Bio:

Vocalist Kyoko Kitamura was born in New York and raised partially in Tokyo. She studied piano at the Juilliard School of Music prep division with pianist Jane Carlson who was a premier Hindemith interpreter and who exposed Kitamura to contemporary composers at an early age. However, curious about the world, Kitamura chose to become a journalist, working out of Tokyo and Paris, and traveling around the world (including a stint as a Gulf War reporter). She came back to NY in 1997, worked for a while as a magazine writer, and, since 2001, slowly immersed herself in the music scene after a hiatus of close to 15 years.

Building upon the musicianship she had as a trained pianist, and adding to it her globe-trotting experiences, she developed a highly personal style of vocal improvisation which includes multi-lingual spoken words, electronics, as well as hints of different types of music she has heard in various countries. She quickly found work as a side-person vocalist, and honed her craft by performing and/or recording with bassist Reggie Workman, saxophonist Steve Coleman, Argentinean composer Laura Andel, vocalist Jay Clayton, and pianist Art Lande, among others. Her style has been described as "outrageous", "forward-looking", "fu*%ed up!", "nightmarish", "one of downtown's finest singers."

Most recently, she performed in Antwerp's deSingel Theater and in Amsterdam's Bimhuis with cornet player Taylor Ho Bynum's ensemble. In New York City, she frequently appears in downtown venues such as Roulette, the Downtown Music Gallery, the 55 Bar and the Stone. She co-leads the group ok|ok with Mike McGinnis on woodwind, and Khabu Doug Young on ukulele and guitar. ok|ok has a CD coming out in September 2008 from RKM Music.

Discography:

Discography as a sideperson includes Steve Coleman "Lucidarium" (Label Bleu 2004), Jamie Baum "Solace" (Sunnyside Records 2008), Laura Andel Orchestra "Somnambulist" (Red Toucan Records 2003), Laura Andel Electric Percussive Orchestra "In::tension:."(Rossbin Records October 2005), Ras Moshe "Live Spirits" 2 & 4 (Utech Records).  ok|ok's debut CD will be released in the U.S. from RKM Records on September 2nd, 2008. 

Performed and/or recorded with:

Laura Andel Orchestra, Jamie Baum, Taylor Ho Bynum, Daniel Carter, Jay Clayton, Steve Coleman, Shane Endsley, Angie Eng (video artist), Francois Grillot, Gerry Hemingway, Jeff Hirshfield, Jason Hwang, Khabu, Art Lande, Derek Layes, Mike McGinnis, Maria Mitchell (dancer), Tony Moreno, Ras Moshe, Kirk Nurock, Reuben Radding, Matana Roberts, Angie Sanchez, Ursel Schlicht, Ed Schuller, Judi Silvano's "Voices Together", Steve Swell, Take Toriyama, Bruce Williamson, Reggie Workman, and others.