Biography
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Born
26 February 1942 (age 82)
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Born In
Tokyo, Japan
Yamashita Yōsuke a.k.a. 山下洋輔 :) was born February 26, 1942. He is a jazz pianist from Tokyo, Japan also known for playing flaming pianos! *
He first began to play professionally at the age of 17, and attended the Kunitachi College of Music from 1962 to 1967.
Yamashita formed the Yosuke Yamashita New York Trio in 1988 with bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Pheeroan akLaff. In 1994 he was invited to perform at the 50th anniversary concert of jazz label Verve, held at Carnegie Hall, and was the only Asian musician to play at the event.
Yamashita moved into film scoring in 1998, scoring the Shohei Imamura film Kanzo Sensei, and his work in this earned him the "Education Minister's Education Award," amongst others. This was followed by his score for Kihachi Okamoto's Vengeance Is Such A Great Business.
In May 2003 Yamashita was awarded a Purple Ribbon by the Japanese Government for his contributions to the arts and academia, and since 2004 he has served as a visiting professor at Kunitachi College of Music.
*Yes burning pianos. Have a look:
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