takashi KAMIDE

Camera and recording : Jorge Samhueza-Lyon
playing at Convention canter in Austin TX

You can watch Movie from Link!!! - Austin Statesman

Camera and recording : Jorge Samhueza-Lyon
playing at Convention canter in Austin TX

You can watch Movie from Link!!! - Austin Statesman

It may be hard to imagine the accordion as a dominant instrument outside the kitsch of polka music, but Japanese-born takashi KAMIDE, who originally trained as a classical pianist, is determined to prove otherwise. Utilizing a modern “free-base” accordion as the lead amid a template of post-modern jazz, he manages to redefine its persona as the “vocalist” of his arrangements. There’s a domineering melancholy—if not downright darkness—amid most of the songs on his third album “Solo Solo Accordion,” released in late 2009 (following the 2009 EP “My Grandfather’s Clock” and 2008’s “KAMIDE”), perhaps his way of flushing out a lifetime of tenacious health problems. Album opener “Liber Tango” certainly grabs one’s attention, sounding like an undercurrent from “The Phantom of the Opera” songbook, with a dank, disturbing assault on the senses, boosted by dramatic echo and a chilling organ; while “Passion” adds weeping violin to cast another moody, mournful musical façade. “Egotism” is among the most intriguing of the lot, a cacophony of dissonance, blending sax, percussion and a seemingly unhinged blur of emotion from KAMIDE’s squeezebox. “Yin & Yang,” again, is like traveling down train tracks through a never-ending tunnel of darkness. But at last, “Dragon Fish” sheds some light on the project, with a sexy jazz-infused samba, utilizing bongos, bass and sax alongside the artist’s swaying accordion. “Solo Solo Accordion” is not for the faint of heart. It is intense, moody and driven by raw emotion. But the artist's appearance at SXSW in 2010 and praising press from the likes of Vents, IAE, Street Thoughts and Sonic Eclectic—and a nod as MusicZeitgeist.com’s Indie Artist of the Month—proves that there’s method (and an audience) to KAMIDE’s madness. - Billboard Discoveries

It may be hard to imagine the accordion as a dominant instrument outside the kitsch of polka music, but Japanese-born takashi KAMIDE, who originally trained as a classical pianist, is determined to prove otherwise. Utilizing a modern “free-base” accordion as the lead amid a template of post-modern jazz, he manages to redefine its persona as the “vocalist” of his arrangements. There’s a domineering melancholy—if not downright darkness—amid most of the songs on his third album “Solo Solo Accordion,” released in late 2009 (following the 2009 EP “My Grandfather’s Clock” and 2008’s “KAMIDE”), perhaps his way of flushing out a lifetime of tenacious health problems. Album opener “Liber Tango” certainly grabs one’s attention, sounding like an undercurrent from “The Phantom of the Opera” songbook, with a dank, disturbing assault on the senses, boosted by dramatic echo and a chilling organ; while “Passion” adds weeping violin to cast another moody, mournful musical façade. “Egotism” is among the most intriguing of the lot, a cacophony of dissonance, blending sax, percussion and a seemingly unhinged blur of emotion from KAMIDE’s squeezebox. “Yin & Yang,” again, is like traveling down train tracks through a never-ending tunnel of darkness. But at last, “Dragon Fish” sheds some light on the project, with a sexy jazz-infused samba, utilizing bongos, bass and sax alongside the artist’s swaying accordion. “Solo Solo Accordion” is not for the faint of heart. It is intense, moody and driven by raw emotion. But the artist's appearance at SXSW in 2010 and praising press from the likes of Vents, IAE, Street Thoughts and Sonic Eclectic—and a nod as MusicZeitgeist.com’s Indie Artist of the Month—proves that there’s method (and an audience) to KAMIDE’s madness. - Billboard Discoveries

If you’re looking for something different in the world of over-processed musical pap, and pop starlets lip synching, then look no further than Takashi Kamide from Japan. Kamide who started out on classical and jazz piano, decided to switch to a very underused and instrument in today’s music culture, the accordion. While this may seem strange to most people, one listen to his songs will dispel any doubt. Like the calming waves of “a child is born“, to the melancholy dissonance of “mermaid”, to a cover of the Beatles song “Norwegian Wood” that shows the contemporary ability of the instrument in its psychedelic journey. Thus, on the basis of originality alone, you should give Kamide before musical ingenuity drowns in the mirror- image sameness of today’s musical climate.
Cody Blevins - Vents Magazine

