photo by June Yun

Kanoa Mendenhall is a New York City-based acoustic and electric bassist.Kanoa was born in Japan, but spent most of her youth on the Monterey Peninsula in California. She grew up surrounded by music - her father is a jazz musician and educator, and her mother is a piano teacher. At age 10, she started taking classical cello lessons, but gravitated towards the bass at age 12. Kanoa began her professional career at age 13, performing in Monterey and the San Francisco Bay Area with esteemed local musicians such as Bruce Forman, Vince Lateano, and Dick Whittington. During high school, she studied with the great Bay Area bassist John Shifflett.After completing high school, Kanoa moved to New York City to begin her studies at Columbia University and the Juilliard School. She studied bass with Ben Wolfe and participated in studio classes taught by Ron Carter at Juilliard for two years. While Kanoa was a student at Columbia, she was an early morning jazz radio programmer on WKCR-FM, a non-commercial radio station providing high quality programming in the New York area and streaming online worldwide. She graduated from Columbia in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in East Asian Languages and Cultures.Since graduating from college in 2019, Kanoa has performed across the U.S., Europe, and Canada as a member of vibraphonist Joel Ross' Good Vibes and with saxophonist/vocalist María Grand's trio. She has performed at North Sea Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, SFJAZZ Center, Blue Note NY, Monterey Jazz Festival, and was part of the house band of the 2020 NEA Jazz Masters Ceremony led by Terri Lyne Carrington. In 2019, through The Jazz Gallery's Mentorship Series, Kanoa was given the opportunity to learn from and perform with acclaimed drummer and bandleader Kendrick Scott for two months, and got to perform with musicians such as Dayna Stephens, Aaron Parks, Charles Altura, Marquis Hill, John Ellis, Shai Maestro, and Mike Moreno. She has worked/taught at Jazz Camp West, Stanford Jazz Workshop, and has adjudicated at the Next Generation Jazz Festival.Kanoa enjoys gardening and meeting Shiba Inus.Contact Kanoa

UPCOMING EVENTS:

2026JAN 8
MILENA CASADO
LUNATICO
BROOKLYNJAN 10
WINTER JAZZ FEST: ALDEN HELLMUTH
LOOVE ANNEX
BROOKLYNJAN 10
WINTER JAZZ FEST: JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
SUPERIOR INGREDIENTS
BROOKLYNJAN 12
KALIA VANDEVER
SIGNATURE THEATER
MANHATTANJAN 13
MILENA CASADO
NUBLU
MANHATTANJAN 20
MILENA CASADO
UNTERFAHRT
MUNICH, DEJAN 21
MILENA CASADO
PARADOX
TILBURG, NLJAN 22
MILENA CASADO
BRUSSELS JAZZ FESTIVAL
BRUSSELS, BEJAN 23
MILENA CASADO
DE DOELEN
ROTTERDAM, NLJAN 24
MILENA CASADO
JASSMINE
WARSAW, PLJAN 25
MILENA CASADO
BLUE NOTE
POZNAN, PLJAN 27
MILENA CASADO
SUNSET SUNSIDE
PARIS, FRJAN 28
MILENA CASADO
SUNSET SUNSIDE
PARIS, FRJAN 31
HARLEM OF THE WEST
HEALDSBURG WINTERFEST
HEALDSBURGFEB 1
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
HEALDSBURG WINTERFEST
HEALDSBURGFEB 2
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
KUUMBWA JAZZ CENTER
SANTA CRUZFEB 3
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
LIBRETTO
PASO ROBLESFEB 5
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
