AKI TAKASE NEW BLUES PROJECT
WITH EUGENE CHADBOURNE, NILS WOGRAM, RUDI MAHALL, HAN BENNINK
Aki Takase piano, Rudi Mahall basklarinet, Nils Wogram trombone, Eugene Chadbourne gitaar, Han Bennink drums
Surprising contemporary variations on ragtime, blues and swing by pianist Aki Takase. Avant-garde, rock and free jazz are just a few of the reference points for her international super group.
With her New Blues Project, Aki Takase will perform free-spirited variations on ragtime, blues and swing. The Japanese pianist and her fantastic international band have a playful, contemporary view on the genesis of jazz. Avant-garde, rock and free jazz are obvious influences on these musicians, who have performed together before at the Bimhuis, as Aki Takase & The Good Boys.
Aki Takase got her first piano lesson at age 3. In the 1970s she moved from Tokyo to New York, where she became an acclaimed pianist playing withLester Bowie and David Murray among others. Her eccentric path led to Berlin, where she went on to work with many others, including such artists as Alexander Von Schlippenbach, Fred Frith en Paul Lovens.
The New Blues Project has evolved from previous albums Takase dedicated to early jazz, sucha as St. Louis Blues and Plays Fats Waller. Guitarist Eugene Chadbourne regularly performs as a singer. Rudi Mahall continues going down the path set out by Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet. Nils Wogram is considered the most versatile European trombonist since Albert Mangelsdorff. ‘Few drummesr can swing that hard’, says Het Parool about Han Bennink, who completes the line-up.
‘Few contemporary pianists embrace stride, swing and trad jazz with the creative spark of Aki Takase, who finds common ground between traditionalism and freewheeling modernism’ (Jazz Times).
After the concert the Bimhuis restaurant is open (Reservations via 020-7882158).