If you’re looking for something different in the world of over-processed musical pap, and pop starlets lip synching, then look no further than Takashi Kamide from Japan. Kamide who started out on classical and jazz piano, decided to switch to a very underused and instrument in today’s music culture, the accordion. While this may seem strange to most people, one listen to his songs will dispel any doubt. Like the calming waves of “a child is born“, to the melancholy dissonance of “mermaid”, to a cover of the Beatles song “Norwegian Wood” that shows the contemporary ability of the instrument in its psychedelic journey. Thus, on the basis of originality alone, you should give Kamide before musical ingenuity drowns in the mirror- image sameness of today’s musical climate.
Cody Blevins - Vents Magazine

Music Zeitgeist chose the artist known as KAMIDE as the June 2010 Indie Artist of the Month, fresh from his debut showcase at Austin’s South By Southwest Music Conference. We had the opportunity to interview him and here is what we got:

Music Zeitgeist: Where in the world are you based?

I live in Japan, in the very beautiful city of Nara near Kyoto.

MZ: What inspired you to take up the accordion?

Because I practiced piano every day when I was young, when I picked up the accordion it felt like it could be a hobby. But when I heard Richard Galliano and Stegan Hussong playing an accordion, I realized it was not just a hobby, but that it had many other possibilities.

In fact, I am not using a standard accordion, but instead something called a “free base system.”

(The old accordion is from the 40’s or 50’s and the buttons are shell, not plastic, that’s why I love it.)

MZ: Listening to your music evokes so many genres, moods and eras not typically associated with traditional accordion music. Who are other influences?

As I mentioned I started really to play the accordion after listening to Richard Galliano and Stefan Hussong, but it was Keith Jarrett that inspired me the most. He plays so many styles of music that he seems like different people, but the emotion he invests is always of the same depth. His music goes into the center of his emotion and then he channels that out to move his audiences. I wanted to attain that same effect, that sound, using the accordion.

MZ: Talk about where and how you go about recording your music?

I recorded all the albums in my private studio using a very old Mac that is about fifteen years old. [smiles] Ironically I use my new Mac book for the internet.

MZ: You played the SXSW festival in Austin in 2010, tell us about your showcase

That was the first time I had ever been to SXSW. It was a fantastic experience for me. I didn’t really have a lot of time to prepare for my show. If I have a chance to do it again I will be more organized for that festival.

MZ: Where will you playing live next?

I play a small cafe in Japan every month. But my larger plans include the release of a new album on September 22nd of this year, and another October 27th. One of them consists of classical solo accordion music the other not only accordion but also piano and many other instruments. All of the material consists of my original compositions.
- Music Zeitgeist

Music Zeitgeist chose the artist known as KAMIDE as the June 2010 Indie Artist of the Month, fresh from his debut showcase at Austin’s South By Southwest Music Conference. We had the opportunity to interview him and here is what we got:

Music Zeitgeist: Where in the world are you based?

I live in Japan, in the very beautiful city of Nara near Kyoto.

MZ: What inspired you to take up the accordion?

Because I practiced piano every day when I was young, when I picked up the accordion it felt like it could be a hobby. But when I heard Richard Galliano and Stegan Hussong playing an accordion, I realized it was not just a hobby, but that it had many other possibilities.

In fact, I am not using a standard accordion, but instead something called a “free base system.”

(The old accordion is from the 40’s or 50’s and the buttons are shell, not plastic, that’s why I love it.)

MZ: Listening to your music evokes so many genres, moods and eras not typically associated with traditional accordion music. Who are other influences?

As I mentioned I started really to play the accordion after listening to Richard Galliano and Stefan Hussong, but it was Keith Jarrett that inspired me the most. He plays so many styles of music that he seems like different people, but the emotion he invests is always of the same depth. His music goes into the center of his emotion and then he channels that out to move his audiences. I wanted to attain that same effect, that sound, using the accordion.

MZ: Talk about where and how you go about recording your music?

I recorded all the albums in my private studio using a very old Mac that is about fifteen years old. [smiles] Ironically I use my new Mac book for the internet.

MZ: You played the SXSW festival in Austin in 2010, tell us about your showcase

That was the first time I had ever been to SXSW. It was a fantastic experience for me. I didn’t really have a lot of time to prepare for my show. If I have a chance to do it again I will be more organized for that festival.

MZ: Where will you playing live next?

I play a small cafe in Japan every month. But my larger plans include the release of a new album on September 22nd of this year, and another October 27th. One of them consists of classical solo accordion music the other not only accordion but also piano and many other instruments. All of the material consists of my original compositions.
- Music Zeitgeist