CONRAD PREBYS CENTER
LA JOLLAFEB 10 - 15
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
VILLAGE VANGUARD
MANHATTANFEB 21
YVONNE ROGERS
BAR BAYEUX
BROOKLYNFEB 25
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
BLUES ALLEY
WASHINGTON DCFEB 26
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
DR. PHILLIPS CENTER
ORLANDOFEB 28
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
JIMMY'S JAZZ & BLUES CLUB
PORTSMOUTHMAR 6
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
CAFFE VIVACE
CINCINNATIMAR 7
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
JAZZ KITCHEN
INDIANAPOLISMAR 22
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
AKG MUSEUM
BUFFALOMAR 29
EMI MAKABE
SAINT PETER'S CHURCH
MANHATTANAPRIL 2 - 5
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
JAZZ SHOWCASE
CHICAGOAPRIL 10
JOSÉ JAMES
TRI-C JAZZ FEST
CLEVELANDAPRIL 11
JOSÉ JAMES
DENVER JAZZ FEST
DENVERAPRIL 14
MILENA CASADO
LUNATICO
BROOKLYNAPRIL 15
JEROME SABBAGH 4TET
CLOSE UP
MANHATTANAPRIL 20
EMMANUEL MICHAEL DUO
CLOSE UP
MANHATTANAPRIL 21
YVONNE ROGERS 4TET
LUNATICO
BROOKLYNAPRIL 22 - 26
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
SMOKE JAZZ CLUB
MANHATTANAPRIL 27
TOMMASO PERAZZO TRIO
CAFE ORNITHOLOGY
BROOKLYNMAY 2
KALIA VANDEVER
CENTRAL PARK DAVIS CENTER, 5:16pm-6:12pm
MANHATTANMAY 6
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
BIX
STUTTGART, DEMAY 7
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
ZIG ZAG
BERLIN, DEMAY 8
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
JASSMINE
WARSAW, PLMAY 9
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
KLUB ZAK
GDANSK, PLMAY 10
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
LA CITÉ MIROIR
LIEGE, BEMAY 12
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
NEW MORNING
PARIS, FRMAY 14
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
TIVOLI VREDENBURG
UTRECHT, NLMAY 15
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
ULTRAMAR CLUB
L'ESCALA, SPMAY 18
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
KEREMPUH
ZAGREB, HRMAY 20
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
UNTERFAHRT
MÜNCHEN, DEMAY 22
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
DE DOELEN
ROTTERDAM, NLMAY 23
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
JAZZHALL
HAMBURG, DE2025JAN 6
NICOLE MCCABE QUINTET
CLOSE UP
MANHATTAN, NYJAN 9 WINTER JAZZ FEST 2025: MILENA CASADO QUINTET
NUBLU
MANHATTAN, NYJAN 10
WINTER JAZZ FEST 2025: NEXT JAZZ LEGACY
LPR
MANHATTAN, NYJAN 11
WINTER JAZZ FEST 2025: ZOH AMBA
NATIONAL SAWDUST
BROOKLYN, NYJAN 13
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
DIZZY'S CLUB
MANHATTAN, NYJAN 17
KANOA WITH MARIA GRAND, EMMANUEL MICHAEL, SHAKOOR HAKEEM
CLOSE UP
MANHATTAN, NYJAN 20
DAVE ADEWUMI GROUP
CLOSE UP
MANHATTAN, NYJAN 25
ZOH AMBA
CAFE BERLIN
COLUMBIA, MOJAN 29
ZOH AMBA
JAZZ GALLERY
MANHATTAN, NYFEB 1
YVONNE ROGERS QUARTET
CLOSE UP
MANHATTAN, NYFEB 11
YVONNE ROGERS QUARTET
THREE'S BREWING
BROOKLYN, NYFEB 21
TOMOHIRO MORI TRIO
100BAN HALL
KOBE, JPFEB 22
TOMOHIRO MORI TRIO
SOHO
OKAYAMA, JPFEB 23
TOMOHIRO MORI TRIO
ROOMS
FUKUOKA, JPFEB 25
TOMOHIRO MORI TRIO
COTTON CLUB
TOKYO, JPMARCH 6
7PM & 9PM
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
COLUMBUS, OHMARCH 9
7:30PM
