Akira Tana

Akira Tana (born March 14, 1952, in San Jose, California) is an American jazz drummer.[1] Tana then 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'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, Major Holley, Lena Horne, J.J. Johnson, Warne Marsh, Tete Montoliu, James Moody, Spike Robinson, Jimmy Rowles, Zoot Sims, Cedar Walton, and Frank Wess.With Rufus Reid With Masaru Koga, Saki Kono, Art Hirahara and Ken Okada With James Moody With Zoot Sims With others
San Jose, CaliforniaGunn High SchoolHarvard UniversityNew England Conservatory of MusicBoston Symphony OrchestraHelen HumesMilt JacksonSonny RollinsGeorge RussellSonny StittRufus ReidKei AkagiCharles AznavourRan BlakeRay BryantAl CohnChris ConnorArt FarmerCarl FontanaDizzy GillespieBenny GolsonJim HallJimmy HeathMajor HolleyLena HorneJ.J. JohnsonWarne MarshTete MontoliuJames MoodySpike RobinsonJimmy RowlesZoot SimsCedar WaltonFrank WessPaddle WheelEvidenceKai EckhardtArt HiraharaPosthumousClaudio RoditiClaudio!Jim Hall's ThreeConcord JazzContemporaryRob SchneidermanNew OutlookReservoirA Spanish TreasureThe New Grove Encyclopedia of Popular Music