Hailed by the LA Times as a “powerfully inventive” and “remarkably versatile L.A. musician with a penchant for crossing all over the musical place,” saxophonist and composer Hitomi Oba’s work emphasizes the integration of improvisation with pre-composed music.
She has written for and performed in various jazz and classical new music settings, including commissions by the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella series, the Seattle Symphony’s chamber series, the San Francisco Symphony’s brass choir. In addition to leading her own ensembles, ranging from duos to big band, Oba is a co-founder of the new music collective, LA Signal Lab, premiering and recording stylistically diverse new music including a collaborative, multi-genre cantata. Her second album, “Negai,” released under Japanese label M&I and distributor Pony Canyon, received a prestigious “Swing Journal 42nd Annual Jazz Disc Award.”
Recent activities include composing a climate-action-focused six-movement work for the Fry Street Quartet and an orchestral commission for the Fresno Philharmonic based on the writings of organic peach farmer and author, David “Mas” Masumoto.
Originally from Berkeley, CA, Oba is currently based in the Los Angeles area, teaching at the University of California, Los Angeles directing progressive and exploratory jazz ensembles, teaching jazz saxophone lessons, and developing and teaching multi-genre, integrative-approached music theory curricula. Oba taught for several years at Cal State Los Angeles and Pasadena City College and presents masterclasses and workshops on improvisation, composition, and saxophone at various institutions.
hitomioba.com
