Miho Wada

http://www.mihowada.com

Miho Wada was born in Tokyo, and grew up by the sea in Miyazaki, Japan and Christchurch, New Zealand. She started her musical training at the age of four on piano at the Yamaha School of Music, studied flute at the University of Canterbury, NZ and later at the Trinity College of Music, London. Her first job after leaving the college was with the National Orchestra of Malta in Valletta, though her creativity could not keep herself sitting on an orchestral chair.

Miho's talent was spotted by Nigel Kennedy at the Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and she later performed jazz trio concerts with him in London and Malven. After that she started writing her original materials as well as playing Jazz, Latin, Salsa, Rock, Pop, Funk, Ska and other World Music. She worked as a session/sectional musician in London and toured around Europe with many different bands.

Miho discovered her passion for Cuban music in 2008 and she flew to Havana with her flute and suitcase. She trained under members of the Sierra Maestra and the Buena Vista Social Club in Havana, then flew to Santiago de Cuba and trained under Sones de Oriente and Kotumba members for two months.

In 2009 Miho recorded with Iggy Pop, performed with Jarvis Cocker and toured around the world with the Ska Cubano, including performances on main stage at WOMAD festivals. She was also mentored by Seun Kuti on Saxophone during the tour of WOMAD.

After the world tour 2009, she formed a 4 piece band based in Auckland, New Zealand, performing music she calls "Japanese Punk Jazz". Miho's music is unique in every way - with a mixture of beautiful Japanese melodies, quirky bilingual punk songs in catchy J-Pop style, sunny Pacific beats, clever Jazz chords and Cuban flute solos. Their fine musicianship and explosive instrumental solos took the world by a surprise during SXSW 2010 in Austin, Texas.

And - Modern Japanese Junk Jazz!

Miho also performs Japanese Punk Jazz flute, saxophone, and full-on punk lyrics!
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