坂本龍一

(Di) 8.11.2011, k6, 20:00, VVK 20€ - 45€. Tickets are for sale without any extra fees at the Kampnagel box office, Tel.# +49 40 270 949 49.

In the age of one-hit wonders and a constantly rotating cast of pop-stars there are but a few true artists that have both stood the test of time and continue to break new ground. Ryuichi Sakamoto is one of these rare gems. Few, if any, have a comparably diverse résumé as well as fan base. Young and old from all cultures and creeds have found inspiration in Ryuichi’s music. Ryuichi Sakamoto is a composer, musician, producer, actor, and environmental activist; a true renaissance man.
Ryuichi has a vast range of musical endeavors; from pioneering early electronic music in his first group; Yellow Magic Orchestra, to globally-inspired rock albums, classical compositions (including a massive opera), and over twenty film scores. His catalogue even includes video game soundtracks, and mobile ringtones. Almost as expansive is his array of prestigious awards; an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, a Grammy, the Order of the Cavaleiro Admissão from the government of Brazil, and in July 2009, he was named an Officier of the coveted Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the government of France.
Ryuichi’s newest release; out of noise, is arguably his most ambitious work to date in which he continues to explore the ambiguities between music and noise. “As soon as you make a sound on the piano, it begins to vanish,” Sakamoto explains, “vanishing into noise. You can’t tell when it becomes noise, when it’s gone. That’s the area I’m interested in.”
His most recent tour, “Playing the Piano”, has toured in Japan, Europe, and North America. The concerts are performed using two grand pianos, one played by Sakamoto live, and a second one that interacts with Sakamoto’s playing via MIDI controller, creating a virtual piano duet. The tours have had enormous success with recordings of the shows in the iTunes Japan store. For almost every show Ryuichi chose sustainable and ecologically sound ways to tour; using green electricity, and all carbon dioxide emissions were offset.
In 1996, Ryuichi Sakamoto released an album (of the same name, 1996) arranged for piano, cello and violin. The album presented new pieces along with arrangements of his older works giving them new life. The trio includes Jaques Morelenbaum on cello (Ryuichi’s longtime collaborator), and Everton Nelson on violin. Following the release the trio embarked on a well received tour captivating audiences around the world. Ryuichi is resurrecting the trio this fall with a European tour showcasing new material as well as Ryuichi’s timeless compositions accompanied by Jacques Morelenbaum and a newly auditioned talent on violin.
With such an extensive, yet varied catalogue of albums, film scores, and indeed almost every conceivable musical endeavor it can be difficult to place Sakamoto into one category. The one, clear strand connecting it all is the unparalleled passion of Ryuichi Sakamoto.