The Miki Yamanaka Trio
Sunset Sounds
Butler-McCook House and Garden
Hartford
June 12, 2025
The Sunset Sounds concert series is back at the Butler-McCook House and Garden on Main Street in Hartford, kicking off Thursday with the Miki Yamanaka Trio. Pianist Yamanaka easily stands out in a jazz world full of eclectic artists. Born in Kobe, Japan, Yamanaka has made New York City her home since 2012. In Hartford, She wore a plum-colored kimono decorated with flowers, a wide brimmed hat and shades that made her look cool as hell.
The rest of the group is just as interesting. On drums is Jimmy Macbride, who astute readers might recognize as a local musical celebrity who grew up in West Hartford and has given performances all over the Greater Hartford area. He’s also the husband of Yamanaka. Bassist Pablo Menares originally hails from Santiago, Chile, moving to New York in 2009.
The trio started their performance with such classics as “Dark Side, Light Side” by George Cables, then “Trinkle, Tinkle” by Thelonious Monk. Music by the greats will always sound good in competent hands, and the trio was nothing if not talented.
The third song of the set, an original piece by Yamanaka called “Dandelion Puff,” brought out the unique style of the trio. She said that when she wrote the piece in 2012, she was a cute young woman who wanted to write a cute song, and capture the essence of dandelion seeds floating on the wind.
The opening of the song featuring the electronic piano had a neo-soul vibe, and eased into a slowed-down sound that expanded and filled the summer evening air. Jazz often feels frenetic, as if it’s rushing to get from one musical expression to the next. “Dandelion Puff” was content to take its time, as Yamanaka struck one carefully chosen note after another, leading seamlessly into Menares taking the lead on the bass. The song itself was like a warm breeze. It carried the audience along like dandelion seeds, not sure exactly where we were going but enjoying the ride.
The next song not only picked up the speed but gave Macbride a chance to show his stuff. His drumming was a sharp contrast to the established rhythm of the song. Instead of sounding dissonant, Macbride led the music to him, accomplishing the jazz equivalent of when a pop song changes its beat halfway through. It was also cool to see Yamanaka vibing out to his solo.
There’s a special kind of fun when you can see that the musicians are enjoying themselves. Miki Yamanaka looks like she’s always having a great time when there’s music being played. Three musicians from three continents came together in downtown Hartford, and the result was an evening of music that won’t soon be forgotten.
NEXT
The Sunset Sounds concert series hosts Nigel Bello and Friends on July 10.
Jamil took the weekend off. See you this week!
