Akira Tana

Akira Tana (born March 14, 1952, San Jose, California) is an American jazz drummer.

Tana obtained a bachelor's degree from Harvard University in the social sciences, playing gigs on the side, then enrolled at the New England Conservatory of Music. There he performed in both classical and jazz idioms, playing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and student ensembles as well as with musicians such as Helen Humes, Milt Jackson, Sonny Rollins, George Russell, and Sonny Stitt.

Tana recorded frequently as a sideman in the 1980s, and began releasing albums as a leader in the 1990s. He formed a group, TanaReid, with Rufus Reid, and added Kei Akagi on occasion to form the Asian-American Jazz Trio. Tana's performing and recording associations include Charles Aznavour, Ran Blake, Ray Bryant, Al Cohn, Chris Connor, Art Farmer, Carl Fontana, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, Jim Hall, Jimmy Heath, Lena Horne, J.J. Johnson, Warne Marsh, Tete Montoliu, James Moody, Spike Robinson, Jimmy Rowles, Zoot Sims, Cedar Walton, and Frank Wess.

Discography

• Blue Motion (Paddle Wheel, 1994)
• Looking Forward (Evidence, 1995)
• Secret Agent Men (Sons Of Sound, 2003)
• Moon Over The World (Sons Of Sound, 2004)
• Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Sons Of Sound, 2011)
• Jazzanova (2018)

With Warne Marsh

• Posthumous (Interplay, 1985 [1987])

With Tete Montoliu

• A Spanish Treasure (Concord Jazz, 1991)

References

• "Akira Tana". The New Grove Encyclopedia of Popular Music (accessed via Oxford Music Online).