Akio Nishimura

Akio Nishimura (April 3, 1936 - September 22, 1992) was a Japanese saxophone (tenor saxophone) player. Born in Tosashimizu City, Kochi, he was the youngest (second son) of four siblings (two boys and two girls). His parents were music lovers, and his mother often played the shamisen and his father often sang at banquets. He played the accordion in his childhood. He entered Waseda University. In 1959, he began his professional music career in Tokyo. In July of the same year, he played tenor saxophone to accompany Hiroshi Mizuhara's "Kuroi Hanabira" (which won the first Japan Record Award). At that time, he was a member of "Sharps and Flats" led by Nobuo Hara. In the 1970s, he was the lead tenor of Sharps and Flats. He returned to Kochi, performed in Matsuyama around 1980, and then in Kitano, Kobe He then emigrated to the U.S. and died in New York City on September 22, 1992.