Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Drummer Akira Tana .. We caught up with him on May 6, 2020 during the early phases of the COVID-19 lockdown to talk about what has been going on and his life in music .. He was born and raised in California and earned degrees from Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music. He’s gigged with legends like Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Zoot Sims, Hubert Laws and the list goes on .. He co-led a quintet with the bassist, Rufus Reid called TanaReid .. This cat has a full, rich story .. Enjoy.