Young Pianist Unveils a Decade of Original Music on Full-Length Album
Featuring an All-Star Cast of Collaborators Including
Herlin Riley, Julian Lee, Max Moran & Andrew Baham
Listen to Lead Single “Now I Know” Here
Listen to “Asphodel Waltz” Here
New Orleans-based pianist Karen Shiraishi will release her debut album, Now I Know, on November 17, 2026, celebrating its arrival with a release show at Snug Harbor featuring legendary drummer Herlin Riley.
Recorded at Esplanade Studios, the 11-track album features nine original compositions and two jazz standards, showcasing the pianist’s range as a composer and pianist, alongside an extraordinary band comprised of Herlin Riley (drums), Julian Lee (tenor saxophone), Andrew Baham (trumpet), and Max Moran (bass). The album follows the release of five prior singles.
The album’s title track and lead single, ‘Now I Know’, showcases the dynamic lyricism at the heart of Shiraishi’s music. Written during her teenage years, the song captures a moment of clarity when she realised she wanted to become a professional pianist, despite her family’s hopes that she would follow a more conventional career path. The track is driven by an effervescent swing feel and energetic interplay between the musicians. “These are tunes I’ve written over the last 10 years, and in that time I’ve learned so much from all the places I’ve lived: London, Boston and now New Orleans,” says Shiraishi, “so bringing it all together on my first record feels like a full circle moment”. The album’s title reflects the conviction that first led her to pursue music, and the perspective she has gained along the way.
“Karen’s writing is fresh and full of vitality, engaging the entire colourful spectrum of jazz. There is a comprehensiveness about her music that belies her youth and delivers the signature of a new emerging personality into the big sea of greats with her own song to sing.” – Julian Joseph OBE, BBC Radio 3
The album release show will take place on November 17 at Snug Harbor, with performances at 7:00 and 9:00 pm. Tickets:
https://snugjazz.com/tm-event/karen-shiraishis-now-i-know-record-release/
‘Now I Know’ can be pre-saved here:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/karenshiraishi/now-i-know-2
Track List:
1. The Loft
2. Lilt and Chime
3. Asphodel Waltz
4. Say It Again
5. I Cover the Waterfront (composed by Johnny Green)
6. Now I Know
7. Odyssey
8. Hot and Sticky
9. Weather Bird (composed by Louis Armstrong)
10. Ode to My Lil Prince
11. Dimuzio’s Dance
About Karen Shiraishi
Born in London, England of Japanese descent, Shiraishi spent her formative years immersed in the city’s music scene, obsessively listening to Stevie Wonder and Art Blakey records. She received a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music in 2022 before moving to New Orleans, where she has spent much of her time playing traditional jazz alongside local legends including Shannon Powell, Kermit Ruffins and Stephen Walker. She has performed at Jazz & Heritage Festival several times and has established herself as an in-demand pianist in the city. Shiraishi is a recipient of a 2025 Chamber Music America grant, funded by the generosity of the Doris Duke Foundation.
For more information, press inquiries, or for additional media assets, please contact: