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As a high school junior, Nathan Tokunaga is already an experienced musician and bandleader with an impressive list of accomplishments to his name. In addition to his musical accolades and expertise, the Carlmont High School student is also community-minded, and, along with some talented friends, frequently performs around the Peninsula and beyond.
Their jazz and swing group Nathan’s Fearless Five was founded in 2021, with the goal of raising funds for New Orleans Musicians Clinic and Assistance Foundation, a nonprofit that benefits musicians lacking adequate health care access, at that time providing relief after the devastation of Hurricane Ida. The organization “really spoke to me in particular,” Tokunaga said, considering his deep appreciation for New Orleans’ culture and its importance to the history of jazz, and he and his bandmates were determined to help. The group held a “jazz for Ida” concert at Carlmont, and ended up raising around $1,800 through its GoFundMe campaign.
Since its founding, the group has played regular gigs at the Old Skool Cafe in San Francisco, a youth-run, jazz-themed supper club.
“It’s a really great cause because it benefits at-risk youth,” Tokunaga said of the unique venue. The band has also played at senior living facilities and for various events and organizations around the Bay Area.
It was at a performance at another favorite venue close to home – The Tavern in Belmont – that Palo Alto librarian Cynthia McCarthy caught the young ensemble’s act and was surprised and impressed. She was out with friends, she told this news organization in an email, and at first had her back to the musicians.
“My friend said, ‘Those kids are so cute!’ I thought, what ‘kids’ is she talking about?” she recalled. Upon turning around, “I was stunned that such sophisticated sounds were coming from these high school kids!”
She reached out to them the next day, which led to their current regular gig at the Rinconada Library, where they perform in the Embarcadero Room about every fourth Saturday (back again this fall after a summer break).
“They were an immediate hit,” McCarthy said about their first performance last December. “All ages and stages come to hear them play. We’re thrilled to have them as our Musicians in Residence.”
For Tokunaga and his bandmates, it’s been a great fit.
“Libraries in general have played a big part in my life,” he said fondly. “It makes us happy to see the diverse audience there … everyone from little kids to more elderly people.” he said. “We love playing for the community, connecting on a more personal level with the audience.”
The teens are busy, but Tokunaga said the band doesn’t require much rehearsal time. When Nathan’s Fearless Five was first forming, the group had a coaching session with one of Tokunaga’s mentors, jazz musician Clint Baker, then took off from there.
“The nice part about jazz is, people have a large repertoire of tunes so it’s easy to go to a gig and play things,” Tokunaga said. “Usually we kind of stay within jazz and swing from the 1920s to ‘40s.” And while they focus on that era and genre, song selection “definitely is a democratic process,” Tokunaga said. “If a band member really wants to play a tune, we can play it.”
The band’s regular roster, in addition to Tokunaga on reeds, includes pianist Ivo Maringouin, bassist Nicholas Oey, guitarist William Knox and drummer Josh Lin, but the lineup is a bit flexible, depending on availability (and some former members have graduated). Most are fellow Carlmont students, but Knox attends Menlo-Atherton High School, and Maringouin is from Berkeley. Many, like Tokunaga, have participated in programs such as the Stanford Jazz Workshop and the California Jazz Conservatory funk ensemble.
According to the group’s website, the band was recently invited to perform at the Jazzaffair Festival in Three Rivers, Calif., in April, and is the first youth band to be included in the festival’s nearly 50-year history.
Tokunaga has long been enamored with jazz, and takes inspiration from the “king of swing,” legendary clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman. It was a video of Goodman playing “Sweet Georgia Brown” that “really captivated me and made me want to pursue jazz” years ago, he recalled. While music is definitely one of his primary interests, he’s also interested in science, and biotechnology in particular.
Though he’s best known for his clarinet skills, it wasn’t his first choice of instrument.
“I originally wanted to play the saxophone, but my hands were too small so I ended up on clarinet,” he said, remembering back to elementary school, when he started playing. Though he eventually went on to pick up the saxophone as well, “I’ve really grown to love the clarinet and its unique sound,” Tokunaga said.
Nathan’s Fearless Five’s next Rinconada Library gig is Nov. 25. Tokunaga, wise beyond his years, is full of gratitude for the opportunity to share his talent and passion for jazz with local listeners.
“Live music is such a precious thing,” he said. “We really appreciate everyone who comes out to the Rinconada Library. It makes a world of difference.”
Nathan’s Fearless Five performs Saturday, Nov. 25, and every fourth Saturday of the month at 4 p.m. at Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Road, Palo Alto. paloalto.bibliocommons.com.
