Enso Monday Michiru

• 1 Ombre of Time 07:13
• 2 Untethered 07:36
• 3 Pivot 04:59
• 4 Cycles 04:00
• 5 The Soundless Song 05:52
• 6 The Sound 04:45
• 7 Ringo Oiwake 07:54
• 8 Hope Pretended to Sleep 06:03
• 9 Rise Above 05:35
• 10 Life 08:08
• 11 Gossamer's Touch 05:23
• Total Runtime 01:07:28

Info for Enso

Japanese-American songstress/flutist/producer Monday Michiru entitled the album ENSO to have two meanings: 円相 = a calligraphy illustration of a circle depicting the Zen Buddhist concept of an expression of the moment as well as the cycle of life. The other meaning 演奏 = means performance. “I wanted to revisit my roots which started in classical music and give a nod to the sonic journey that led me to where I am today, to come full circle.” A friendship forged with Grammy-award winning producer/arranger Gil Goldstein since her return from Japan to New York in 2000 led to the collaboration with Goldstein taking the helm on three tracks, including an original penned by Goldstein himself set to lyrics attributed to an Otto Luening work. “We’d originally talked with a major label in Japan about making an orchestrated album all to be produced and arranged by Gil, but then the pandemic happened. Eventually I was able to get a small business loan and decided to go ahead with the project myself but on a smaller scale and with a different angle.” Additional collaborations include orchestrator and big band leader Miho Hazama who lends her lush arrangement skills on two tracks, Brazilian cult artist Lucas Arruda who wrote an original song that Monday set lyrics to which he produced as well as played all the instruments on, Koto artist Asuka who has often been a special guest on Monday’s stage from Tokyo to New York to London, Philadelphia spoken word artist Ursula Rucker, and Monday’s stepfather, the legendary jazz saxophonist/flutist Lew Tabackin, who takes a solo over Monday’s arrangement of the Japanese folk song Ringo Oiwake. “The first time I worked with Asuka, she had suggested this song, and as soon as I heard it, I knew I wanted to take a spiritual jazz approach to it. I really wanted Lew to give it a special vibe with his flute soloing and am psyched to get him on the recording.” Other musicians include David Kikoski, Misha Tsiganov, Fima Ephron, Gene Lake, Keita Ogawa, Cole Davis, Freddie Bryant, Sean Harkness, and many more. True to her love of creating hybrids and breaking conventional genres, perhaps the result of her bi-cultural mix as the daughter of Japan’s National Living Treasure and Jazz Master Toshiko Akiyoshi as well as jazz saxophonist Charlie Mariano and Tabackin who helped raised her, the album flirts with jazz, soul, Brazilian, rock and other styles, but somehow comes together naturally. “This truly is a passion project from the deepest parts of my musical heart. The truth is it’s getting harder and harder to record and continue on my musical path, not to mention the sense of mortality everyone felt during the throes of the pandemic, and I felt this album had to be something I could put my all into. It’s also a musical love letter to my parents, who have been my biggest source of inspiration and encouraged me since my childhood, and to my son who I see blossoming every day as a young musician.”

“At a time when music is in a state of flux mostly as a result of the virtual collision of idioms and metaphors, it is a joy to hear the voice of Monday Michiru.” (Latin Jazz Network)

“...she’s got that certain crossover appeal that is fluent in urban R&B, contemporary jazz, rock and infectious Brazilian rhythms, resulting in music that’s not easily categorized, yet is thoroughly engaging.” (All About Jazz)

Monday Michiru, flute, alto flute
Gil Goldstein, piano, accordion
Freddie Bryant, guitar
Sean Harkness, guitar
Misha Tsiganov, Fender Rhodes
David Kikoski, Fender Rhodes
Cole Davis, bass
Fima Ephron, bass
Gene Lake, drums
Keita Ogawa, percussions, drums

Monday Michiru
so named to reflect her Japanese, Italian and American heritage, is also the genesis of renowned jazz musicians, NEA Jazz Master and Japanese National Living Treasure Toshiko Akiyoshi and cult jazz saxophonist Charlie Mariano, as well as jazz saxophonist- flutist Lew Tabackin who helped raise her. While she showed natural talent playing flute from a young age, studying classically at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy on scholarship, her inspiration in music caught fire with singing, composition and music production.

