Saturday, October 23, 2010
Ryuichi Sakamoto "Playing the Paino" Tour & Earshot Jazz Festival : Oct 15 - Nov 7
Most notably amidst the quality lineup at this year's Earshot Jazz Festival, is the solo Ryuichi Sakamoto piano performance at The Moore. Sakamoto's discography is decades-spanning, ranging from new romantic pop and electronic experimentation, to a Japanese brand of sublime minimalism. The majority of western listeners know his music from his earliest involvement in Yellow Magic Orchestra, and the numerous soundtrack albums of the 1980s which followed. Yet it may be his 21st Century work which is the most compelling. This is represented on the domestic release of his 2010 "Playing the Piano" and 2009 "Out of Noise" double album release on Decca Classical. Taken alongside recent collaborations with experimental guitarist Christian Fennesz, and the series of albums made in conjuncture with the digital austerity of Raster-Noton's Carsten Nicolai, the mid-2000s have been both prolific and of the highest quality strain from the Japanese composer. Other names of note in this year's Earshot lineup include Thrill Jockey Records artist, The Chicago Underground Duo, and Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky) conducting the Odeon Quartet in a new conceptual chamber symphony piece. This latter work exploring the theme of ecological impact to the and the vast open seas that were once the ice shelf of the Arctic.
Link to Earshot Jazz Festival site
Link to official Ryuichi Sakamoto site
