Behind the Music of Tomoko Abe

Tomoko Abe is a Toronto based jazz vocalist, composer, and arranger who is influenced by Tin Pan Alley, Be-bop, ECM, and contemporary Brazilian music. She is originally from Sapporo, Japan, where there is a strong Brazilian music community. After she started learning at Humber Music program, she has been getting into ECM / contemporary large ensemble music such as Kenny Wheeler and Maria Schneider. Through many meaningful encounters with talented young musicians in the program, she decided to organize a large ensemble with her fellows that have multi-cultural backgrounds.