Le Guess Who? starts today and a couple of Japanese musicians will perform at this celebration of sound. This year is the 12th edition of the festival. From 8 November till 11 November, you can get introduced to boundary-crossing music. During four days, Le Guess Who? takes over the city centre of Utrecht with more than 150 performances. Tickets for this festival are still available and can be purchased on the website of Le Guess Who?
Who are the Japanese musicians performing at this big international festival? Let’s take a look.
Shintaro Sakamoto
As a former member of the legendary Tokyo-based psychedelic band, Yura Yura Teikoku, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shintaro Sakamoto became a cult star in his motherland of Japan. Nowadays he makes music that carries the label post-apocalyptic exotica. During Le Guess Who? he will perform on Friday evening.
Takuro Kikuchi
Composer and pianist Takuro Kikuchi, his subdued piano compositions move adrift between tranquillity and contemplation. Kikuchi’s pieces are often accompanied by the imagery of nature flourishing and prospering, untainted by rigid human-made structures. During Le Guess Who? he will perform on Friday evening.
BO NINGEN
Le Guess Who? is not unknown for noise rock four-piece BO NINGEN, in 2014 they came for the first time to the festival, after that successful performance, they have been coming back a couple of times and also this year. The band members of BO NINGEN all originate from various regions in Japan, but the band was originally formed in London. The band has a couple of other shows in Europe, in France and also at Explore The North Festival in Leeuwarden, before heading to Japan. During Le Guess Who? BO NINGEN will perform on Friday night.
Midori Takada
Composer and percussionist Midori Takada is known to combine East Asian music and jazz. Last year her 1983 album Through The Looking Glass was reissued and that caused for a new surge of recognition for Midori Takada. During her decade-spanning career, she remained very productive and next to performing solo, she also performs with groups, in particular, with Mkwaju Ensemble. During Le Guess Who? Midori Takada will perform solo on Saturday evening.
Miho Hatori (羽鳥 美保)
On European tour at the moment, Miho Hatori (羽鳥 美保) is promoting her new project New Optimism. She released her EP, Amazon To LeFrak, the result is a concentration of avant-garde pop music dipped into Latin sounds. Miho Hatori will perform on the late Saturday evening.
More about her European Tour can be found here.
Kikagaku Moyo (幾何学模様)
Currently on European tour, this band will visit Le Guess Who? on Saturday 10 November. Not only they will play their own set in the middle of the night on Saturday, but the band will also collaborate with accomplished fingerstyle guitarist Ryley Walker earlier in de evening. Their first-ever live collaboration is named ‘Deep Fried Grandeur’ and during this show, you will be served an hour long of deeply hypnotic jams and a hair-raising fusion folk jazz, acid rock, and psychedelia in a heavy-improv setting.
More about their current European tour can be found here.
Soichi Terada
Legendary house producer Soichi Terada loves coming back to The Netherlands. Soichi Terada is a composer, arranger and one of Japan’s house music pioneers, active since the 80s of the last century. He has been responsible for soundtracks of computer games as Ape Escape, as well as for countless releases on his Far East Recordings label alongside good friend Shinichiro Yokota. You can enjoy Terada’s music on the Saturday night of Le Guess Who?
Chihei Hatakeyama
Electronic music artist Chihei Hatakeyama is more than 10 years active in the music scene as a sound artist, mastering engineer and record label founder. By processing acoustic instruments such as guitars, vibraphone and piano, Hatakeyama is a master in creating atmospheric, memory-evoking soundscapes. His performance at Le Guess Who? will take place on Sunday evening.
Source: Le Guess Who?
