Jeff Kashiwa (born in 1963 in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American saxophonist, mostly known for his work with jazz band The Rippingtons. Inspired by his father’s love of jazz, Kashiwa initially took upon the clarinet at an early age but ultimately decided to master the saxophone during his high school years. After moving to California to study music at Cal State Long Beach and working some time as a gigging musician, he joined contemporary jazz group The Rippingtons, with which he released six highly-successful albums, most notably Welcome to the St. James’ Club (1990) and Curves Ahead (1991). Also during this time, he released his first two solo efforts, Remember Catalina (1995) and Walkamile (1997). Kashiwa left The Rippingtons in 1999 to focus on his solo career, forming Coastal Access and releasing Another Door Opens (2000) via Native Tongues. The album spawned the single “Hyde Park (The Aah, Ooh Song),” which became a Number 1 hit on the Radio & Records airplay chart. He followed up with Simple Truth (2002), Peace of Mind (2004), and Play (2007), after which he reunited with The Rippingtons for their 20th Anniversary Tour. In the following years, Kashiwa formed The Sax Pack, a chart-topping smooth jazz trio with fellow saxophonists Steve Cole and Kim Waters, and kept releasing albums under his own name as well. Fly Away (2017), his first solo album since 2012’s Let It Ride, featured guest appearances by seasoned jazz vets Marc Antoine, Miles Gilderdale, and Tom Schuman.
