Japan, as one of the earliest Asian countries to embrace jazz, boasts a rich history in the genre, marked by the emergence of numerous talented musicians and remarkable compositions.
I am eager to acquaint myself with this vibrant “neighborhood” through an exploration of Japanese jazz bassists, aiming to draw inspiration from their artistry and contributions.
Isao Suzuki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KojpyMdIcXA
Takashi Seo
He played with many musicians such as Fumio Itabashi (pf), Achim Kaufman(pf),Takase Aki (pf),Simon Nabatov(pf),Yoriyuki Harada(pf), Eiichi Hayashi (sax),Akira Sakata(sax), Yukihiro Isso(Noh musician), Daisuke Takaoka(Tuba), Tetsu Saito(Cb),Akira Sotoyama(ds), Syota Koyama(ds), Min Tanaka(dance), Jean Laurent Sasportes(dance), Leona(tap dance),Taketeru kudo(butoh)
Takashi Seo presides over a contrabass group “Teigen” by ten several bass from 2003. He invited a bassist on behalf of Japan such as Hideto Kanai, Nobuyoshi Ino, Tetsu Saito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cus6DpxjDFY
He performed many music festival, Yokohama Jazz Promenade, Singaporean WOMAD, RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL in EZO, PERCPAN(Rio de Janeiro,Salvador),ASIAN IMPROVISATION ART EXCHANGE2010(Seoul), International society of BASSISTS Convention 2013(Rochester. NY) a lot…
Continues collaboration with not only jazz but also free improvisation and baroque music, every world music, dance and art and experiences most
Tatsu Aoki
Tatsu Aoki is a leading advocate for the Asian American community, as well as a prolific composer, a performer of traditional and experimental music forms, a filmmaker, and an educator. He was born in 1958 into the Toyoakimoto artisan family, and performing by the age of four. In the early 1970s, Aoki was active in Tokyo’s underground arts movement with experimental arts and music. In 1977, Aoki left Tokyo and is now one of the most in-demand performers of bass, shamisen, and taiko, contributing to more than ninety recording projects and touring internationally over the last 35 years. He is noted for being the longest associated bassist for the late Chicago legend Fred Anderson. Aoki is a Founder and Artistic Director of Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival, which celebrates its silver anniversary this year (2020).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAKA4aUif70&t=2985s
Reference Isao Suzuki’s personal website homepage
Reference Takashi Seo’s Wikipedia page