@ Shapeshifter Lab (NY)
@ Blue Note
Improv during covid lockdown
@ Blue Note (tenor sax)
@ Parker (Austin, TX)
@ Frankie's (Vancouver, Canada)
@ Skylark Lounge (Austin, TX)
@ Tomi Jazz (flute)
@ Blue Note (soprano sax)
@ Tomi Jazz (tenor sax)
@ The Shore (Austin, TX)
in Central Park
Portrait (soprano sax)
Tsuyoshi Niwa is a jazz saxophonist active since 2012, performing standards, bebop, modern jazz, and original music. Select pop tunes can also be included with advance notice.
Performing primarily as a solo saxophonist (no backing track), Tsuyoshi creates a warm, elegant atmosphere through expressive improvisation. Additional musicians—such as guitar, keyboard, bass, or drums—can be arranged for larger events.
Tsuyoshi has performed at weddings, corporate events, and private parties throughout the region. The music blends naturally into any setting, whether you’re looking for lively energy or a smooth, laid-back vibe.
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Write a reviewPrice range: $100 - $600
Languages: English, Japanese, Spanish
Gig length: 60 - 180 minutes
When you hire Tsuyoshi Niwa—either as a soloist or with the Niwa Trio—you’re bringing refined, world-class live jazz to your event. With over a decade of professional experience, Tsuyoshi delivers performances that are both musically rich and deeply engaging, creating an atmosphere that’s elegant, soulful, and memorable.
Atmosphere & Sound
Expect a warm, expressive sound that blends seamlessly into any environment. From classic jazz standards to modern originals, Tsuyoshi’s music enhances the mood—whether you’re hosting a wedding, cocktail reception, dinner party, or corporate event. While the music is artistically grounded in jazz, it’s always accessible and tailored to suit your setting.
Flexible Acoustic Lineups
All performances are fully live—no backing tracks. Available formats include:
• Solo Saxophone (intimate, minimalist sound)
• Duo (Sax + Guitar or Keyboard – ideal for small to mid-sized events)
• Trio (Sax, Bass, and Drums or alternative combinations like Guitar or Keyboard)
This flexibility allows you to choose the perfect musical texture for your space, vibe, and budget.
Professionalism & Customization
Tsuyoshi brings the same level of care and professionalism to every engagement, whether performing at Blue Note New York or a private garden party. You can expect:
• Prompt, clear communication
• Easy coordination with planners and venues
• Setlists tailored to your event’s tone and requests (pop or specific songs with advance notice)
• Elegant presentation and respect for your schedule
Perfect for:
• Weddings & Receptions
• Corporate Events
• Cocktail Parties & Private Celebrations
• Gallery Openings & Art Events
• Jazz Festivals or Concert Series
• Luxury Hotels, Lounges & Dining Venues
Whether as a featured performer or subtle ambiance, Tsuyoshi Niwa brings the artistry and versatility to make your event truly stand out.
Tsuyoshi Niwa is a highly respected jazz saxophonist and composer, renowned for his expressive soprano saxophone sound and inventive compositions.
While celebrated for his original works on soprano sax, Tsuyoshi is a skilled multi-woodwind artist, equally proficient on tenor saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet. His debut album, Sequence X, marked his emergence as a distinctive voice in modern jazz, earning widespread critical acclaim and global recognition.
Subsequent releases, including the acclaimed At the End of the Day, have further solidified his reputation as an influential figure in the international jazz community.
Tsuyoshi's extensive performance history includes appearances at premier venues in New York and Tokyo, as well as headlining jazz festivals in Italy and Mexico.
Known for pushing creative boundaries, he captivates audiences with his sophisticated compositions and dynamic live performances, offering an engaging and memorable experience at every performance.
