// Date: Thursday, 10 December

// Time: 21.00

la-condition-japonaise in general

an evening of oscillating powers with 

Ayaka Azechi: Born in Tokyo in 1983, Azechi began learning dance from Miyako Kato at an early age. She continues to frequently appear in performances by Kato's company as a core member. From 2001 to 2002, Azechi studied at the Asagaya College of Art and Design, where she won the school's graduation project top prize for her piece "Ashi" (Leg). She was a member of Kim Itoh + the Glorious Future from 2002 to 2005, during which she danced in all company productions. In 2006 she performed in Akira Kasai's "Fuyu no tabi" (Winter Journey). She enrolled in Kasai's butoh school from 2006 to 2007 and participated in the graduation performance. In 2007, Azechi won second prize in the Saitama National Dance Competition for her solo "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: Mozart and a Sleepless Night." Azechi was given a grant for Japanese Government Overseas Study Program for Artists (2008~2010).

Yoko Arai (piano, melodica, voice): Yoko Arai is a pianist and improviser. In her improvisation, each sounding element performs its own life, and as a whole, they together shape an organic, specially unique music. She studied piano at Tokyo college of music, composition with an accomplished composer Joji Yuasa. Beside Western music, she also studied and practiced Asian classical music, Javanese gamelan and Japanese esoteric Buddhist chant, Shomyo. She has been working with various artists of experimental and

contemporary art and music.

Izumi Ose (piano, melodica, voice): Born in Japan. After studying law at university, started to perform in 1996. Through bands and sessions with various improvisors mainly in Tokyo, moved to Berlin in 2003.

Being influenced from Japanese pop music, jazz and western classical music, her main interest at present is having different ways of creation which deviate from natural courses of music in own consciousness using piano, melodica and own voice.

MANAMI N: After University she worked for a company in Niigata but soon she got a new position and moved to Tokyo. Moving to Tokyo changed her life. Getting in the huge creative input of this megacity she started her career as a musician. During the 90s when she still was working as an office lady, she trained her voice by Kumiko Hara (1955-2005) and joined several bands as main vocalist or chorus singer. At the end of the 90s manami started to make music with the computer. Since then she composes, writes lyrics and performs as a solo artist and as a member of the band "kamomellia"

Since 2004 and 2005 she released CDs from Indie labels in Europe, one year later she quitt her office job and moved to Berlin.

www.manami-n.com

curated by Ose Izumi and cooperated by la-condition-japonaise e.v