Pianist Accordionist Improviser Composer
Shoko Nagai is a versatile musical artist who improvises and performs with world-renowned musicians on piano and accordion and composes original scores for films and live performances. As a teenager in her native Japan, Nagai was trained on Yamaha's electronic organ, the "Electone," to perform popular music. Since moving to the U.S. from Japan and studying classical, jazz music, and compositions at Berklee, she has adapted her mastery of the keyboard to prepared piano, accordions, and other keyboard instruments, often inspired by the minimalist approach of composer Toru Takemitsu. Whether she is performing Klezmer, Balkan or experimental music, Nagai is a charismatic presence onstage, who hypnotizes audiences with her intense focus and virtuoso sound.
Since moving to New York in 1999 she has been dubbed an "MVP" of the downtown jazz scene, performing with John Zorn, Erik Friedlander, Ikue Mori, Marc Ribot, Frank London, Matana Roberts, Miho Hatori (Cibo Matto), Satoshi Takeishi, Butch Morris, Elliot Sharp, Ned Rothenberg, and many eclectic performers. Nagai frequently tours internationally, performing in Sweden (2009 Nobel Prize ceremony for German writer, Herta Muller), Italy (Palermo Teatro Festival 2015), Austria (Saalfelden Jazz Festival 2014), France (Banlieues Bleues 2012), Switzerland (Rote Fabrik 2012), Holland (Bimhuis 2012), Japan (Fuji Rock Festival 2012), Israel (Romanian Institute 2011), Canada (Suoni Popolo Festival 2008), Germany (Moers Jazz festival 2007), and in the U.S. (Newport Jazz Festival 2015, Saratoga Jazz Festival 2008).
In 2015, Nagai self-produced the CD "Taken Shadows," and recorded with Erik Friedlander on "Nothing on Earth" and Frank London on "Songs of Zebulon." She also toured Japan with Vortex (Shoko Nagai and Satoshi Takeishi's experimental electro-acoustic duo), toured Europe with Erik Friedlander's "Nothing on Earth," toured Italy with Marco Cappelli, performing with Italian actor Andrea Renzi in a play based on an Italian detective story, written by Maurizio de Giovanni, and performed in the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival (with Matana Roberts) and the New York Shakespeare Festival.
Nagai is winner of Chamber Music America 2021, CAC grant 2021,Jazz Jants 2008, NYFA 2010
Nagai’s compositions for directed by Mari Kawade HodoBuzz (2020), Quartet of films directed by Linda Hoaglund : Edo Avant-garde ( NHK 2019) The Wound and The Gift, narrated by Vanessa Redgrave (Vancouver, DOC NYC, Tokyo FilmX 2014) Things Left Behind, (2012) produced by Japan's national broadcaster, NHK ANPO: Art X War (2010 Toronto, DOC NYC, Vancouver, and Hong Kong film festival, CARE (HBO, 2016 DOC NYC, AFI DOCS, Sheffield Doc Fest, Reelworld Impact Award) directed by Diredre Fishel festivals), L'amour Cache (2007), directed by Alessandro Capone and conducted by Butch Morris.
" Ms. Nagai a pianist and accordionist is defined by her dynamics. She can play clusters of dissonant or oddly harmonized note with rolling momentum and a tonal sensitivity that become their own comforting logic. That's especially the case she is working with a percussionist Satoshi Takeishi." ~New York Times
"Shoko Nagai, one of New York’s most individualistic and intense performers on the avant-garde side of jazz – dazzles with her glimmering, darkly necromantic and blues-tinged piano" ~Time Out
Recent Recordings
Feb 2022 Sex And The City ~ Just Like That by HBO
Shoko Nagai: Taken Shadows
Erik Friedlander: Nothing On Earth
Jeremiah Lockwood/ Frank London: Songs of Zebulon
Leslie Pintchik: You eat my food, You drink my wine, You steal my girl
FIDO Quartet
Isle Klezbos: Live in Brooklyn
Inna Barmash: Yiddish Lullabies & Love Songs
Sanda Weigl " Gypsy in a tree"
Facebook: Shoko Nagai