Tsunenori "Lee" Abe

Tsunenori "Lee" Abe (bass vocal, trombone, arranger) was born and raised in Japan, but he could not just stay in one country for his entire life. Instead, he decided to move around the world and see where music would take him. After living in Australia for a year, he toured with Up With People, performing more than 150 shows all over the world including command appearances for the Pope in Vatican City and for the President of Slovakia.

After a successful career as a member of the Japanese "boy- band" Baby Boo, he ended up moving to the United States to pursue his passion for arranging and jazz music. He graduated from Berklee College of Music, where he formed Syncopation in February 2002, with a diploma in Jazz Composition.

Lee's name is widely known in vocal jazz world as an arranger. Many of his works, highly praised by such greats as Cheryl Bentyne (Manhattan Transfer), Kim Nazarian (New York Voices) and Cedric Dent (Take 6), are published by University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press. While he is busiest as a choral writer, he also writes for ensembles from big bands to symphony orchestras.

In 2005 Lee released his solo debut album When the Camphor Tree Blooms on the Japanese record label Bitter Valley. Since its release, he has been recognized as one of the most unique songwriters of this time by CD Journal magazine.

Lee has performed or worked with Luciana Souza, Cheryl Bentyne, Phil Wilson, Tiger Ohkoshi, Carlos Kanno, Hiroyuki Noritake, and Satoru 'SALT' Shionoya. He also produces and composes jazz-influenced pop music for numerous singers in the United States and Japan.