Join us for an evening with AIRMW's rising artist Mai Sugimoto as she is joined by new fellow musician Saori Kataoka, and supported by Dushun Mosley and Tatsu Aoki, representing team "Bold".

Artist Bios

Mai Sugimoto, is a Japanese born saxophonist and composer living in Chicago, IL. Sugimoto draws additional inspiration from Lennie Tristano and his improvisational approach, 90’s and early 00’s J-pop, the Beatles, Glenn Gould, and the creative music scene of Chicago. She continues to channel these inspirations and others into writing for her new quartet which she debuted in 2016. Sugimoto holds a BM and MM in music performance from Northern Illinois University and University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, respectively. She is currently a member of the music faculty at Moraine Valley Community College and thoroughly enjoys teaching in addition to pursuing her performing career. And is busy performing and working on her next album release.

Born and raised in Tokushima, Japan, Saori Kataoka is a trumpet player, multidisciplinary performer, scholar, and dancer, who is committed to explore a broad spectrum of sounds and movements. As the first and only brass player to ever win Krannert Center Debut Artist competition, she has been a finalist of prestigious competitions such as Luminarts Fellowship, Musicians Club of Women Nerenberg Competition, and Ensemble Connect fellowship at Carnegie Hall. She has performed at iconic venues in Poland, Ukraine, Germany, Scotland, Japan, and the United States.  Previously she served as an Instructional Assistant Professor of Trumpet at Illinois State University. Currently, she regularly performs with Terre Haute Symphony, Danville Symphony, and Heartland Festival Orchestras. She holds two Master's degrees in Classical and Jazz performances, and two graduate minors in Dance and Global Studies from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Dushun Mosley, Percussionist, is a performer, bandleader and father of three. Based in Chicago, IL he is the bandleader for the Vizitors and the Signature Group, a member of the Eight Bold Souls, Frontburners, Chicago 3D, Shadow Vignettes and the AACM Big Band. Mr. Mosley has toured extensively as a soloist, in duets, trios and big bands. He has been called upon to do numerous engagements in social clubs, music halls and festivals in cities throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Africa and Japan. These performances have contributed to his distinguished reputation as a forerunner in this generation of innovators. His style is Traditional Jazz, Blues and Funk in a combo band setting, but feels equally at home pushing big bands and Orchestras' to their limit. He produced his first CD with the Vizitors in the Fall of 1998.  He has performed with numerous entertainers such as Sasha Dolton, Roscoe Mitchell, Steve Colson, Douglas Ewart, Henry Threadgill, Anthony Davis, Don Moye, Don Cherry, Richard Muhal Abrams, Jodie Christian and others.

Tatsu Aoki, born in Tokyo, to a traditional Geisha performing family, he started performing at the age of four as a part of his family’s performance crew. By the early 1970s, Aoki was active in Tokyo’s underground arts movement as well as a member of an experimental ensemble that combined traditional music and new Western forms. In 1979 Aoki emigrated to Chicago and started his musical career as a traditional Japanese lute player and contemporary experimentalist playing double bass and shamisen. Aoki was named one of 2001’s "Chicagoans of the year" by Chicago Tribune for his music for his cross-cultural music and is most noted for being the long-standing bassist for Chicago’s late great legend Fred Anderson, generating eight albums with the saxophonist. Sustaining a tireless work-ethic, he has released over 90 recording projects in the last 35 years.

$15 - Tickets Available at the Door