A tribute to Burt Bacharach with Akira Tana and Friends, featuring Jackie Ryan

“Akira Tana’s wonderful group is truly doing something very special here and it is a fine example of how music can break down cultural barriers and expose the commonality within us all.” —Jazz Inside

“[Ryan’s voice] rivals the dexterous sass of Sarah Vaughan, the instinctive smarts of Carmen McRae and the scintillating verve of Diana Krall.” —JazzTimes

For music lovers of all genres, the recent passing of the great songwriter Burt Bacharach marked the end of an era. Few composers reached as broad an audience, but Bacharach’s catchy and singable tunes coupled with Hal David’s storytelling dominated pop music culture the world over. At the mere mention of nearly any Bacharach tune, the music starts playing in your head. 

Bacharach’s music offered much more than an emotional connection: The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic sophistication of the music has always attracted jazz musicians. A Bacharach tune offers a lot of inspiration! Concert curator and drumming superstar Akira Tana along with beloved vocalist Jackie Ryan team up with a soulful jazz organ trio from Osaka to bring the timeless melodies of Burt Bacharach and the lyrics of Hal David to life.