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
CAFE ORNITHOLOGY
BROOKLYN, NYMARCH 12
7:30PM
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
STAGE DOOR THEATER
CHARLOTTE, NCMARCH 13 & 14
-
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
MISSY LANE'S ASSEMBLY ROOM
DURHAM, NCMARCH 15
7PM & 9:30PM
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
KENNEDY CENTER
WASHINGTON, DCAPRIL 1
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
ATRIUM ZIZKOV
PRAGUE, CZAPRIL 2
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
KULTURFORUM
VILLACH, ATAPRIL 3
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
SPIELBODEN
DORNBIRN, ATAPRIL 4
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
NEUBURG AN DER DONAN, DEAPRIL 5
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
JAZZ STATION
BRUSSELS, BEAPRIL 6
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
SUNSET
GIRONA, ESAPRIL 8
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
BIRD'S EYE
BASEL, CHAPRIL 9
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
CASA DEL JAZZ
ROME, ITAPRIL 10
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
PADOVA JAZZ
PADOVA, ITAPRIL 11
-
MARTA SANCHEZ TRIO
JAZZ CLUB FERRARA
FERRARA, ITAPRIL 25, 26, 27
-
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
BLUE NOTE TOKYO
TOKYO, JPAUGUST 22
7:30 & 9:30PM
KANOA MENDENHALL W/EMMANUEL MICHAEL & CRAIG WEINRIB
THE JAZZ GALLERY
MANHATTAN, NYAUGUST 28
6 & 7:30PM
ALEX LORE/MARTA SANCHEZ 4TET W/RUDY ROYSTON
SMALLS
MANHATTAN, NYSEPTEMBER 18
10:30PM
YVONNE ROGERS TRIO
CLOSE UP
MANHATTAN, NYSEPTEMBER 25
-
KALIA VANDEVER QUARTET
COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART
COLUMBUS, OHSEPTEMBER 26
-
KALIA VANDEVER QUARTET
OTTERBEIN UNIVERSITY
WESTERVILLE, OHOCTOBER 2
10:30PM
YVONNE ROGERS TRIO
CLOSE UP
MANHATTAN, NYOCTOBER 3
-
TOMASSO PERAZZO TRIO
NUBLU CLASSIC
MANHATTAN, NYOCTOBER 5
5PM
JOEL ROSS' GOOD VIBES
HUDSON HALL
HUDSON, NYOCTOBER 6
7PM
CAROLINE DAVIS QUARTET
ZINC BAR
MANHATTAN, NYOCTOBER 8
9PM & 10:15PM
MILENA CASADO
LUNATICO
BROOKLYN, NYOCTOBER 9
6PM
SONYA BELAYA
CIVITELLA RANIERI FOUNDATION
MANHATTAN, NYOCTOBER 12
8PM
MILENA CASADO
THE NIMOY (UCLA)
L.A., CAOCTOBER 16
10:30PM
YVONNE ROGERS
CLOSE UP
MANHATTAN, NYOCTOBER 18
8PM & 10PM
MARCUS GILMORE
VILLAGE VANGUARD
MANHATTAN, NYOCTOBER 19
9PM & 10:15PM
CAROLINE DAVIS
LUNATICO
BROOKLYN, NYOCTOBER 20
8PM
SIMON MOULLIER & JOEL ROSS QUARTET
THE SIGNATURE THEATRE
MANHATTAN, NYOCTOBER 25
-
2025 CARMINE CARUSO COMPETITION (HOUSE BAND)
UNT
DENTON, TXOCTOBER 30
19:30 & 21:00
eFreydut TOUR - MIKIKO NAGATAKE & KO OMURA
BODY & SOUL
SHIBUYA, TOKYO JPOCTOBER 31
19:00
eFreydut TOUR - MIKIKO NAGATAKE & KO OMURA
BOSCH HALL
YOKOHAMA, JPNOVEMBER 1
19:30
eFreydut TOUR - MIKIKO NAGATAKE & KO OMURA
LIFETIME
SHIZUOKA, JPNOVEMBER 2
13:00 & 16:00
eFreydut TOUR - MIKIKO NAGATAKE & KO OMURA
OKAZAKI JAZZ STREET
OKAZAKI, JPNOVEMBER 4
19:30
eFreydut TOUR - MIKIKO NAGATAKE & KO OMURA
PIT INN
SHINJUKU, TOKYO, JPNOVEMBER 5
18:30
eFreydut TOUR - MIKIKO NAGATAKE & KO OMURA
TOWER RECORDS IN-STORE LIVE
SHIBUYA, TOKYO, JPNOV 19
8PM & 9:30PM
MILENA CASADO W/MORGAN GUERIN, LEX KORTEN
BAR BAYEUX
BROOKLYNNOV 20
7:30PM & 9PM
CAROLINE DAVIS PORTALS
CLOSE UP
MANHATTANNOV 28
8PM & 9:30PM
ALDEN HELLMUTH
BAR BAYEUX
BROOKLYNNOV 29
