English

At the beginning of her solo concerts, Aragaki Mutsumi invites her audience to journey with her into another world of Okinawan music. It’s a voyage into her Okinawa, evoked through the expert sound of her sanshin playing, the rich expression of her voice, and the mesmerising atmospheres created by both natural and electronic soundscapes.

Mutsumi studied the traditional Okinawa string instrument sanshin and the island’s classical singing tradition under the tutelage of two great masters of Okinawan music, Fukuhara Chouki and Fukuhara Kyouko.

Aragaki Mutsumi is part of Final Descent’s Artist in Residency 2025, where three Japanese musicians will visit Copenhagen Jazz Festival with solo performances and exciting new collaborations. The residency program is supported by Toyota Foundation and The Danish Arts Council.

Joel Illerhag (born 1985) is a Danish/Swedish double bass player and sculptor. In 2013 he graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Music and in 2018 he graduated as a soloist. Illerhag is a a part of the Danish jazz scene and has contributed to award winning albums. Illerhags sculptures are inspired by U-ram Choe and often explores mechanical and computerized movements as well as interactivity. His aesthetics have an international expression and a musical sensitivity to the collaboration between shape, movement and material.

Makiko Hirabayashi is a Japanese pianist and composer, based in Copenhagen since 1990. She has received wide critical acclaim as a personal voice on the international jazz scene since the release of her debut album as a leader in 2006. Throughout the last two dacades, she has toured extensively across Europe and Asia with Makiko Hirabayashi Trio featuring Marilyn Mazur and Klavs Hovman, her quartet – Weavers and as a solo pianist. 

Danish

Aragaki Mutsumis solokoncerter er en rejse ind i Okinawas rige musiktradition – set med kontemporære øjne. Gennem sit virtuose sanshin-spil og den rige udtrykskraft i sin stemme skaber hun elektroakustiske universer, hvor akustisk folkemusik møder elektroniske klangfarver.

Mutsumi har studeret det traditionelle okinawanske strengeinstrument sanshin samt øens klassiske sangtradition under vejledning af to store mestre i okinawansk musik, Fukuhara Chouki og Fukuhara Kyouko.

Aragaki Mutsumi er en del af Final Descent’s Artist in Residency 2025, hvor tre japanske musikere gæster Copenhagen Jazz Festival med solokoncerter og spændende nye samarbejder. Residencyprogrammet er støttet af Toyota Fonden og Statens Kunstfond.