Yasuaki Shimizu

Yasuaki Shimizu

Yasuaki Shimizu is a Japanese composer, saxophonist and producer. He is known for his interpretations of J.S. Bach, especially his re-arrangement of the Cello Suites 1-6 for tenor saxophone.

Career

From 1981, he composes, produces or arranges for a wide range of artists, including jazz vocalist Helen Merrill, composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and DJ Towa Tei. He lives and works in Tokyo, London and Paris, and in Paris he is a member of Urban Sax.

Recordings and style

His album Music for Commercials, a collection of melodies originally used as television jingles, is released in 1987. His work is associated with jazz, experimental and ambient music, and with the minimalist new-wave fusion sound that develops in Japan in the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.