The Midnight Hour Yoko Miwa & Mikayla Shirley

• 1 Alfie 05:35
• 2 On the Street Where You Live 04:38
• 3 God Only Knows 04:38
• 4 Garota de Ipanema - Girl from Ipanema 03:52
• 5 I Loves You, Porgy 06:17
• 6 I Didn't Know What Time It Was 03:42
• 7 Too Late Now 05:26
• 8 But Not for Me 04:08
• 9 Tenderly 04:35
• 10 Love Dance 06:16
• 11 Centerpiece 03:34
• 12 Modinha 04:15
• 13 Song of Joy 05:56
• Total Runtime 01:02:52

Info for The Midnight Hour

"The Midnight Hour" captures the rare musical chemistry between internationally acclaimed pianist Yoko Miwa and rising vocalist Mikayla Shirley in a stunning collection of vocal jazz, piano jazz, timeless standards, and beloved classics reimagined with intimacy, elegance, and emotional depth.

Recorded with the sensitivity of a late-night conversation, the album moves effortlessly through the Great American Songbook, contemporary classics, and inspired reinterpretations, including a haunting new version of the Beach Boys’ God Only Knows. Rather than relying on virtuosity alone, Miwa and Shirley uncover the emotional heart of every song, creating performances that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.

A celebrated jazz pianist, composer, and Berklee College of Music professor, Yoko Miwa has earned international acclaim for her lyrical touch, rhythmic brilliance, and expressive storytelling. Mikayla Shirley brings a luminous voice of remarkable warmth, impeccable phrasing, and emotional honesty, giving new life to every lyric. Together they create contemporary jazz that honors tradition while speaking with a fresh, distinctive voice.

Whether you’re a longtime jazz fan or discovering these songs for the first time, The Midnight Hour offers an unforgettable listening experience filled with lyrical piano, expressive vocals, and timeless melodies. Perfect for lovers of jazz piano, female jazz vocals, the Great American Songbook, and beautifully crafted interpretations, this is music that invites you to slow down, listen closely, and rediscover the enduring power of great songs.

“I’m always looking for something honest inside a song—something that feels real enough that I can live inside it for a few minutes and hopefully invite someone else into that experience with me,” Shirley says. “The songs that stay with me are usually the ones that keep revealing new things over time. They’re the songs you return to year after year and somehow find something new waiting there.”

Yoko Miwa, piano
Mikayla Shirley, vocals

Yoko Miwa
is an internationally acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, educator, and bandleader whose powerful combination of virtuosity, lyricism, and swing has made her one of the most respected voices in contemporary jazz. Born in Kobe, Japan, Miwa began as a classical pianist before discovering jazz and eventually earning a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where she later joined the faculty and became one of the institution’s most popular piano professors.

Leading the acclaimed Yoko Miwa Trio, she has performed at major venues including New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club, Birdland, and Lincoln Center, and has appeared with artists such as Arturo Sandoval, Esperanza Spalding, Sheila Jordan, and Kevin Mahogany. She was named Jazz Artist of the Year at the 2019 Boston Music Awards and is a Yamaha Piano Artist.

Her recordings include In the Mist of Time (2000), Fadeless Flower (2002), Canopy of Stars (2004), The Day We Said Goodbye (2006 and 2026), Live at Scullers (2011), Act Naturally (2012), Pathways (2017), Keep Talkin’ (2019), and Songs of Joy (2021), which reached No. 1 on the national jazz radio charts.

Yoko, praised by the late Ahmad Jamal and admired for her ability to combine dazzling technique with emotional depth, continues to captivate audiences worldwide while mentoring the next generation of jazz musicians.

Mikayla Shirley
is a rising jazz vocalist, songwriter, and performer whose warm tone, expressive phrasing, and gift for storytelling have quickly made her a standout voice on the Boston jazz scene. A student at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, Shirley has earned recognition for performances that blend the elegance of classic jazz singing with a fresh, contemporary sensibility. Critics have praised her ability to draw audiences into each song, noting a vocal style that reflects the influence of jazz greats while remaining distinctly her own.

A frequent collaborator with acclaimed pianist Yoko Miwa, Shirley has appeared with the Yoko Miwa Trio at leading venues throughout New England and beyond, developing a musical partnership rooted in lyrical interpretation, swing, and emotional connection. Their performances together have become a highlight of Miwa’s recent concert appearances, including engagements at Regattabar and other prominent jazz venues.

This album contains no booklet.