Miho Hazama and m_unit
The Pocket130 West 46th Street, New York 10036
Miho Hazama brings her jazz chamber orchestra, m_unit, to The Pocket for an evening centered on her writing, arranging, and conducting. The multi-Grammy-nominated composer leads the large ensemble behind Dancer In Nowhere, its Grammy-nominated recording, in a close-listening setting built for hearing the details of a chamber-orchestra score.
Hazama is a composer, arranger, and conductor working across contemporary jazz, orchestral, and large-ensemble music. DownBeat named her among its “25 for the Future,” and her collaborators include Joshua Redman, Lionel Loueke, Christian McBride, Gil Goldstein, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Vince Mendoza, and the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Since 2019 she has been Chief Conductor of the Danish Radio Big Band; she also holds conducting roles with the Metropole Orkest and Norwegian Radio Orchestra and is Associate Artistic Director of the New York Jazzharmonic. Her honors include the Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize, the Idemitsu Music Award, and an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award. Jazz Times called m_unit “a classy large ensemble that keeps the listener guessing and enchanted,” adding that “something is always lurking and ready to pounce; then skitter away again.”
The Pocket offers a close-up encounter with world-class jazz musicians in a small, focused setting where every note feels immediate and unfiltered. The room is designed to bring listeners near the performers, creating a direct connection that makes the music feel personal and vivid. Seating is limited and arranged to emphasize attentive listening rather than casual socializing, with a bar available to complement the experience. Shows are ticketed, encouraging an audience that is there to fully engage with the performance. The venue’s location in Manhattan places it within easy reach of the city’s vibrant cultural pulse, making it a perfect spot for an evening dedicated to serious jazz appreciation without distractions.