In 1987, Monday was scouted by Japanese movie director, Shinji Somai, to debut in the lead role as an opera singer in his movie “Hikaru Onna” (“Luminous Woman”). Somai was renowned to pick up unknown talent and throttle them to stardom, and the film did not disappoint, garnering Monday Best New Actress awards from the Japan Film Academy (Japan’s equivalent to the Academy Award in the U.S.), Kinema Junpo, and the Yokohama Film Festival. Opportunities continued for Monday through lead roles in movies, stage theatre and television, as well as in other fields such as hosting her own radio programs (J-Wave, FM Tokyo), modeling for major campaigns (Four Roses, Kinema Junpo, Japan Postal System, Yves St. Laurent, etc.), writing columns in Japanese publications, and DJing in clubs.

Starting in 1991, Monday began releasing solo albums in Japan of original material for major record labels (Universal, Virgin, Sony), as well as collaborating with then up-and-coming artists DJ Krush, United Future Organization, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Mondo Gross and others, the releases making their way to the Asian, European, Australian, South American and the U.S. markets. Collaborations continued with worldwide renowned artists such as Basement Jaxx, Masters At Work, Joe Clausell, Lisa Ono, Da Lata, Jazztronik, P'taah, Jephte Guillaume, Louie Vega, Steal Vybe, and more. While Monday's name has become synonymous with the ‘90s Japanese underground club scene, even earning her the title as the "acid jazz diva," she is quick to rebuke such labeling. One only needs to explore her vast collection of works to hear the musical development over the years in which she has crossed over and beyond the scope of dance music to a style that is undeniably hers; Monday is the rare female singer/songwriter who also produces her own works.

Monday has appeared in numerous music festivals and clubs worldwide as a solo artist, including the Blue Note Clubs in NYC and throughout Japan, Innervisions Festival in London, Birdland in NYC, Brasil SummerFest in NYC, Billboard Clubs in Osaka and Tokyo, Joe’s Pub in NYC, Taichung Jazz Festival in Taiwan, Java Jazz Festival and Jak Jazz in Indonesia, Newport Jazz Festival in Madarao, Bohemian Caverns in D.C., North Sea Jazz Festival, the Montreux Jazz Festival, Stuttgart Jazz Festival, and many more.

While she has won countless favorable reviews over the years for her numerous releases largely in Japan (her biggest hit “You Make Me” remained #1 on Japan’s music charts for 8 consecutive weeks), Monday has enjoyed prominence amongst house music lovers worldwide starting with the Masters At Work remix of her single “Sunshine After the Rain,” and the Blaze remix of Mondo Grosso’s “Star Suite,” which she co-wrote and is featured, both considered classics today. Her 2012 album "Soulception" (Adventure Music) is the first to catch the attention of the American jazz and Latin media winning favorable reviews. That same year, she won American fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar's "Fabulous At Every Age" award in the 40s category, and also got signed to a two year contract to be the face of Indonesian make-up brand PAC as their "brand ambassador." In 2014, Monday was cast for Toshiba’s Regza TV promo video with her performance at the Tokyo Blue Note Club recorded live as a commercial demo, and is often asked to perform for fashion events such as with Fendi, Mikimoto, De Beers, Cartier, Veuve Clicquot, and many other top international brands. From 2016-19, Monday became the face and muse for Japanese fashion brand Madison Blue, breaking the mode yet again in establishing uncharted territory in Japan for mature female models.

Following a successful duet tour in 2014 with her mother Toshiko Akiyoshi, they recorded a joint project “Jazz Conversations: The Other Side of Monday Michiru” in 2015 released through Victor Japan, followed by another duet album with guitarist Yoshihiro Suzuki entitled “Naked Breath 2,” a format she often performs in for a more intimate musical setting. Monday’s most recently recorded soon-to-be released project “Enso” is a fully produced album featuring collaborations with Grammy award winning producers Gil Goldstein and Miho Hazama, Brazilian sensation Lucas Arruda, cult poetess Ursula Rucker, and many other noted musicians. Each project showcase Monday’s emerging musical journey with no signs of slowing. Aside from her live performances and recordings, since 2019 Monday has also ventured into teaching with LYRICIZE, a series of lyric writing masterclasses. Monday currently resides in New York, and continues to record and perform worldwide with her own group as well as collaborating with other artists, always plotting her next musical adventure.

This album contains no booklet.