Satoshi Takeishi

“Connection beyond genre and contrasting elements, in quest for the essence” is what Japanese-born musician/improviser Satoshi Takeishi strives for in his performances, whether behind a drum set, a hybrid percussion set or computer-based electronics.

With over 30 years’ experience in live performances and recording sessions around the world, ranging from jingles to major film score, executing in styles of jazz, rock, contemporary classical, avantgarde, experimental electronic, latin, South American, Arabic and African music, Takeishi moves among diverse musical environments. Rather than a specialist of any one style, Takeishi constantly strives for an integration of his diverse musical experience and knowledge. He intentionally blurs the lines between styles, creating abstract impressions with rhythm and sound, evoking moods which contrast or echo the music of the moment.

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In New York City where he has lived for the last 23 years, Takeishi continually participates in new projects by composers and performers of varied genres, as well as his own solo performances. From through-composed new music to improvisation, his tools range from drum set, to various percussion instruments, to computer audio manipulation and circuit-bended electronic gadgets.

This has over the years lead Takeishi to perform with musicians such as Ray Barretto, Carlos ‘Patato’ Valdes, Eliane Elias, Marc Johnson, Eddie Gomez, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Anthony Braxton, Mark Murphy, Herbie Mann, Paul Winter Consort, Rabih Abu Khalil, Erik Friedlander, Ned Rothenberg, Michael Attias, Shoko Nagai, Paul Giger, Toshiko Akiyoshi Big Band, Ying String Quartet, Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, Dhafer Youssef, Lalo Schifrin and Pablo Ziegler to name a few.

His interest and approach in the use of electronics is strongly influenced by the early electronic musical style, Musique Concrete (taped music), an integration of electronics and acoustic sounds which differs from more “pure” electronic music. By using both pre-recorded and real time sampled sounds as building blocks and manipulating them in computer-based tools to construct his improvisations and compositions, Takeishi finds his process connecting back to his main intention as a performer. The tools he chooses in this process are only a means of fulfilling his intent.