The Drum Shuffle - Episode 159 - Rintaro Mikami

The Drum Shuffle

Hailing originally from Tokyo, Japan, Rintaro Mikami is a jazz drummer, percussionist and composer based in New York City. Known for a wide range dynamics, supportive orchestration, and very narrative performance and compositions, Rintaro draws from a jazz tradition to a range of influences from rock to world cultural music such as Brazilian, Argentinian and mid-Eastern.

He started playing drums at the age of 12 and immediately showed his talent in local music community. After working as a drummer in rock music scene in Tokyo, his musical interest gradually gravitated towards Jazz.

Rintaro's early life on the small island of Kuchinoerabu in the south of Japan inspired his debut release as a leader, First Fish. For two years during childhood, Mikami gained life lessons on Kuchinoerabu that he likely wouldn’t have in his native Tokyo.

First Fish refers to Mikami’s earliest experience living on the island, a memory that would guide him as he matured and developed his own artistic sensibility after returning to Tokyo. Later he pursued music studies for seven years in the great music capital of New York, and grew to become the fine drummer and creative, well-rounded musician that we hear now. All nine tracks on First Fish weave together the story of Mikami’s journey, from the island to this day.