Background
Kenji Kato was born on July 7 1966 in Yokohama, Japan.
Kenji Kato was born on July 7 1966 in Yokohama, Japan.
In 1984 Kenji started immersing himself in drums and studied under Motohiko Hino. In January 1986 Kenji attended Berklee College of Music Summer School in Tokyo and got awarded a “Gary Burton scholarship” to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
He is a Graduate of Berklee College of Music and also Yamaha Music Academy of Japan. He has played and recorded with many artists in Tokyo, New York and California. He is also worship drummer at Bethel Church (Redding, California).
In 1971, at the age of 5, Kenji"s mother started teaching him the Yamaha Keyboard instrument.
In 1979 Kenji started learning jazz piano through self-study when he was 12, under the influence of Sonny Clark. In 1981 Kenji started playing drums in addition to the piano and keyboard.
In 1983, at the age of 16, Kenji obtained a professional license for the Yamaha keyboard instrument. He also played a lot of gigs with his own band.
In 1985 Kenji passed the entrance audition of Yamaha Music Academy in Tokyo and played with many artists including Masahiko Satoh, Aki Takase and Tiger Okoshi.
In September 1986 he entered Berklee College of Music as a drum performance major. At Berklee, Kenji studied under Gary Burton, Bill Pierce, Hal Crook, Jim Odgren, Allan Hall, Joe Hunt, Editor Uribe and Dean Anderson et cetera He also gave three recitals at the Berklee Performance Center and seven at the Berklee Recital Hall.
From approximately 1987-1990, Kenji played with many artists in Boston, some of whom were: Gary Burton, Delfeayo Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Dave Samuels, Mark Gross, Warren Hill (musician), Antonio Hart, Abe Laboriel, Junior.
In 1989 He toured all over Japan with his own group "Stone Free". In January 1990 Kenji graduated Berklee and taught Drum Orchestration at Berklee.
After graduating Berklee, Kenji moved to Tokyo and performed and recorded with many artists including Masahiko Kondō, Yuji Ohno. Kenji was a support drummer for Christian band "Silverwind Japan Tour".
In July 1990 He held a drum clinic at Yamaha Music Academy and started teaching at Kunitachi Music Academy.
In April 1991 Kenji was hired as a chief instructor at Kunitachi Music Academy. In August 1991 Kenji was made the lead drummer at Evangelical Free Church of Japan. From approximately 1991-1995 Kenji worked as a studio drummer for Turner Broadcasting System (Japan).
In June 1996 Kenji moved to New New York
In August 1997 Kenji was made a worship leader at New York Japanese Church. From 1997-2008 Kenji played with many artists, some of whom were:Roy Hargrove, Mark Gross, Mark Whitfield, Antonio Hart.
2006-2008 He taught at the Tappan Music and Art Center. In July 2008 Kenji moved to Redding, California.
In July 2009 He started teaching at Music Max.
In July 2013 Kenji started playing drums at Bethel Church (Redding, California) for the Healing Room. Currently He plays and records with many artists such as Brown Shoe Jazz, Merle Haggard, Larry Michell, Marc Cooper (Guitarist), Charles Valona, Chuck Epperson Junior. Andres Acuna.
