Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rintaro Mikami. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rintaro, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I think it was around when I was 19 years old, where I started playing at local venues in Tokyo as a member of Japanese Rock Band. Drumming has been kept as hobby for me even though I started playing it at the age of 12, but playing in front of actual audience gets me huge impact. I started dreaming of playing on big stage someday with millions of audience, and I felt that dream gets closer to me somehow.

Rintaro, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

From Tokyo, Japan, I am a jazz drummer, percussionist and composer based in New York City. Known for a wide range dynamics, supportive orchestration, and narrative performance and compositions, I draw from a jazz tradition to a range of influences from rock to world cultural music such as Brazilian.

The best way to describe my artistic sense is to listen to my latest album titled “First Fish”, which has received high praise from various major media outlets. Featuring pianist Henry Plotnick, guitarist Omri Bar Giora, bassist Bar Filipowicz, saxophonist David Truilo, harmonicist Ariel Bart, and singer Lily Resnikoff, the album comprises his eight original compositions that reflect his childhood memories spent on a small island, woven together into a cohesive narrative akin to a cinematic experience. The island I mentioned here is named Kuchinoerabu-Island, it’s a beautiful island in south Japan that I had lived there of 2 years when I was around 7th grade. The reason why I moved there was to heal my depression I was suffering with, that occurs because of pressures I had been getting in the city. My mental health was not good condition at all but the nature and people there literally saved me. And after many years, it was natural to me to start writing songs inspired from that experiences and I felt making an album that dedicates to the island is something I had to do. Jazz Trail, one of the renowned jazz review website, described that “Mikami’s core quintet shares an intimate connection that reflects on the tunes, and his sensitive drumming style showcases a penchant for playing melodically on the kit that is reminiscent of Brian Blade and Manu Katché.” I also made the music video of title track “First Fish” because I thought it’s enhance the message I wanted to tell though the compositions. And the video won both the Best Jazz Song and Best Lyrics Song awards at the 18th season of the Munich Music Video Awards.

As a sideman, I have performed, toured, and recorded worldwide with various musicians and projects. But I always try to not to lose my narrative style of drumming in any kinds of band setting or style of music. Using diverse sounds, texture, dynamics and rhythmic ideas, I not only understand but support the band leader’s imagination with my own approach.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Next mission for me is to perform at the islands in Japan. As you know, Japan consists of many different islands, and there is a lot of small islands similar to the island I’ve been at. People there, especially children, does not have many opportunities to hear live jazz performance. I’d love to visit each islands and not only perform but also give workshops to contribute their artistic and cultural education.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The moment I feel the connection is most rewarding thing in this job. When I play music, if everyone could be fully in the moment in musically and spiritually, and each of the band member have enough ability to communicate and execute the idea on the instrument, the music is happening. I’m sure everyone in the room including audience will feel something great and can’t really describe in the word. That’s what I feet the most rewarding. That’s why I prepare and practice the instrument everyday to be able to get that rewards more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rintaro-mikami.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rintaro_mikami
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rintaromikami4826

Image Credits

Sanae Ohno, Paul Stenko, Laney Lai