Aki Takase and Japanic performed for the first time at Cemal Reşit Rey

Master pianist Aki Takase and her ensemble Japanic were met with great interest from music lovers as they gave their first concert at Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR).

Master pianist Aki Takase was accompanied during the concert by Daniel Erdmann on saxophone, DJ Illvibe on turntables, Johannes Fink on bass, and Magnus Narvesen on drums. Holding a pre-concert talk with musician, composer, and author Şevket Akıncı, the ensemble signed CDs following the event.

During the evening where DJ Illvibe's chopped and blended sounds from vinyl records joined the music as an instrument responding to the piano and saxophone, the artists greeted the audience by performing a halay dance. Aki Takase, the 78-year-old artist who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the German Jazz Awards in April 2026, shared her piano language nourished by jazz history through the collective improvisations of the quintet.

Stating that he is a big fan of Aki Takase, Şevket Akıncı remarked regarding the concert that the artist always does surprising work, the crew is very good, and Takase particularly enjoys working with wind instruments, especially saxophonist Daniel Erdmann.