YASUAKI SHIMIZU

Biography

Yasuaki Shimizu is an internationally active composer, producer and saxophonist. Since the 1970s, Shimizu has been pushing the limits of the saxophone, and exploring new avenues in an unparalleled musical career. Whether as a solo performer, with his group "Saxophonettes" or as a composer for Film and Video soundtracks, he has consistently defied music barriers, and has earn't the respect of musicians throughout the world.

From 1985 until 1989 he lived in Paris, immersing himself in the multi-cultural society. He subsequently recorded in Paris and London.

He is also known for the extraordinary locations of his concerts and recording locations. These have ranged from concerts at mountainside temples, to a Tokyo underground car park. Recording locations have included a stone quarry, and a warehouse.

His latest album, Cello Suites is the first ever recorded tenor saxophone interpretation of Bach's Suites for unaccompanied cello. These are regarded as the "Old Testament" of the cello repertroire. The recording has received universal acclaim, and won a Japan Record Taisho award in 1997, the Japanese equivalent of a Grammy.