7PM
KALIA VANDEVER QUARTET
PUBLIC RECORDS
BROOKLYNDEC 1
DUO WITH MICAH THOMAS
CLOSE UP
MANHATTANDEC 3
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
SEEDS
BROOKLYNDEC 5
MILENA CASADO
CLOSE UP
MANHATTANDEC 16
JOSÉ JAMES
THE DAKOTA
MINNEAPOLISDEC 17
JOSÉ JAMES
THE DAKOTA
MINNEAPOLISDEC 18
JOSÉ JAMES
REGATTABAR
CAMBRIDGEDEC 19
JOSÉ JAMES
KEYSTONE KORNER
BALTIMOREDEC 20
JOSÉ JAMES
KEYSTONE KORNER
BALTIMOREDEC 21
JOSÉ JAMES
KEYSTONE KORNER
BALTIMOREDEC 26
LEX KORTEN TRIO
MEZZROW
MANHATTAN2024SEP 18
MICAH THOMAS 'MOUNTAINS' ALBUM RELEASE
JAZZ GALLERY
MANHATTAN, NYSEP 28
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL
MONTEREY, USAOCT 10
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
REGATTABAR
CAMBRIDGE, MAOCT 11
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
DURHAM, NHOCT 12
YVONNE ROGERS QUARTET
BAR BAYEUX
BROOKLYN, NYOCT 14
PABLO HELD WITH JOEY BARON
LOFT
KÖLN, DEOCT 17
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
BLÅ
OSLO, NOOCT 18
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
FASCHING
STOCKHOLM, SEOCT 19
-
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
AUDITORIO MUNICIPAL FORUM SEIXAL
SEIXAL, PTOCT 21
-
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
-
LETOVICE, CZOCT 22
-
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
NOSPR CHAMBER HALL
KATOWICE, PLOCT 23
20:30
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
KULTURZENTRUM GEMS
SINGEN, DEOCT 24
20:00
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
JAZZ EN TÊTE
CLERMONT-FERRAND, FROCT 25
20:30
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
BIMHUIS
AMSTERDAM, NL
August
AUGUST 4-10
JAZZDANMARK
SUMMER SESSION 2024
COPENHAGEN, DENMARKJuly
JULY 2
7PM/8:30PM
MARTA SANCHEZ
ZINC BAR
MANHATTAN NYCJULY 4
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL - PUB MOLSON
MONTREAL, CANADAJULY 6
MILENA CASADO
MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL - PUB MOLSON
MONTREAL, CANADAJULY 12
MILENA CASADO
NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL - MISSOURI
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDSJULY 13
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL - MADEIRA
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDSJULY 18
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
FESTIVAL DE JAZZ DE VITORIA GASTEIZ
VITORIA GASTEIZ, SPAINJULY 25
MARIA GRAND TRIO
JAZZCHUR
CHUR, SWITZERLANDJULY 26-31
at
SIENA JAZZ
INTERNATIONAL SUMMER WORKSHOP 2024
SIENA, ITALYJune
JUNE 1
8PM/10PM
KALIA VANDEVER QUARTET
CLOSE UP
MANHATTAN NYCJUNE 5
8PM/10PM
YVONNE ROGERS QUARTET
CLOSE UP
MANHATTAN NYCJUNE 7
7:30PM/9:30PM
JOEL ROSS & FRIENDS
JAZZ GALLERY
MANHATTAN NYCJUNE 8
7:30PM/9:30PM
JOEL ROSS & FRIENDS
JAZZ GALLERY
MANHATTAN NYCJUNE 27
7:30PM/9:30PM
SASHA BERLINER QUINTET
JAZZ GALLERY
MANHATTAN NYCJUNE 28
10:30PM/12:00AM
MICAH THOMAS W/ERIC MCPHERSON
MEZZROW
MANHATTAN NYCMay
MAY 9
8:30PM
DAYNA STEPHENS QUARTET
CUNY - AARON DAVIS HALL
NEW YORKMAY 10
6PM
NEXT JAZZ LEGACY 2024
THE MILLENIUM STAGE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER
WASHINGTON DCMAY 11
6PM
NEXT JAZZ LEGACY 2024
THE MILLENIUM STAGE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER
WASHINGTON DCMAY 16
7PM
MILENA CASADO QUARTET
