Madoca - Illusions of Love (2017)

Madoca Kawahara a.k.a. MADOCA[pronounced “ma du ka”] is a Japanese American producer, pianist/ keyboardist/ composer. Her style consists of contemporary/ classic jazz, fusion, soul, funk, Latin and Salsa blended together to provide sustenance for your mind and soul. Madoca began studying piano/organ at the age of 7 and graduated the Senzoku Music University in Kawasaki Japan with a major in Composition and Piano. She had a 3-day live audition before being awarded her scholarship programs at the Nemu Music and she studied jazz piano, jazz theory, ensemble, composition, arrangement etc. under educators from Berklee College of Music.
Madoca got her first taste of show business in 1993 when touring with Japanese national bands and also performing on NHK TV in Tokyo/ Osaka. She has performed with several American Jazz/R&B bands in Tokyo/ Yokohama ).
In 1994, Madoca moved to Hong Kong where she performed/ world tour (Australia, France, UK, USA etc.) with various Chinese major artists including PolyGram recording artist Jacky Chueng, Sandy Lam etc. Her selection, “I Don’t Cry Anymore” was the winner Song Writer’s Quest, a competition organized by the CASH. She has worked with numerous American recording artists including Eric Marienthal, Paul Young and has even opened for Chris Botti, Richard Elliott, Jonathan Butler.

Madoca's latest release, "Illusions of Love" (produced by Pianist/Arranger/Composer Bob Baldwin), showcases the growth and maturity of this very talented underrated artist from Atlanta, Ga. Originally from Japan, she honed her skills at the Senzoku Music University in Kawasaki, but made her mark in GA in 2005 with her debut disc “Mysterious Ways...”.

Her style is smooth (check out the title track), and she can dig in on a beautiful ballad ("Sentimentally Yours"), but also can operate in an acoustic piano setting as evidenced in "Picadillo" and "Sofly as in a Morning Sunrise". Madoca is the real deal and deserves your immediate attention.

Distributed by
City Sketches Records/The Orchard under Sony Music