Asuka Kakitani, Japanese Composer, Releases Solo Percussion Album Twelve Months in Minnesota Featuring Eri Isomura On June 30th, 2023

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Asuka Kakitani,Japanese Composer,Releases Solo Percussion AlbumTwelve Months in MinnesotaFeaturing Eri IsomuraOn June 30th, 2023
For Immediate Release – Minneapolis, MN – Japanese composer Asuka Kakitani releases her solo-percussion album, Twelve Months in Minnesota, inspired by nature in Minnesota on June 30th, 2023. Described as “[a] musical impressionist and supreme colorist” by Hot House Magazine, Kakitani’s deep love for nature inspires her to transform her vision into musical stories. Her mostly-programmatic music results from the inspiration evoked by her surroundings interweaved with her perspectives and imagination.The album consists of twelve pieces representing every month of the year performed by virtuosic Twin-cities-based percussionist Eri Isomura. The album opens with a marimba solo piece, November, in which Kakitani invokes a scene of dancing sprites. June, another solo marimba piece subtitled Shiny Wet Green, portrays the fresh green in the month of June. In September, Kakitani emulates the sound of raindrops with bongos, log drums, and woodblocks, and a long superball rub on bass drums evokes the sound of melting ice in March. In April and December, listeners can experience Isomura’s virtuosic marimba skills, and in January, subtitled White Big Evil, Kakitani depicts Minnesota’s severe winter with tom and bass drums emulating Japanese taiko drums. In August: So Quiet, Kakitani imagines the middle of a hot day in August when no one is on the streets. The single vibraphone piece on the album, July: Lost in the Deep Woods, is entirely bowed, and in it, Kakitani expresses her fondness for nearby woods. There are also three lovely short improvisations (February, October, and May ) by Isomura using triangles, clay pots, and kalimba.
June from New Release,Twelve Months in Minnesota
Listen to the Full Album HERE
Composer Asuka Kakitani photo by Hanayo Takai
ALBUM INFORMATION
Pre-Orders are available on BandcampTwelve Months in Minnesota for solo percussion1. November (Dance of the White Sprites) marimba 3:292. June (Shiny Wet Green) marimba 3:503. February (Improvisation) triangles and crotales 1:574. September (Dance of the Raindrops) bongos, log drums, and woodblocks 2:505. August (So Quiet) marimba 6:116. March (Melting Ice) crotales, cymbal, and bass drum 6:067. October (Improvisation) clay pots 1:498. April (Slow but Coming) marimba 6:099. January (White Big Devil) tom and bass drum 4:3710. July (Lost in the Deep Woods) vibraphone 7:5211. December (First Snow) marimba 4:2812. May (Improvisation) kalimba 1:24Eri Isomura, percussionRecorded at Wild Sound Studio, Minneapolis, Minnesota, on August 22 and 23, 2022.Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Steve KaulProduced by Asuka Kakitani and Scott L. MillerCover art by Kelsey OseidPhotography by Bryan MurrayAsuka Kakitani is a fiscal year 2022 recipient of a Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature; and by a grant fromthe National Endowment for the Arts.
ABOUT COMPOSER – Asuka Kakitani
Japanese-born composer Asuka Kakitani’s deep love for nature inspires her to transform her vision into musical stories. Her mostly-programmatic music results from the inspiration evoked by her surroundings interweaved with her perspectives and imagination. Kakitani’s projects span jazz big bands, orchestras, chamber ensembles, and soloists. Kakitani was described as “[a] musical impressionist and supreme colorist” (Hot House Magazine) and her music as “the overflowing world of inspirational melody” (DownBeat Magazine) and “absolutely superb” (All About Jazz). Kakitani has been the recipient of grants, fellowships, and awards, including the New Music USA Creator Fund, the Eighth Blackbird Creative Lab, the ACF McKnight Composer Fellowship, the JFund for New Music Award (now ACF | create), the Composer Assistance Grants, the BMI Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize, Brooklyn Arts Council Grant, and Minnesota State Arts Board Grants.

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