CITY OF ASYLUM - JAZZ POETRY MONTH 2024
PITTSBURGH PAMAY 29
9:30PM
AARON PARKS TRIO
FESTIVAL CAMPUS JAZZ – UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO
ÍLHAVO PORTUGALApril
APR 9
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES - TIVOLI VRENDENBURG CLUB NINE
UTRECHT, NETHERLANDSAPR 10
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
NEW MORNING
PARIS, FRANCEAPR 11
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
VORTEX
LONDON, UKAPR 13
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
OPUS JAZZ CLUB
BUDAPEST, HUNGARYAPR 16
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
KULTURZENTRUM SCHLACHTHOF
BREMEN, GERMANYAPR 17
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
STADTGARTEN
KOLN, GERMANYAPR 18
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
KUNSTVEREIN FAMILIE MONTEZ
FRANKFURT, GERMANYAPR 19 & APR 20
JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES
RECOLETOS JAZZ MADRID
MADRID, SPAINFEB 23 | DILLON VADO TRIO W/DAVE KING | ART BOUTIKI
-
FEB 22 | DILLON VADO TRIO W/DAVE KING | KEYS JAZZ BISTRO
-
FEB 17 | DAYNA STEPHENS QUARTET | JAZZ AT THE BOLT
-
FEB 8 | SONYA BELAYA | THE JAZZ GALLERY
-
JAN 26 | ZOH AMBA W/ LESTER ST. LOUIS & KAORU WATANABE | ZURCHER GALLERY2023NOVEMBER 6 & 7 | SEEDS (BROOKLYN) | AARON PARKS QUARTETNOVEMBER 10 - 19: AARON PARKS QUARTET EUROPE TOURNov 10: GUIMARAES/portugal
Nov 13: BARCELONA/spain
Nov 14 & 15: PARIS/france
Nov 16: BASEL/switzerland
Nov 17: LONDON/england
Nov 19: AMSTERDAM/netherlands-OCTOBER 6 | 5:30-7PM | SEWARD PARK (NYC) | JASPER DUTZ QUARTETOCTOBER 13 & 14 | 7:30PM & 9PM | THE JAZZ GALLERY (NYC) | AARON PARKSOCTOBER 18 - NOVEMBER 4: JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBES EUROPE TOUROct 18: LEIPZIG/germany
Oct 19: RÜSSELSHEIM/germany
Oct 20: BRUSSELS/belgium
Oct 21: SKOPJE/north macedonia
Oct 23: LONDON/england
Oct 25: GENT/belgium
Oct 28: CORMONS/italy
Oct 29: MURI/switzerland
Oct 30: BARCELONA/spain
Nov 2: LAUSANNE/switzerland
Nov 4: TAMPERE/finland
-SEPTEMBER 3 | ?PM | DETROIT JAZZ FESTIVAL | JOEL ROSS GOOD VIBESSEPTEMBER 8 | 7:30PM | ROOM 623 (MANHATTAN) | DAYNA STEPHENS QUARTETSEPTEMBER 21 | 7:30PM & 9PM | MEZZROW (NYC) | ALICYN YAFFEE TRIO
SEPTEMBER 22 | 7PM | SAVANNAH JAZZ FESTIVAL (SAVANNAH, GA) | MILENA CASADOSEPTEMBER 28 | 7:30PM & 9:30PM | JAZZ GALLERY (MANHATTAN) | KANOA MENDENHALL
FEATURING KALIA VANDEVER, MICAH THOMAS, CRAIG WEINRIBSEPTEMBER 30 & OCTOBER 1 | GENERATIONS: INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL FRAUENFELD (SWITZERLAND) | DIDA PELLED & KANOA MENDENHALL
-AUGUST 1 | 12PM-1:15PM | BPX SUMMER SERIES @ 399 PARK AVE | JUDETTE ELLISTONAUGUST 3 | 6:30PM | BROOKLYN CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC | MILENA CASADO QUINTETAUGUST 4 | 10PM | CON ALMA (PITTSBURG, PA) | LUCAS KADISH TRIO W/TIM ANGULOAUGUST 5 | 8PM | BOP STOP (CLEVELAND, OH) | LUCAS KADISH TRIO W/TIM ANGULOAUGUST 9 & 10 | 7PM | THE CABARET (INDIANAPOLIS, IN) | AMERICAN PATCHWORK QUARTET (CLAY ROSS, FALU SHAH, CLARENCE PENN)
-
JULY 26 | 8PM | BAR BAYEUX (BROOKLYN) | MICAH THOMAS W/ KALIA VANDEVER, ADAM O'FARRILL, LESLEY MOKJULY 27 | 7:30/9:30PM | JAZZ GALLERY (MANHATTAN) | ALDEN HELLMUTH QUINTET

DISCOGRAPHY (SIDEMAN)

in chronological order // by most recently released