Pianist Aki Takase, born in Japan and living in Berlin since 1987, is one of the most outstanding and formative figures in contemporary jazz. Having already become a legend of jazz music, Aki Takase’s art is always dedicated to new projects and musicians who have a similarly open understanding of music as herself. In previous projects she has made eye-catching excursions to the boundaries between jazz and new music, dance and electronic music. Among her numerous projects the study of personalities in American jazz history was always a central issue, including giants as Duke Ellington (1990, 2009), Thelonious Monk (1994), Eric Dolphy (1998), W.C. Handy (2002), Fats Waller (2004) and Ornette Coleman (2006). The visitors of the Opus Jazz Club could listen to her marvellous Duke Ellington solo program in the beginning of last year.

In 2018 Aki Takase, celebrating her 70th birthday this year, is planning – for the first time in quite some time – a project that contains only pieces composed by her. Aki Takase draws on an international and young, but highly honored and world-famous generation of musicians: Echo winner German tenor saxophone player Daniel Erdmann (Velvet Revolution, das Kapital), his compatriots DJ Illvibe (SEEED, LycheeLassi, Peter Fox) and bass player Johannes Fink (Rolf Kühn Trio) and the Norwegian drummer Dag Magnus Narvesen (Splitter Orchestra) are among the elite of contemporary jazz, bringing with them very different styles and timbres. The combination of different generations, nationalities and musical backgrounds fits in perfectly with Aki Takase's overarching musical approach, which uses all fields of music history and has already earned her a firm place in the history of jazz over her more than 30 years of music activity.

The quintet are in residence at BMC the week preceding the concert, working out the project to its final form and recording it for an album to be released on BMC Records.