Throughout his career, Tsuyoshi has collaborated with a range of renowned musicians, including:
Randy Brecker – Grammy Award-winning trumpeter
Bob Brough – Canadian Juno Award-winning saxophonist
Daniel Foose – Bassist known for performing with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Robert Glasper – Grammy Award-winning pianist
Otis Brown III – Drummer known for performing with Esperanza Spalding and Joe Lovano
Matt Wilson – Drummer
Phil Markowitz – Pianist for Bob Mintzer and Dave Liebman
Amalia Gre – Italian singer (EMI Italy)
Riccardo Biseo – Pianist
Megumi Yonezawa – Pianist known for performing with Greg Osby
Tsuyoshi has also performed at a variety of distinguished events and institutions, including:
Blue Note New York
Blue Note Milan
ShapeShifter Lab
Knitting Factory
Parker Jazz Club (Austin, TX)
Torino Jazz Festival
Jazztival (Mexico)
Session 505 (Japanese national jazz radio show)
Pit-Inn (Tokyo)
26-2
317 E 32nd Street
500 Miles High
52nd Street Theme
A Beautiful Friendship
A Child Is Born
A Felicidade
A Foggy Day
A Girl From Ipanema
A Night In Tunisia
A Shade of jade
Adam's Apple
Afro Blue
After You’ve Gone
Afternoon in Paris
Agua De Beber
Ain't Misbehavin’
Air Conditioning (Big Foot)
Airegin
Alice in Wonderland
All Blues
All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
All Of Me
All Of You
All Or Nothing At All
All The Things You Are
Almost Like Being In Love
Alone Together
Along Came Betty
Amsterdam After Dark
Ana Maria
Angel Eyes
Angola
Anthropology
April in Paris
Armando's Rhumba
As Time Goes By
Ask Me Now
Au Privave
Autumn In New York
Autumn Leaves
Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are
Bag’s Groove
Barbados
Barbara
Be Bop
Be My Love
Beatrice
Beautiful Love
Bemsha Swing
Bernie’s Tune
Besame Mucho
Bessie’s Blues
Better Git It In Your Soul
Bewitched
Big Nick
Billie's Bounce
Birdlike
Birk’s Works
Bittersweet
Black Narcissus
Black Nile
Black Orpheus
Blue 7
Blue Bossa
Blue in Green
Blue Monk
Blue Moon
Blue Skies
Blues For Alice
Blues in the closet
Blues on the corner
Bluesette
Body And Soul
Bohemia After Dark
Bolivia
Boo Boo's Birthday
Bouncin' With Bud
Breakthrough
Bright Size Life
Broadway
Bud Powell
But Beautiful
But Not For Me
Butch And Butch
Butterfly
Bye Bye Blackbird
Bye-ya
C. T. A.
Candy
Cantaloupe Island
Caravan
Careful
Celia
Centerpiece
Central Park West
Ceora
Chameleon
Charcoal Blues
Cheek to Cheek
Cheese Cake
Chelsea Bridge
Cherokee
Cheryl
Chi Chi
Children of the Night
Christmas Time Is Here
Circus
Cissy Strut
Come Rain Or Come Shine
Con Alma
Conception
Confirmation
Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
Cottontail
Countdown
Cousin Mary
Crazeology (Little Benny)
Criss Cross
Cute
Cyclic Episode
Daahoud
Dance Cadaverous
Dance of the Infidels
Dancing On The Ceiling
Darn That Dream
Dat Dere
Day By Day
Days Of Wine And Roses
Dear Old Stockholm
Del Sasser
Delilah
Deluge
Desafinado
Dewey Square
Dig
Dindi
Do Nothin’ Til You Hear From Me
Dolphin Dance
Don't Blame Me
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Donna Lee
Doxy
Dream A Little Dream Of Me
Dream Dancing
Dreamsville
Driftin'
E. S. P. (ESP)
East of the Sun
Easy Living
Easy Street
El Gaucho
Embraceable You
Emily
Epistrophy
Equinox
Eronel
Estate
Eternal Triangle
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
Everything Happens To Me
Everything I Have Is Yours
Evidence
Fall
Falling Grace
Fantasy in D - Ugetsu
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum
Feel Like Makin' Love
Festive Minor
Fire Waltz
Firm Roots
Five Spot After Dark
Flintstones
Fly Me To The Moon
Footprints
For All We Know
For Heaven’s Sake
Four
Four Brothers
Four In One
Four On Six
Freddie Freeloader
Freedom Jazz Dance
Freight Trane
Friday the 13th
Fried Bananas
From this moment on
Full House
Fungii Mama
Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
Gentle Rain
Georgia On My Mind
Get Happy
Giant Steps
God Bless The Child
Gone with the Wind
Good Bait
Goodbye Porkpie Hat
Got A Match?
