Official Site　

Offisial Site ： http://www.hikari-ichihara.com/

Biography | Profile　

Born in Tokyo in 1982. Graduated from Seijo elementary, junior high and high schools. Started playing trumpet upon entering junior high school then joined the 'jazz course' when attending the Senzoku Music University and started playing jazz trumpet under the tutorship of Tomonao Hara.

Her debut on a major label came in 2005 when she released 'Ichiban No Shiawase' on Pony Canyon which was widely acclaimed for its original but pop sensibility. In 2006, she released her second album 'Sara Smile' which she recorded in New York. This album was awarded with a gold disc in Swing Journal, and it also led her to receive the 'New Star' award at the 40th annual Jazz Disc Awards.

In May 2005 she released her 3rd studio album, 'Stardust'. Also recorded in New York, the record featured legendary musicians Adam Birnbaum (p), George Mraz (b), Victor Lewis (ds), Wayne Escoffery (ts) and Aaron Heick (as). All compositions were original pieces written by Hikari Ichikawa and again, received the gold sidc award by respected magazine Swing Journal.

In 2008, at the 58th Swing Journal Japan Jazz Readers Polls Awards, she came 2nd in the trumpet category. In November 2008, she released her 4th album, 'JOY'. This album became her fist self-produced album in which she used 5 wind instruments - all for which she also wrote the horn arrangements. This year, she again came second in the trumpet category at the Swing Journal Japan Jazz Readers Polls Awards.

March 2010 saw the release of her 5th album on Pony Canyon, 'Move On' as The Hikari Ichihara Group. The members consisted of Ryosuke Asai (as), Hideaki Hori (pf), Kunpei Nakabayashi (bs) and Masanori Ando (dr). After the release, she went on a nationwide tour with this same band.

Her most recent 6th album was released in June 2011 and is called 'Unity' - alo released under the name The Hikari Ichihara Group. With her quality-driven performances and instinctive sensibilities shining through, she has become known as the face of a new form of jazz and is undoubtedly one of the most sought after jazz trumpeters in Japan.

Instruments played : Trumpet - XO RV-T, Flugelhorn - XO RV-HD

Discography　

1st album
"Ichiban no shiawase"

PCCY-30074/ 05.08.18

2nd album
"Sala Smile"

PCCY-60003/06.09.06

3rd album
"Stardust"

PCCY-60006/07.05.16

4th album
"Joy"

PCCY-60008/08.11.05

5th album
"Move On"

PCCY-30157/ 10.03.17

6th album
"UNITY"

PCCY-30187/11.06.15