Asako

Asako Ogawa (Ginova), a leading Japanese-born harpsichordist based in London, actively performs as a soloist and as a continuo player in UK, Europe and Japan. She is also a baroque repertoire coach at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Asako Toki's new album, which marks her 10th anniversary this year since her solo debut in 2004, is the fourth in the "STANDARDS" series, which has been long awaited by her fans for the first time in nine years! Just like her time, this is a jazz standards album produced by her father, Japan's leading saxophonist Hidefumi Toki. In addition to standard songs such as “In a Sentimental Mood,” “Round Midnight,” “Smile,” “Stardust,” “The Look of Love,” “Misty,” and “Cheek to Cheek,” an original song “Lady Traveler” with English lyrics written based on the works of Eiji Toki "After Dark" is also included. She also covered Red Hot Chili Peppers' ``Californication'' as a surprising song choice. Asako Toki's favorite jazz singer Blossom Dearie's Christmas song "Christmas in the City" is a duet with her beloved Haruomi Hosono! This is a new jazz standard album full of "songs that only Asako Toki can sing today" to be delivered on the anniversary year!

Recorded during the 2020 lockdown, Richard Boothby explores the solo and duo Viol music of Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger. The lyra viol and it's music is one of the last undiscovered gems of music, and Alfonso Ferrabosco is it's greatest exponent. It is in the category of 'hard to define, easy to recognise': it is at once an instrument, a style of playing and a genre of instrumental music, and, while not exclusively English, by far the largest part of it's repertory is from these isles. A composer favoured by Queen Elizabeth I and James I, Ferrabosco also wrote music for stage works by playwright Ben Jonson, some of which would by heard in performance at Shakespeare's Globe.