Summer Jazz Lunch -Akiko/Hamilton/Dechter Trio

Akiko Tsuruga has ten albums as a leader to her credit. Her debut album in the US, Sweet and Funky, was selected as Best Album of 2007 by DOWNBEAT magazine. Akiko has been a regular in the DOWNBEAT polls since 2008—culminating this year with the 65th Annual Critics Poll, coming in at #2 in the Rising Star-Organ category. Hot House Magazine has named her Best Jazz Organist in the 2017 Readers Poll. Her albums have consistently placed in the top ten on the National Radio Jazz Chart.

Jeff Hamilton has received rave reviews for his dynamic drumming. Leonard Feather of the Los Angeles Times described Jeff’s work with Oscar Peterson as “the Los Angeles-based drummer whose intelligent backing and spirited solo work met Peterson’s customarily high standards….” Jeff Bradley (Denver Post) stated that Jeff “brought the crowd to its feet with his amazing hand-drumming, soft and understated, yet as riveting and rewarding as any drum solo you’ve heard.”

Guitarist Graham Dechter is one of the most important young players on the jazz scene. He is currently featured with The Eliane Elias Quartet and The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. His two releases as a leader, Right on Time and Takin’ It There are critically acclaimed.