1. Yasuaki Shimizu was born on 9 August 1954 and is a Japanese composer, saxophonist and producer.
14 Facts About Yasuaki Shimizu
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Yasuaki Shimizu released his first solo album, Get You, in 1978 and from 1980 won a following with his experimental rock band Mariah, with whom he released five albums.
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Yasuaki Shimizu's first recording as the Saxophonettes was L'Automne a Pekin, a tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood: classic soundtrack-flavored tunes rendered with a combination of lush yet minimal orchestration and layered electronic sounds laid over reggae bass and drums.
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From 1985 through 1991 Yasuaki Shimizu divided his time between Paris and London, making his contribution to the multicultural and re-energized European music scene by recording, collaborating and performing with various international artists.
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Yasuaki Shimizu made three albums: Subliminal with French producer Martin Meissonnier, Dementos with various British artists including ex-Flying Lizards David Cunningham, and Aduna with Senegalese vocalist Wasis Diop, whose 1994 album No Sant Shimizu co-produced.
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Yasuaki Shimizu has always paid meticulous attention to recording and studio techniques.
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In 2006, Yasuaki Shimizu made his playful one-man-band concept of the Saxophonettes into a real-life quintet, featuring Ryoko Egawa, Hirokazu Hayashida, Ryota Higashi and Hiroshi Suzuki in an ensemble of three tenor and two baritone saxophones.
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Yasuaki Shimizu went on to hone the arrangement for release as the album Goldberg Variations in 2015.
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Yasuaki Shimizu wrote the score for the Oscar-nominated and award-winning documentary Cutie and the Boxer by Zachary Heinzerling.
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Yasuaki Shimizu has composed soundtracks for Hiroyuki Nakano's art video Issey Miyake Dancing Pleats, the feature film Stereo Future and in 2008 the two short films Ferris Wheel at 3:03:15 PM, and Seven Samurai.
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Yasuaki Shimizu wrote scores for a number TV dramas, plus a documentary and experimental film for the Japanese national broadcaster NHK TV.
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Yasuaki Shimizu has worked with iconic Japanese comedian and director Hitoshi Matsumoto, scoring the films Symbol and Scabbard Samurai.
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In 2012 Yasuaki Shimizu collaborated with media artist Masaki Fujihata on his project Voices of Aliveness, a multimedia public recording, installation and performance for the Estuaire Biennale in Nantes, France.
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Yasuaki Shimizu has contributed to recordings by trumpeter Toshinori Kondo, DJ Dee Nasty, Bjork and others.