Cha Wa's album "SpyBoy". In April 2020, a new compilation Album from her project【Japan: New Orleans Collection Series】came out and now available on online & Louisiana Music Factory.

Yoshitaka "Z2" Tsuji was born in Osaka, Japan. He started playing the piano at the age of 5, but his passion for jazz piano really grew when he was 18 years old. From 2000 to 2010, he performed in Japan, Korean, Spain, and so on. Since May 2010, he has lived in New Orleans. He currently has his own band and has been a member of Kermit Ruffins & the BBQ Swingers since 2012. In addition to playing with Kermit Ruffins & the BBQ Swingers. Each year, he performs every years New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, French Quarter Fest, and other main festival in New Orleans as a pianist for Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers. He has played on the albums “All About Everything” by John Boutte(2012), “#imsoneworleans” by Kermit Ruffins (2015), “Funk’n’nfeathers” by CHA WA(2016), and “Basin Street Records Celebrates 20 Years" (2018). In 2016, he appeared on a documentary TV program “Asian Dreamer” broadcasted by NHK World in NY. He released my first album “Homie” in 2016, and released a digital album for the 20th anniversary of his musical life “From The Beginning” in 2020.

To learn more:
www.harombone.com
@harombone
@z2tsuji