Zwei Musiker, die Weltruhm erlangten: Die japanische Pianistin Aki Takase, die mit vielen internationalen Topmusikern zusammenarbeitete - und der vielleicht größte Improvisator der Niederlande: Schlagzeuglegende Han Bennink.

Paul van Kemenade war in der Wendezeit (November 1989) mit Aki Takase auf Tournee durch Deutschland, und hat seitdem hin und wieder in verschiedenen Gruppen mit ihr gespielt.
Die Pianistin hat kürzlich erstmals ein Duo mit Han Bennink gespielt, und Van Kemenade hat mit den beiden Kollegen ein Trio formiert, das ebenfalls alle Duomöglichkeiten ausschöpft - mit Kompositionen Von Aki Takase und ihm selbst.

Die CD 'KAISEI NARI' (schönes Wetter), die diese Kombinationen dokumentiert, erschien im Mai 2012.

Aki Takase 1948 ( Pianist, composer ) Osaka, Japan.

She studied music at Tohogakuen Music University in Tokyo, performed and recorded in the USA / Japan with Lester Bowie, David Liebman, Cecil Mcbee , Bob Moses, Joe Henderson, John Zorn , Takeo Moriyama and Nobuyoshi Ino. She performed  repeatedly at the Berlin Jazz Festival in Germany where she since 1987 is living. Intensive works with Alexander von Schlippenbach ‘Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra‘, in Trio with Rashied Ali and Reggie Workman, in Stringquintet with Tristan Honsinger (a.o), W.C Handy Project with Fred Frith (a.o), in duets with David Murray, Maria Joao,  N. H.Ö. Pedersen  and others. She has been working ‘Plays Fats Waller‘, ‘New Blues‘ Projects with Eugene Chadbourne, Rudi Mahall, Nils Wogram and Paul Lovens. in duets with Han Bennink, Rudi Mahall, Louis Sclavis, and Alexander von Schlippenbach. ‘Reading and Music‘ with Yoko Tawada, Dance Project ‘Die Stadt im Klavier‘ (Chaconne) with Yui Kawaguchi. Berliner Zeitung Award  (the best Artists of 1999). 1997-2000 guest professor at Hanns Eisler music university in Berlin. ‘SWR Jazz‘ Award  2002, ‘German Record Critics‘ Award (1988- 2009).

Han Bennink 1942 ( Drummer, multi-instrumentalist, visual artist ) Zaandam, Netherlands

His first percussion instrument was a kitchen chair. In Holland in the 1960s, Bennink was quickly recognized as an uncommonly versatile drummer and accompanied American jazz stars, including Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Wes Montgomery, Johnny Griffin, Eric Dolphy and Dexter Gordon. At the same time, Bennink participated in the creation of a European improvised music which began to evolve a new identity, apart from its jazz roots. With fellow Dutch pioneers, pianist Misha Mengelberg and saxophonist Willem Breuker, he founded the musicians collective Instant Composer's Pool in 1967. Bennink is also a successful visual artist in several media and has exhibited his work all over the world. Many recordings with ICP  Orchestra (where he remains), Harry Miller, Steve Lacy, Roswell Rudd, George Lewis, Sean Bergin and Andy Sheppard, Clusone 3, Tobias Delius 4, duo concerts with Mengelberg, Irene Schweizer, Myra Melford, Eugene Chad-bourne, Dave Douglas and Ellery Eskelin. He still collaborates occasionally with jazz luminaries such as Johnny Griffin, Von Freeman and Ray Anderson. Han Bennink was presented with the European Jazz Prize of 2008.

Paul Van Kemenade 1957 ( Altosaxophonist, composer ) Rotterdam, Netherlands

He studied at the conservatory in Tilburg and Amsterdam and played in cabarets and nightclubs. Performed in bands such as Podium Trio, Vaalbleek, Berlin Contemporary Jazz orchestra (Ed Thigpen, Benny Bailey, Alex von Schlippenbach), Surinam Music Ensemble and performed with dance-projects, poets, painters and big bands. During the 1990s he tought hundreds of workshops and  played with Aki Takase, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Cornell Rochester, Kenny Wheeler, David Murray, Niko Langenhuijsen and Jasper van't Hof.

He recorded with the Metropole Orchestra, with South- and West African musicians Zim Ngqawa-na, Feya Faku, Les Frères Guissé and with David Linx, Eric Vloeimans, Michiel Braam. Projects with symfony orchestras, brassbands, flamenco music. He is director of the Stranger than Paranoia festival and leads his international band with a.o. Ray Anderson, plays duo with cellist Ernst Reijseger and pianist Stevko Busch, with whom he forms the quartet 'Fugara' with Markus Stockhausen and Markku Ounaskari; ‘Three horns and a bass’ and in trio with Aki Takase and Han Bennink. He has been presented with the Boy Edgar Prize in1999 and received a royal decoration in 2007. His CD 'CLOSE ENOUGH' received a 5-star rating in Downbeat Magazine.