Aki Takase facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aki Takase
Aki Takase in June 2008
Background information
Born	(1948-01-26) January 26, 1948 (age 77) Osaka, Japan
Origin	Tokyo, Japan
Genres	Jazz, Avant-garde jazz, Free jazz, Free improvisation
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Piano
Years active	1978–present
Associated acts	Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra

Aki Takase (born January 26, 1948) is a super talented Japanese jazz pianist and composer. She is known for her amazing piano skills and for creating new and exciting music.

Aki Takase's Life and Music Journey

Aki Takase was born in Osaka, Japan. She started playing the piano when she was just three years old! Later, she grew up in Tokyo and studied classical piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music.

In 1978, Aki Takase began performing and recording her music in the United States. She worked with many famous musicians like Lester Bowie and John Zorn. Her first time performing in Europe was in 1981 at the Berlin Jazz Festival in Germany. Because she traveled a lot and played at many international jazz festivals, Aki Takase quickly became a very popular musician. Everyone wanted to record and work with her!

For many years, she has played music with her husband, Alexander von Schlippenbach, who is also a pianist. She has also worked with other great musicians like Han Bennink and David Murray.

Exploring Different Jazz Styles

Aki Takase loves to explore different kinds of jazz. She has created projects that focus on the music of famous jazz legends like Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and Ornette Coleman. Her music often mixes modern sounds with traditional jazz.

Some of her recent projects include:

• YOKOHAMA (2009) with Louis Sclavis.
• KANON (2011) with Kazuhisa Uchihashi and Axel Dörner.
• "Hotel Zauberberg" (2014) with Ayumi Paul.
• LA PLANETE with Louis Sclavis, Vincent Courtois, and Dominique Pifarely.
• JAPANIC (2019), her quintet that blends contemporary jazz and improvisations.
• "AUGE" with Christian Weber and Michael Griener.
• "Carmen Rhapsody" (2023) with Mayumi Nakamura, Daniel Erdmann, and Vincent Courtois.
• "AAPD Duo" (2023) with Alexander von Schlippenbach, featuring piano pieces for four hands.
• "ELLINGTON" (2024) a duo with Daniel Erdmann.
• Japanic FORTE (2024) with Daniel Erdmann, DJlllvibe, Carlos Bica, and Dag Magnus Narvesen.

Since 1988, Aki Takase has made her home in Berlin, Germany.

Awards and Recognitions

Aki Takase has won many important awards for her incredible music:

• The German Record Critics' Award: She has won this award nine times between 1988 and 2017! This includes the award for her CD "Cherry-Sakura" with David Murray in 2017.
• "Berliner Zeitung" Award (1999): This award recognized her as one of the best artists in Berlin.
• The SWR Jazz Award (2002).
• Jazzpreis Berlin (2018).
• German Jazz Preis for Piano/Keyboard (2021).
• Albert Mangelsdorff Prize (2021).
• She was also nominated for the "German Jazz Preis" with Daniel Erdmann for Live Act of the year in 2024.

Aki Takase's Music Albums

Aki Takase has released many albums throughout her career, both as a band leader and as a featured musician with other artists.

As a Leader or Co-Leader

She has released many albums where she is the main artist or shares the lead. These albums show her unique style and how she works with different musicians. Some of her albums include:

• Aki (1978)
• Minerva's Owl (1981)
• Blue Monk (1991) with David Murray
• Piano Duets: Live in Berlin 93/94 (1993–94) with Alexander von Schlippenbach
• Plays Fats Waller (2003)
• Iron Wedding (2008) with Alexander von Schlippenbach
• Two for Two (2011) with Han Bennink
• My Ellington (2012)
• So Long, Eric! (2014)
• Cherry Sakura (2017) with David Murray
• Thema Prima (2019) with her band Japanic
• Isn't It Romantic? (2021) with Daniel Erdmann
• AUGE (2021)
• Carmen Rhapsody (2023)
• Four Hands Piano Pieces (2023) with Alexander von Schlippenbach
• "ELLINGTON" (2024) with Daniel Erdmann
• FORTE (2024) with her band Japanic

As a Sidewoman

Aki Takase has also played on albums led by other musicians. This means she was a key part of their band for those recordings. Some of these include:

• Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra (1989) with the Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra
• Alice (1990) with Maria João