Japanese Jazz Trumpeter Shunzo Ohno Wins International Songwriting Competition 2014 Grand Prize

The International Songwriting Competition 2014 announced today that Grand Prize is awarded to Japanese trumpeter Shunzo Ohno for his song “Musashi,” entered in the Jazz category. This is the first time in the 13-year history of ISC that the Grand Prize has been awarded to either an artist in the Jazz category or an artist from Japan. The Grand Prize is ISC’s highest honor, and prizes include $25,000 USD cash and over $35,000 USD in merchandise and services.

A virtuoso jazz trumpeter and a talented composer and arranger, Shunzo Ohno was one of the leading jazz trumpeters in his native Japan by the age of 19. Ohno moved to New York City in 1974 to perform with jazz legend Art Blakey & The Messengers. Since then, he has played and toured with many of the world’s greatest jazz artists, including Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Gil Evans, Larry Coryell, and many more. With many recordings under his own name as a leader, he has also appeared on over 30 more as a sideman and has collaborated on two Grammy recordings.

Described as modest and seemingly shy, Ohno has overcome health challenges in his life that would have potentially ended any musician’s career. Surviving both a serious car accident in which his teeth and lips were permanently damaged and a later bout of throat cancer which forced him to relearn his playing, he is a testament to determination and courage, even inspiring a biography and documentary in Japan about his life.

The song was inspired by Musashi, a writer, painter, and undefeated swordsman who lived in the 1500-1600s in Japan. Ohno says, “I wrote the song at a time in my life when I was searching for a particular sense of courage, to be undefeated in the midst of what seemed impossible. It is my hope others might feel that sense of tenacious determination and courage – in an adventurous way.”

Shunzo Ohno’s discography includes: Falter Out (Victor MJ7144, 1972), Something’s Coming (East Wind UCCJ-4025/EW8011 LP, 1975), Bubbles (East Wind Records EW8028, 1976), Quarter Moon (Electric Bird Records, 1979; Inner City IC1108, 1981), Antares (Electric Bird Records K28P6013, 1980), Manhattan Blue (Electric Bird, 1987), Maya (TBM Records CD5037, 1991), Live ’94 Take Off (Nippon Crown CRCJ9128, 1994), Poetry of Japan (Min-On MC1032, 1999), Sakura (2008), HOME (Pulsebeats SO1001, 2005), All in One (2013).

More at www.shunzoohno.com