About

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 narrative performance and compositions, Rintaro draws from a jazz tradition to a range of influences from rock to world cultural music such as Brazilian.

His latest album titled "First Fish" has received high praise from various major media outlets. Featuring pianist Henry Plotnick, guitarist Omri Bar Giora, bassist Bar Filipowicz, saxophonist David Truilo, harmonicist Ariel Bart, and singer Lily Resnikoff, the album comprises his eight original compositions that reflect his childhood memories spent on a small island, woven together into a cohesive narrative akin to a cinematic experience. Jazz Trail, one of the renowned jazz review website, described that “Mikami's core quintet shares an intimate connection that reflects on the tunes, and his sensitive drumming style showcases a penchant for playing melodically on the kit that is reminiscent of Brian Blade and Manu Katché.” The title track "First Fish" won both the Best Jazz Song and Best Lyrics Song awards at the 18th season of the Munich Music Video Awards. He celebrated the album's release with a successful show at Nublu 151, a renowned venue in New York City.

As a sideman, Rintaro has performed, toured, and recorded worldwide with various musicians and projects. Recently, he has been a main drummer of Carlin Lee’s Wind Symphony Project since 2023, and has done numerous performances including the one with the Eastern Wind Symphony at Princeton University's Richardson Auditorium. In 2019, he joined a contemporary jazz band called Deeper Dreamer, which consists of himself, Ariel Bart, Taka Nawashiro, Hanna Inui and Vicious Cajado, and has done many shows throughout the year including 2020 Jazz Education Network conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana, and PJS Jazz Society’s Second Sunday concert March 8th 2020 in the First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon, curated by one of the historically renowned jazz bassists, Reggie Workman. Their first record “Deeper Dreamer” on September 1st 2020. Other notable artists and projects he has worked with include Ester Wiesnerova, David Truilo, Nori Naraoka, Naoya Ogura Band, noonmoon, Iseul Kim, and more.

He holds Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, having worked with acclaimed researchers on various topics in the field of teaching music such as Carl Allen, Ari Hoenig, Allison Miller, Kush Abadey, and Keita Ogawa.

Rintaro is endorsed with a Japanese drums company, Canopus Drums, which has world renowned endorsers such as Brian Blade, Kenny Washington, and Harvey Mason.

三上　麟太郎

1995年に東京都国立市に生まれる。12歳よりドラムを独学で始め、ライブ活動を始める。19歳の頃に出会った恩師の影響でジャズに傾倒し、2016年の春には奨学金を獲得し、ニューヨークのThe Collective School of Musicへ留学。2018年に同校を卒業後、新たに奨学金を獲得し、The New School School of Jazz and Contemporary Musicへ進学。在学中は、Allison Miller、Carl Allen、Ari Hoeningなどの数々の世界レベルのジャズドラマーに師事する一方で、パーカッションにも興味を持ち、グラミー賞受賞日本人パーカッショニストの小川慶太に師事。2022年にBachelor of Fine Artsの学位を取得後はニューヨークを拠点に活動。

2023年9月に自身初のリーダーアルバム”First Fish”を発表。アルバムは、オリジナル曲9曲で構成されており、自身が幼い頃に経験した離島暮らしにインスピレーションを元に作曲。同年10月にはニューヨークの名門クラブNUBLU 151 にてレコ発ライブを成功させる。タイトル曲のFirst Fishのミュージックビデオは、第18回Munich Music Video AwardにてThe Best Jazz Song 賞及び、The Best Lyrics 賞の2項目を受賞。

サイドマンとしても、Ornithology Jazz Clubなどに代表されるニューヨーク屈指のジャズクラブやライブハウスにおいて演奏活動を繰り広げる一方で、これまでに、国内外を問わず多くのバンドやプロジェクトに参加。2019年にはコンテンポラリージャズバンド、Deeper Dreamerのメンバーとして、Reggie Workman主催のPJS Jazz Society’s Second Sunday concert March 8th 2020 in the First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernonや、2020 Jazz Education Network conference held in New Orleans, Louisianaに出演。2021年には、Bern International Jazz FestivalにLayla Evangeliaのドラマーとして出演。2022年に、ギタリストのJacob AvinerとベーシストのSean Hannonと共に結成したNoonMoonで、ニューイングランドをツアーを成功させ、2023年7月にアルバム''"noonmoon”をリリース。2023年2月には、パーカッショニストとして、スロバキアのシンガーのEster Weisnerovaのアメリカツアーに参加。Carlin Lee Wind Symphony Projectのメンバーとしても活躍し、2024年2月にはEastern Wind Symphony Orchestraと共演。

2020年より、Canopus Drumsのエンドーサーを務める。