Native is a four piece Jazz Band formed in 1999 by the talented and well trained Jazz musicians Tomoyoshi Nakamura (Saxophones, Flute), Kenichi Ohkubo (Bass)

Yoshitaka Yamashita (Drums) and Taichi Sugimaru (Piano)

Based in Nagoya, Japan they started to work together in 1999 and have released 3 full length albums so far through the Japanese label "Stride", a sub-label of "Inpartmaint inc." Prior to their 1st full length album, they released two mini-albums on their own.

They have built a reputation in the Japanese Jazz & Club music scene, and their fans are coming from different backgrounds and age groups. Their highly acclaimed debut album "Snobbism" and the 2nd full album "intentions" generated impressive sales and entered the Modern Jazz charts alongside other well-established Jazz artists in Japan.

The sound of Native is an open minded interpreation of classic Acoustic Jazz, and their music features many memorable melodies alongside delicate interplay between drum and bass.

Their forst "outside Japan" release "Prussian Blue" is a colourful album and features many outstanding songs. There is the light swinging number "The Secret Language" featuring the swedish diva Cecilia Stalin on vocals who achieved critical acclaim after her performance on ?Waltz for Koop?.

Native have played more than 100 gigs on the streets of Japan every year and travelled the country in a van to give people an opportunity to experience their music. Their shows are magnetic and helped to make them one of the most succesfull contemporary Jazz bands in Japan, as well as one of the leading new voices in Japanese Jazz. Their music is influenced by European Jazz, which is colourfull but doesn?t fade away.