The Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon (JOSA) Series opens its 2019-2020 season with performances by two jazz legends – trumpeter Toru “Tiger” Okoshi on December 8, and alto saxophonist Richie Cole on December 22 – at The Center at Eastman’s Bistro Nouveau.

Now in its 28th season, JOSA brings internationally acclaimed jazz musicians, backed up by pianist Bill Wightman and the JOSA Ensemble, to the Upper Valley every other Sunday, from December to April. These performances give New Hampshire audiences opportunities to experience spontaneous jazz sessions led by some of the nation’s most exciting and talented jazz artists.

Trumpeter Tiger Okoshi was born near Osaka, Japan in 1950, the year of the tiger. At age 13, he saw a performance by Louis Armstrong in Japan that changed his life. Within six months, Okoshi was playing the trumpet.

Okoshi went on to study commerce at Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan. He then got married and came to the United States for the honeymoon. He and his wife travelled around the country by Greyhound bus, an experience that upended their life plans.

“The beauty of it all gave me energy and fire,” Okoshi recalls. “I knew I couldn’t go back (to Japan).”

Instead, Okoshi sold their return plane tickets to pay for tuition at the Berklee School of Music in Boston. As a student, he was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall with the Mike Gibbs Orchestra and went on to tour the United States with the Buddy Rich Orchestra. Okoshi is now a member of the George Russell Orchestra, and over the years he has performed with Tony Bennett, Gary Burton, Dave Grusin, Dave Liebman, and Pat Metheny.

Okoshi has formed his own jazz fusion group, Tiger’s Baku, and he performs at jazz festivals around the world. His recordings include six CDs on J.V.C. Records as well as collaborations on Gary Burton’s “Times Square,” Dave Grusin’s “NY-LA Dream Orchestra,” and Dave Liebman’s “Meditation Suite.” Okoshi also teaches music as an associate professor at the Berklee School of Music.

Richie Cole, inspired by the music of Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker, began playing the saxophone at age 10 in Trenton, New Jersey. His dedication and talent were soon so remarkable that he was offered a full scholarship by Downbeat Magazine to the Berklee School of Music in Boston.

Cole’s career took off in 1969, when he joined the Buddy Rich Big band, followed by stints with other big bands led by Lionel Hampton and Doc Severinsen. He went on to form his own quintet, which toured the world and helped to popularize bebop and his own Alto Madness style in the 1970s and early 1980s.

In the 1990s, Cole formed the popular Alto Madness Orchestra, which sounded like an 18-piece big band but had only seven instruments, four of which were horns. With the orchestra, Cole was able to create the sound of a big band ensemble while also allowing for plenty of opportunities for musical improvisation.

Throughout his career, Cole has collaborated with a wide range of artists, from Eddie Jefferson and Tom Waits, to the Manhattan Transfer, Boots Randolph, and Nancy Wilson. He has played at the Village Vanguard and Carnegie Hall, and had the rare honor of performing at Buckingham Palace for Queen Elizabeth of England.

By now, Cole has recorded more than 50 albums and CDs, including his top-selling recording, “Hollywood Madness” (1979 Muse Records), and a tribute album to Leonard Bernstein, “Richie Cole Plays West Side Story” (1997 Music Masters Jazz). He’s a prolific composer who enjoys arranging music for big bands, symphony orchestras, and performances at international jazz festivals, as well as sharing his love of music with younger generations.

JOSA shows are held at the Center at Eastman in Grantham, from 4 to 7 PM, with doors opening at 3 PM. A bistro menu and full beverage selection is offered during all performances by the award-winning restaurant, Bistro Nouveau. Tickets are $20 for adults; $18 for seniors (62 and over); and students (under 17). 

To reserve tickets for JOSA performances, call the Wightsteeple Box Office at 763-8732 or 381-1662 (cell); email bill.wightman@nullcomcast.net; or visit josajazz.com. For reservations after 2 PM on the day of the show, call the Center at Eastman at 863.8000.