Hello and welcome !
- Official site for Kevin McHugh - now with more sound and video.
- I am a Tokyo-based pianist, composer, improvisor...
- Enjoy a relaxing time here!
check it!
April 1, 2012 | First full album release!
A new album from Polylis, recorded with hardcore members of the Tokyo underground music scene. A deeper, more avant-garde turn from our original PolyOne release.
polylis / hills
- April 1, 2012 release
- 1500 Japanese yen or equivalent
- Miminoko Pro / MP-010
- JAN: 44571326503347
- Tracks:
- 01. Magical Mystery Sewer
- 02. cycle
- 03. Black hill
- 04. people I am not
- 05. a hill
- 06. suside crown
- 07. 15min in the dark
04.01(日) 1st フルアルバム release!!
東京アンダーグラウンド・ミュージックシーンで活躍する、クセの強い演奏家だらけで録音。『POLY ONE』の方向性を深化させ、よりダイナミックかつアヴァンギャルドなバンドサウンドに仕上げました。
news
projects
- polylis
- polylis is a Tokyo based free jazz electro pop noise band, with 6 seasoned members of the Tokyo hardcore underground scene. Go to polylis.com for more information.
- BULLS
- Bulls is a new quartet I lead, with "Akkun" Ando (alto sax and effects), Ryuichi Yoshida (baritone sax), and Daigo Wakasugi (drums). Free jazz, pretty blues and ambient noise?
- loolowningen kovito ensemble
- The acoustic version of "Loolowningen and the Far East Idiots" under the leadership of Shigeru Akakura! I play accordion in this J-indies/prog/sexy gypsy band. loolowningen.com for more info.
- NATO (north atlantic tonal organisation)
- Besides being an ENFORCER of world peace, NATO also does music, who knew? A collaboration between Danish bassist Max Nauta and myself, NATO is usually fortified with drums and a string quartet, including players from Germany, Poland, the US, and other mostly democratic countries. Beautiful Danish jazz meets harsh ugly American aggression.
- steve gardner ramblin' blues band
- The dirtiest roots and blues music in Japan! Led my Mississippi blues legend and keeper of history, Steve Gardner. stevegardner.info for more info.
- The Lacy Foundation
- Led by jazz clarinettist Huw Lloyd, The Lacy foundation is a community of musicians and other creative types exploring the compositions and artistic approach of legendary, yet sadly underappreciated, soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy. More info at facebook.com/thelacyfoundation
- Improv Comedy
- I perform music with two Tokyo improvisational comedy theater groups: in Japanese with Improlabo (improlabo.org) and in English at the Tokyo Comedy store (tokyocomedy.com).
- ¿random jazz?
- I often play jazz piano at hotels and music venues around Tokyo. Please contact me directly for that schedule.
show schedule
BIO
Kevin McHugh (b.1982) is a jazz pianist and composer from Seattle, WA. He studied jazz piano and German at Oberlin College and Conservatory, the oldest music school in the United States, as well as in Germany at the Technische Universität Berlin. Since graduating, Kevin has spent most of his time traveling and playing music in nearly 30 countries. In 2006, Kevin won a year-long Watson Fellowship and used this large grant to study improvisation in Brazil, Egypt, India, China, and Japan. From 2007 - 2009 Kevin lived in New York City and San Francisco, but spent considerable time touring the US and Europe with the NYC band "Capillary Action", as well as the Tony award winning theater group The San Francisco Mime Troupe.
In 2009 Kevin moved to Tokyo and continued his involvement in diverse musical styles. A jazz pianist by profession, he has performed in most major venues around Tokyo. He also started an electro-pop band, plays free improv, American roots music, and improvised comedy theater. Most recently he was chosen to compose music for a theatrical performance and short film to support the Tohoku earthquake survivors, thanks to a grant from the Japan Foundation.
1982年シアトル生まれ。ピアニスト、作曲家。
15歳から地元のジャズクラブでピアノ演奏を始める。2006年にアメリカの名門音楽大学オバーリン音楽院を卒業。同年に30,000ドルのトマス・J・ワトソン奨学金を授与され、カイロ・サンパウロ・上海・ムンバイ・東京に滞在しながらインプロヴィゼーションを研究する。その後ニューヨークでの活動を経て2009年に東京へ拠点を移し、現在は国内の著名なライブハウスや音楽フェスティバルで活躍している。
これまでに世界20ヶ国・アメリカ国内100都市で公演。マイルス・デイヴィスとも共同制作を行ったビリー・ハートやゲイリー・バーツ、ロビン・ユーバンクス、エルメート・パスコアールなど、数多くのミュージシャンとの共演経験を持つ。
