Transparent Blue

Artist Profile

• RINA

  RINA is a jazz pianist and composer from Saitama, Japan. She studied jazz piano under Makoto Ozone at the National Music University, and in 2015, she auditioned for and received a full scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music. During her time at Berklee, RINA won the Jazz Performance Award and was selected to perform as a pianist for the Berklee Selected Student Quartet led by Ralph Peterson at the Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland, as well as at the Nancy Jazz Festival in France. In 2017, RINA was selected as one of the "60 New Artists who Emerged in the 2010s" by Jazz Japan magazine. In 2018, she was named a finalist in the Ellis Marsalis International Jazz Piano Competition, which featured over 160 participants from 13 countries. RINA won second place in the competition and also received the Best Composition Award. Her original compositions were praised by Grammy winners Arturo O'Farrill and Ellis Marsalis, who said that they were captivated by the stories conveyed through her music. Later that year, RINA graduated from Berklee College of Music and moved to New York City, where she was selected to perform as a member of Jon Batiste's band on CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for three consecutive days. She also performed for Michelle Obama as a guest on the show. In addition, RINA was nominated for Jazz Artist of the Year at the 2018 Boston Music Awards, alongside Terri Lyne Carrington and Tia Fuller. In 2019, RINA performed at the Ellis Marsalis Presents Winners Concert at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola and received a standing ovation from the audience. In April of that year, she was invited to perform at the 6th Japanese Jazz Series, co-hosted by the Blues Alley and the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., where she was featured in various media outlets as an up-and-coming artist. RINA also signed an endorsement contract with Yamaha as a Yamaha Artist, joining the ranks of Chick Corea and Monty Alexander. RINA made her debut with her original album "RINA" produced by Makoto Ozone on September 2nd, 2020. Her first album won the Jazz Award at the 13th CD Shop Awards 2021, despite the pandemic situation, and she returned to Japan to form the RINA Trio. She appeared on the main stage at the Hamamatsu Jazz Week and the Yamaha Jazz Festival, and received attention from various media outlets. In June 2022, RINA was invited to perform at the Rochester International Jazz Festival in the United States, where she wowed the audience with her solo performance and received a standing ovation. Local reporters praised her as having a special ability to convey powerful emotions through her solo piano performances and for her ability to blend jazz, classical, and Japanese sounds in her compositions, creating an unforgettable experience. In November of the same year, RINA Trio made their debut at the Marunouchi Cotton Club in Tokyo and received a standing ovation from a packed audience. In April 2023, RINA was appointed as a tourism goodwill ambassador for the city of Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Her latest album, "Transparent Blue," was released on May 17th, 2023. RINA continues to perform across Japan in various styles, including solo piano, duos, trios, and big bands.

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