Thank you!! Achim Kaufmann!! Tonight is the final performance at Koen-dori Classics

The tour through Kansai, Tokai, and Kanto with pianist Achim Kaufmann, who came from Berlin, and drummer Yasuhiro Yoshigaki has successfully concluded! The only remaining live performance with Achim is tonight's twin piano concert at Koen-dori Classics in Shibuya! Masaki Minamiyama will be joining us from Sapporo.

We also held a live recording at Inage CANDY. (The engineer was keyboardist Mitsuhiro Sakaguchi.) I believe the music, which deepened throughout our travels, became even more profound, opening up unknown worlds.

The final day of the tour was at Shicho-shitsu in Jimbocho, where we performed as a trio for the first set, and were joined by tenor saxophonist Junji Hirose for the second set as a quartet. Hirose-san suddenly started playing a balloon—as expected of him!! It was a very fulfilling and content-rich performance. The journey with the trio of Yoshigaki-san and Achim ended on this day. While listening to the recording with a battered body, I am convinced that this will be an incredible masterpiece.

And yesterday, in Iriya/Kappabashi, we had a once-in-a-lifetime session with Achim Kaufmann, Seo, tuba player Daisuke Takaoka, and no-input mixing board player Toshimaru Nakamura. Achim's internal piano techniques and preparations were explosive! How are you all doing this! It swung into a world completely different from anything before. I've been associated with Takaoka-san for nearly 20 years, but he is constantly innovating, and yesterday was tremendously interesting! And then, Toshimaru-san, with whom I performed for the first time. The long-awaited sound production. Wow, it was irresistible! I was in agony. It was cool. It was fun. I'm glad that Achim and his wife, Gabrielle, enjoyed the atmosphere of Nattaru House and the uniqueness of this area. I also fully enjoyed the 'kaku-uchi' (standing bar) experience.

These dreamlike days end today. Tonight is the final performance. I really wanted to have Masaki Minamiyama and Achim perform together again. Minamiyama-san is a benefactor who has had a great influence on me, and a precious friend from Sapporo. The legendary performance at Sapporo Port Hall during his first visit to Japan eight years ago is still talked about today. The vast musical universe inside Minamiyama-san's head. I can't wait to see what kind of sounds he will create with Achim. Opportunities like this are rare, so there are still seats available; please come and join us.


September 14th (Sat) Achim Kaufmann Japan Tour FINAL! twin piano!

Achim Kaufmann (piano)
Masaki Minamiyama (piano)
Takashi Seo (contrabass)

Venue: Koen-dori Classics [Shibuya]
B1F Tokyo Yamate Church, 19-5 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
open 18:30 start 19:00
Reservation ¥3500 Door ¥4000 U23 discount (23 and under) ¥2000 High school students and under free (plus order)
Inquiries: 03-6310-8871

Record of the performance at Sapporo Port Hall 8 years ago
https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/anabiosisofjazz/diary/201605280000/?scid=wi_blg_amp_diary_next weekend

Achim Kaufmann Japan Tour 2024 Kanto Edition

September 11th (Wed) [Inage] CANDY
Achim Kaufmann (piano)
Takashi Seo (contrabass)
Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (drums)

September 12th (Thu) [Tokyo Jimbocho] Shicho-shitsu
Achim Kaufmann (piano)
Takashi Seo (contrabass)
Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (drums)
guest: Junji Hirose (tenor sax)

September 13th (Fri) [Iriya] Nattaru House
Achim Kaufmann (piano)
Takashi Seo (contrabass)
Daisuke Takaoka (tuba)
Toshimaru Nakamura (No Input Mixing Board)