Green Chimneys
Groovin’ High
Hackensack
Half Nelson
Have You Met Miss Jones
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Here's That Rainy Day
Hey It’s Me You’re Talking To
High Fly
Hindsight
Honeysuckle Rose
Hot House
How About You
How Deep Is The Ocean
How High The Moon
How Insensitive
How My Heart Sings
Humpty Dumpty
I Can’t Get Started
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
I Can’t Help It
I Could Write A Book
I didn’t know what time it was
I Fall In Love Too Easily
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
I Hear A Rhapsody
I Love You
I Mean You
I Remember You
I Should Care
I Thought About You
I Want To Talk About You
I Wish I Knew
I Won't Dance
I'll be Seeing You
I'll Close My Eyes
I'll Remember April
I'm beginning to see the light
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
I'm Glad There Is You
I’m Old Fashioned
I've Got Rhythm
I've Got You Under My Skin
I’ve never been in love before
If I Should Lose You
If I Were A Bell
If You Could See Me Now
Impressions
In A Mellow Tone
In A Sentimental Mood
In The Mood
In Walked Bud
In Your Own Sweet Way
Indian Summer
Indiana
Infant Eyes
Inner Urge
Invitation
Is That So
Isfahan
Isn’t She Lovely
Isotope
Israel
It Could Happen To You
It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
It Had To Be You
It Might As Well Be Spring
It’s All Right With Me
It’s only a paper moon
It’s You Or No One
Jeannine
Jingle Bell Rock
Jingle Bells
Jinrikisha
Jitterbug Waltz
Jody Grind
Jordu
Joshua
Joy Spring
Juicy Lucy
Juju
Just Friends
Just In Time
Just One Of Those Things
Just Squeeze Me
Killer Joe
L-O-V-E (love)
La Fiesta
La Vie en Rose
Lady Bird
Laura
Lazy Bird
Left Alone
Lester Leaps In
Let's Call This
Let’s Cool One
Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)
Like Someone In Love
Like Sonny
Limbo (2)
Limehouse Blues
Line For Lyons
Litha
Little B's Poem
Little Willie Leaps
Long Ago And Far Away
Loose Walk
Lotus Blossom (Kenny Dorham)
Love For Sale
Love Me or Leave Me
Lover
Lover Man
Lover, Come Back To Me
Lucky Southern
Lullaby Of A Birdland
Lullaby of the Leaves
Lush Life
Mac The Knife
Mahjong
Maiden Voyage
Making Whoopee
Manteca
Marmaduke
Martha's Prize
Mean to me
Meditation
Mercy Mercy Mercy
Miles
Milestones
Minority
Misterioso
Misty
Miyako
Moanin’
Moment's Notice
Monk's Dream
Monk's Mood
Mood Indigo
Moon River
Moonglow
Moonlight In Vermont
Moonlight Serenade
Moose The Mooche
Move
Mr. Day
Mr. PC
My Bebop Tune
My Favorite Things
My Foolish Heart
My Funny Valentine
My Ideal
My Little Suede Shoes
My One And Only Love
My Romance
My Shining Hour
Naima
Nardis
Nature Boy
Nearness of You
Nefertiti
Never Will I Marry
New York State Of Mind
Nica’s Dream
Nice 'n' Easy
Night And Day
Night Dreamer
No More Blues (Chega de saudade)
Nobody else but me
Nostalgia
Nostalgia in Times Square
Nothing Personal
Now’s The Time
Oblivion
Off Minor
Old Devil Moon
Old Folks
Oleo
On A Clear Day
On A Misty Night
On A Slow Boat To China
On Green Dolphin Street
On the Sunny Side of the Street
On The Trail
Once I Loved
One By One
One Finger Snap
One For Daddy-O
One Note Samba
Orange Colored Sky
Ornithology
Our Delight
Our Love Is Here To Stay
Out of Nowhere
Over The Rainbow
Overjoyed
Ow!
