Groundbreaking musicians coming to Nevada Theatre

Paul Emery Music

News release

NEVADA CITY — Jazz harpist

Motoshi Kosako and fretless bass phenom

Michael Manring join forces for an evening of extraordinary music Feb.

11. Opening the show presented by Paul Emery and the Sierra Jazz Society will be fusion guitarist Perry Mills with his all-star band.

Kosako was born in the sister city of Sacramento, Matsuyama City, Japan. Motoshi began his long pursuit of music at age 3 with the piano, then continued with the guitar.

In 1997 Kosako moved to the United States and soon after he gave up the guitar completely and started playing the harp. He began performing as a soloist and as an accompanist for singers, flutists and violinists. In 2002 and 2003 he recorded his first two solo albums, “Celestial Harp I” and “Celestial Harp II.” In 2006 Kosako had the distinguished honor of being named principal harpist of the Stockton Symphony Orchestra, under the very capable baton of Conductor

Peter Ja e.

In early spring of 2006

Kosako began to turn his mind to the possibility of playing jazz on the harp, which brought him to the Salt Lake City International Jazz Harp Competition where he won second place with his groundbreaking style.

Hailed by many as the world’s leading solo bassist, Manring has been pushing back the boundaries of what’s possible on the bass guitar. While his technical skill and innovations always make an impression, it is his ability to communicate on a profound emotional level that most touches listeners.

Building on the conceptions of his teacher, the late bass legend Jaco Pastorius, Manring has developed an approach to the instrument. He has honed his skills on hundreds of recordings as a session musician and thousands of concerts throughout the world in venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Yamaha Hall in Tokyo and Davies