David Murray / Aki Takase Duo

Finally, you can see them back together on the stage: Aki Takase and David Murray! After many years during which both have played in various and multi-faceted projects, the two musicians are now presenting the third CD of their legendary collaboration. Even back at the start of the 1990s, they had already received global acclaim on tour.

The pianist Aki Takase studied in Tokyo. She made her breakthrough in New York, alongside Lester Bowie, David Liebmann and John Zorn. Nowadays, she lives in Berlin and is considered one of the most diverse representatives of contemporary jazz there. Time and again among her countless projects, there were noteworthy duos, for example with Maria Joao, with Ayumi Paul or Louis Sclavis. Now, she is encountering David Murray again, offspring of a long line of powerfully lyrical saxophonists, for whom loyalty to the heritage of African-American music is no contradiction to the need for radical new encounters and experiences.

Pianist Aki Takase and saxophonist / bass clarinettist David Murray visited the recording studio on the last weekend in April to record a duo album for Intakt Records. Four compositions by Aki Takase, three compositions by David Murray and a theme by Thelonious Monk were recorded. Wonderful ballads, with fantastic intonation by David Murray and continued imaginatively by Aki Takase’s improvisations; beautiful themes with great dynamics and intensity.

The CD will be released in January 2017, entitled »Cherry«.