Full of inventiveness and a sense of adventure... - Stephen Scott. Over his 20 years as a jazz pianist, Keigo Hirakawa has transformed himself into an artist with vision and a unique sense of expression. Born in Japan and raised in Ohio, he was trained in New York, Boston, and Princeton under the mentorship of Danilo Perez, Cecil McBee, Anthony Branker and many others. His other career, as a professor of electrical & computer engineering, brought him back to Ohio where he's also found inspiration in the region's rich musical scene. His 8 highly crafted compositions come to life under the hands of the musicians who inspired them - the dynamic Detroit-based rhythm duo of drummer Alex White and master bassist Bob Hurst, along with Cincinnati's Brandon Scott Coleman on guitar and Detroit reed master Rafael Statin.