Kordz x Sakamoto: Festive tribute to (film) composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (23 March - Muziekgebouw)

Together with Alexandre Kordzaia, aka Kordz, Asko|Schönberg will perform a special tribute to (film) composer and synthesiser pioneer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died a year ago. 

Sakomoto (1952 - March 2023) became best known for his music for films such as Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, The Last Emperor, The Revenant and recently the film Monster. He also pioneered synth and electropop with which he inspired generations of (pop) musicians after him. One of them is producer/composer/keyboardist Alexandre Kordzaia (1994), better known as Kordz, who - besides Sakamoto - cites Ravel, Stravinsky, Prince and James Brown as sources of inspiration. His music has the same upbeat energy and musical creativity as that of early Sakamoto.

Swiss-Georgian Kordz put the knife to Sakamoto's early work and, with the master's permission, wrote a rebellious adaptation of Sakamoto's best-known and lesser-known work. The specially created lighting design by lighting artist Boris Acket enhances the music.

Asko|Schönberg brought Kordz x Sakamoto premiered at the Holland Festival in 2021, with Kordz on keys. Several successful performances followed, including in Tbilisi, Kordz's home base, where the concert sold out so quickly that a second one was immediately planned.

The press on Kordz x Sakamoto

The Parool: It was not difficult to be enchanted for an hour, if only by the cheerfulness and indestructible optimism of the music.
NRC: Percussionist Joey Marijs proved to be able to beatbox and David Kweksilber drenched his clarinet in distortion effects for a ripping solo.
NewNotes: ...a motley mix of sounds, where strongly rhythmic and rousing passages alternate with more ambient, sometimes even neo-classical-looking passages, where the fillings practically jump out of your teeth.  

The composition was commissioned by Asko|Schönberg and the Holland Festival and was created partly with support from Fonds Podiumkunsten.