Seems like every publication rolls out there "best of" awards at this time of year. While we love the idea of recognizing all the outstanding achievements of Colorado based Jazz artists the idea of assembling such a list was beyond the scope of this publications limited staff. Instead we decided to single out an artist who has had the most impact on Jazz in Colorado this past year. It was not an easy choice, the names of so many up and coming and established Colorado Jazz artist came to mind. But one artist rose to the forefront, based not only on the amazing music she is creating, but also on the influence shes had on Colorados vibrant Jazz scene.

Chie Imaizumi is a recent transplant to our fair state. Born in Japan, Chie’s musical journey began at four when her parents gave her an electronic keyboard. She loved it and would play constantly; by age eight, she was crafting simple compositions. Kindled in her teens, her love of Jazz led her to study Jazz piano in college; after two years, she left her homeland to attend Boston’s esteemed Berklee College of Music. It was a tough at first, but as she made friends, her English skills improved – and she began to thrive in the school’s intensive environment.


Her musical career ground to a halt suddenly, when tendonitis in her hands made it excruciatingly painful to play piano. Every treatment she tried would only curb the pain temporarily; the rigors of daily practice and frequent performance would bring it back, becoming so bad that she couldn’t open a door. Devastated, Chie realized that her dream of pursuing a career as a Jazz pianist was over. Out of the ashes, she regrouped and decided to focus on composition. Her path to recording her compositions began with a girls’ night out trip from Boston to New York to see the Maria Schneider Orchestra. Emboldened by a night of partying after the set, she struck up a conversation with one of the band’s trumpet players, Denver native Greg Gisbert, asking if he’d listen to her music and give his honest opinion.


On first listen, he realized he was hearing something special. All that was missing was a band capable of playing her lovely but technically complex music. Greg decided to produce the album and contacted Tom Burns, whose Bailey-based Capri Records label has been releasing great Jazz recordings for years. Burns agreed to release it. World-class trumpeter Gisbert put together an amazing band for the recording: Ron Miles, John Gunther, Peter Sommer, Gary Smulyan, Alex Heitlinger, Mike Abbott, Jeff Jenkins, Mark Simon, Mimy Fiaindratovo, Jeremy Ragsdale, and Paul Romaine. With Chie at the helm, the band sold out two nights at Dazzle before heading into the studio. The resulting Unfailing Kindness has a joyous, fresh sound that, while clearly rooted in Jazz tradition, is uniquely Chie. It’s a masterpiece that’s received almost universal acclaim.


After recording it, Chie returned to New York, where she began to miss the friends she’d made in Denver, our beautiful state, and most of all her amazing orchestra. In Early 2007, she decided to make Denver her home, and her orchestra has been performing regularly ever since The ultimate praise for Chie's music comes from the musicians who play it. Ask any one of them about the music and they'll all tell you the same thing . . . "its really hard to play!" But that revelation always comes with a smile and a glint in the eye that tells you how much they love the challenge of mastering its complexity. Equally impressive is how uncomplicated her compositions seem to be to the listener. Chie's music is so accessible and joyous that your immediately engulfed by its energy and beauty.


The combination of her prodigious skill as a composer and the invigorating influence of her music on other Colorado Jazz artists brought us to the conclusion that Chie Imaizumi is the 2007 Rocky Mountain Jazz Artist of the year. We cant wait to see what she does in 2008!

Note:. The Chie Imaizumi Orchestra performs on the second Sunday of each month at Dazzle. On January 31st Metropolitan State College, the Consulate General of Japan, the Japanese Association of Colorado and the Japan Colorado Society will present a concert with the orchestra at the King Center on the Auraria campus. If you have yet to experience Unfailing Kindness you can pick up a copy at Dazzle, Twist and Shout, online from the Capri records website. It can also be downloaded from iTunes or from our favorite music service eMusic (note: by clicking on any of the eMusic ads on the Rocky Mountain Jazz website you can receive 25 free songs from eMusic and help support RMJ). You can also find out more about Chie @ www.thousandpictures.org or on mySpace @