Professor of Music Thomas Erdmann had an article published in The International Trumpet Guild Journal.
Professor of Music Thomas Erdmann had a 6,000-word article published in the March 2017 issue of The International Trumpet Guild Journal.
The article is on trumpeter, composer, arranger, producer and college professor Toru (he goes by Tiger) Okoshi. The multi-talented Okoshi has received a wide variety of awards and honors. The Japanese government gave him The Ministry of Foreign Affair Commendation in 2014 for outstanding contributions to the better relations between the U.S. and Japan. In 2008 the Japan Society of Boston gave him the John Thayer Award for similar work, and in 1997 Boston Higashi have him the Global Appreciation award for his volunteering efforts to further advance global awareness of contributions made by people with autism. The Berklee College of Music, as well, gave him a citation for his Contribution to the Advancement of International Music, Understanding and Good Will.
Musically Okoshi’s awards include the Best Producer award by Jazz Japan (Jazz Tokyo) magazine for vocalist Mizuho’s 2014 CD Romantic Gershwin, his own “Two Sides To Every Story” CD earned a Best Recording of the Month in Stereophile Magazine in 1995, United Press International (UPI) listed his “Echoes of a Note” CD as one of the Top Ten Albums of 1993, and twice he earned the Hit Record award from Victor Music in Japan, to list just a few.
As a teacher Okoshi is not only a professor at the Berklee College of Music, but he is also guest professor at Showa University of Music in Tokyo, Japan, visiting artist at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. He has performed with the Kitanodai Gagaku ensemble from Japan and directs the Hokkaido Grove Camp in Sapporo city of Hokkaido, Japan since 2006.
Okoshi operated the Domaine Forget Jazz Camp in St. Irinee, Quebec, Canada from 2009 to 2012. In addition Okoshi voluntarily visits the Boston Higashi school which teaches children with autism and has their own jazz big band. Berklee has honored him with an award for his Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Excellence and the Distinguished Alumni Award.
Among the many jazz artists Tiger has worked with include Tony Bennett, Jerry Bergonzi, Bela Fleck, Dave Grusin’s LA-NY Dream Band, Dave Holland, Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Delfeayo and Branford Marsalis, Lyle Mays, Pat Metheny, Bob Mintzer, George Russell’s legendary Living Time Orchestra, Gunther Schuller, the Mike Stern and Dave Weckl Band and Miloslav Vitous. Just a few of the pop and R&B artists who have called Okoshi to work with them are Frankie Avalon, Brad Delp of the band Boston, The Four Tops, Michael Franks, The O’Jays, Teddy Pendergrass and The Stylistics.