Pannonica
Parisian Thoroughfare
Paul's Pal
Peace
Peggy's Blue Skylight
Pennies From Heaven
Pensativa
Pent Up House
Perdido
Petite Fleur
Pfrancing
Pink Panther
Pinocchio
Polkadots and Moonbeams
Poor Butterfly
Prelude To A Kiss
Prince Albert
Punjab
Pure Imagination
Question And Answer
Quicksilver
Quizas Quizas Quizas
Raincheck
Recado Bossa Nova (aka The Gift)
Recordame
Red Clay
Reflections
Relaxin’ at Camarillo
Remember
Reunion
Rhythm-A-Ning
Rio
Road Song
Robbin's Nest
Round Midnight
Route 66
Ruby, My Dear
S' Wonderful
Sail Away
Salt Peanuts
Samba de Orfeu
Sandu
Satellite
Satin Doll
Saucer Eyes
Scrapple From The Apple
Second Balcony Jump
Secret Love
Segment
September In The Rain
Serene
Serenity
Seven Steps To Heaven
Shiny Stockings
Short Story
Si Tu Vois Ma Mère
Sidewinder
Simone
Sir Duke
Sister Sadie
Skating in Central Park
Skylark
Smile
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Snakes
Só Danço Samba
So Nice (Summer Samba)
So What
Social Call
Softly, as in Morning Sunrise
Solar
Someday My Prince Will Come
Someone To Watch Over Me
Sometime Ago
Song For My Father
Sonnymoon For Two
Sophisticated Lady
Soul Eyes
Spain
Speak Low
Speak No Evil
Split Kick
St. Thomas
Stablemates
Star Dust
Star Eyes
Stars Fell On Alabama
Steeplechase
Stella By Starlight
Stolen Moments
Stompin’ At The Savoy
Straight No Chaser
Straight Street
Strasbourg Saint Denis
Strollin’
Subconscious Lee
Sugar
Summertime
Sweet And Lovely
Sweet Georgia Brown
Sweet Lorraine
Sweet Pumpkin
Swingin' At The Haven
Tadd’s Delight
Take Five
Take the A Train
Take The Coltrane
Tangerine
Tea For Two
Tell Me A Bedtime Story
Tenderly
Tenor Madness
Tequila
That Old Feeling
That's All
The Best Thing For You Is Me
The Blessing
The Boy Next Door
The Chicken
The Christmas Song (aka Chestnut)
The Kicker
The Lady Is A Tramp
The Man I Love
The More I See You
The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
The Shadow Of Your Smile
The Song Is You
The Way You Look Tonight
Theme For Ernie
Theme From New York New York
There is No Greater Love
There Will Never Be Another You
These Foolish Things
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Think of One
This I Dig Of You
This is for Albert
Thou Swell
Three Little Words
Three Views Of A Secret
Time After Time
Time Remembered
Tin Tin Deo
Tom Thumb
Tones For Joan's Bones
Too Marvelous For Words
Tour De Force
Toy Tune
Tricotism
Triste
Tune Up
Turnaround
Ugly Beauty
Unforgettable
Unit Seven
United
Up Jumped Spring
Upper Manhattan Medical Group
Valse Hot
Very Early
Voyage
Wail
Walkin'
Waltz For Debby
Waltz New
Warm Valley
Watch What Happens
Wave
We See
Wee
Well You Needn’t (Miles version)
Well You Needn’t (Monk version)
West Coast Blues
What a wonderful world
What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
What Is This Thing Called Love
What’s New
When Lights Are Low (Benny Carter ver)
When Lights Are Low (Miles Version)
When Sunny Gets Blue
When the saints go marching in
When will the blues leave
Whisper Not
White Christmas
Wild Flower
Willow Weep For Me
Windows
Winter Wonderland
Witch Hunt
Witchcraft
Without A Song
Woody‘N You
Work
Work Song
Yardbird Suite
Yes Or No
Yesterday
Yesterdays
You And The Night And The Music
You Don't Know What Love Is
You Go To My Head
You Must Believe In Spring
You Stepped Out of a Dream
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
You’re My Everything
You've Changed
Tsuyoshi Niwa’s sound is rooted in the jazz tradition while embracing personal expression and a modern edge. On soprano saxophone, he draws deep inspiration from Branford Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, and Steve Lacy—musicians known for their refined tone, expressive phrasing, and melodic inventiveness.
His tenor saxophone and woodwind playing reflect the lyrical warmth of Stan Getz and the soulful authority of Dexter Gordon, shaping a voice that’s both classic and emotionally direct.
As a composer and improviser, Tsuyoshi is influenced by the harmonic beauty and introspective depth of Bill Evans, the rhythmic complexity and spirit of Chick Corea, and the adventurous, narrative-driven writing of Wayne Shorter.
Additional influences include Brazilian music, classical harmony, and cinematic textures—elements that bring subtle color and depth to Tsuyoshi’s original compositions and to the sound of the Niwa Trio.
Saxophone Player