Dear friends of Yuka and Kiyoshi,
As many of you know, we tragically lost Kiyoshi Kitagawa on April 28th, a few short days after their 12th wedding anniversary. At the end of March, Kiyoshi was happy, healthy, and performing as usual. On April 2nd, he was rushed to the hospital with severe breathing difficulties. Initially diagnosed with pneumonia, further testing revealed a large tumor, and he was soon diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, an aggressive and devastating form of cancer.
Kiyoshi and Yuka were only beginning to wrap their heads around this heartbreaking diagnosis when Kiyoshi’s health continued to rapidly decline. He was in and out of the hospital and ICU, and doctors soon discovered that the cancer had already metastasized to his liver and lungs. Despite every effort, in only a few short weeks, his passing at the end of April came so very unexpectedly and far too quickly.
As you can imagine, Yuka has been dealing with the unthinkable. We now ask our incredible community to rally around her to support the incurring and overwhelming costs that come with weeks in the hospital, arrangements that need to be made, as well as lost work. Our hope is to lift some of the burden of financial worry so that Yuka can take the time to grieve and process the loss of her husband while she navigates all that must be taken care of in the wake of his passing.
The following is a beautiful tribute written by their friend, Karen Kennedy, that honors Kiyoshi and the love he shared with Yuka and their little love, Pocono the pup:
Our brother, our friend, Kiyoshi Kitagawa Obata brought us joy, love, many smiles and laughter. First with his smooth and elegant entry into any room followed by the luscious and provocative stories he shared with every bass note. Unassuming, gentle and always expressing love and appreciation for the people and nature close to him. There was never a doubt of how happy Kiyoshi was in this world and how much he impacted jazz.
Originally from Osaka, Japan, Kiyo came to the US in 1988, working with all the greats. Kenny Barron was introduced to him by Ben Riley over 30 years ago, and Kiyoshi has been a member of his trio for most of that time along with Johnathan Blake. Family does not describe their bond since it is greater than that.
Anyone who was lucky to talk with Kiyo after a show, as he sipped a glass of red wine, had the opportunity to learn something good and precious with grace and insight. Then he would rush home to be with his wife, Yuka, all the while chatting with her on the phone. Kiyo’s world was bursting with the love they shared along with their dog/child, Pocono (named for the mountains where Kiyo and Yuka loved to camp out).
On April 28, 2026, our beautiful soul, Kiyoshi, joined the ancestors. In his inimitable, graceful way, he asked that people celebrate him by listening to his recordings and thinking about him once in a while.