Aiko Shimada has no formal musical training but has loved singing since childhood. An alto in her school choir, she developed a keen ear for harmony early on. After moving from Japan to the U.S. to attend Oregon State in the mid‑1980s, she became a jazz DJ at the college station, which deepened her listening and exploration of jazz. While on campus she saw world‑class jazz artists live and often drove to Portland to catch shows, immersing herself in the music.
She began attending local jam sessions and formed a jazz trio, Played Twice, performing standards around town. Encouraged by the leader of a folk‑rock band she was in, she started writing songs and accompanying herself on guitar. That shift led her to focus on songwriting and perform as a guitarist/singer‑songwriter for the next 15 years.
During that period Aiko recorded four full‑length albums and appeared on various side projects as a guest musician and collaborator.
After moving to Seattle in her late 20s, she performed her original music with her band, opened for national touring artists such as Susan Warner and Jane Siberry, and toured the East and West Coasts. She collaborated with many musicians she had long admired.
In 2001 composer and saxophonist John Zorn offered Aiko a release on his Tzadik label; her album Blue Marble features collaborations with violinist/violist Eyvind Kang and guest appearances by Bill Frisell. The Japanese label EWE (East Works Entertainment) also released an album in 2000, mastered by Seigen Ono. By 2004 she had produced multiple full‑length albums.
Other notable projects include an East Coast tour with composer/pianist Robin Holcomb and participation in a multimedia performance based on Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, composed by Robin and directed by Wayne Horvitz in Seattle.
In 2007 jazz pianist Jessica Williams invited Aiko to open and collaborate in Seattle — a significant honor that brought Aiko back to performing songs accompanied by one of jazz’s great pianists.
Aiko has performed at major festivals including the Vancouver Jazz Festival (Canada) and Bumbershoot in Seattle, WA.
Now based north of Sacramento, Aiko performs frequently as both a guitarist/singer‑songwriter and a jazz vocalist. She leads various jazz ensembles, hosts a monthly jam session and a jazz + free‑improv series, and mentors young musicians as a life coach, helping them develop their musical voices and personal growth.
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