Bio
Junko Sakai is a jazz pianist based in New York City.
Born in Tokyo, Japan she started taking classical piano lessons at the age of 4. After intensively training in classic music, she started singing her original songs in rock and pop bands when she was 16. While she was attending Waseda University, she discovered Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, Eroll Garner’s music, and began transcribing. After graduating, she started playing as a professional around Tokyo and kanto direct.
In 2012 she released her debut album “In The Crowd” from T-toc Records. After her tour throughout Japan, she moved to New York and studied with Jean Michell Pilc and Marc Mommaas. For the last six years Junko has performed at many great venues and restaurants.
Junko is very comfortable in a traditional or modern jazz setting.
No matter what style of music she is playing, she always tries to speak with an original voice.