Yusuke Hirado

Born in Nagasaki, Japan. Influenced by his father who was the owner of a Jazz Cafe and his mother who taught Classical Piano, Hirado started playing piano from the age of 4. Nurturing his love for Jazz music by listening to his father's enormous record collection, Hirado started playing on stage when he was in Jr. High School. During his High School years, he has participated in the Manhattan School of Music's summer work shop in New York, earning the highest award by playing in the top level combo. After graduating High School, he moved to America to attend the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music in New York and he studied Jazz with Walter Bishop Jr. as his mentor. In 1995, he went on a very successful Japan Tour with Richard Davis (Bs) and Winard Harper (Ds). After graduating University he came back to Japan, moved to Tokyo and formed the jazz band "quasimode". In 2012, he's released his first solo album "Speak Own Words", which was positively received by fans and critics. In February 2015, the band members put "quasimode" on hold to put more effort on their solo careers. Hirado is releasing his long awaited 2nd solo album, "Voyage", in April 2015. Official bio from: http://yusukehirado.net/biography.html