Atzko Kohashi, who currently resides in Amsterdam, is a Japanese born pianist with international background. By the age of 5, her musical path began by studying classical piano. During her university years studying Law at Keio University in Tokyo, she joined the college jazz big band and started gigging around Tokyo jazz scenes. From 1994-2001, Atzko lived in New York where she studied with the jazz master Steve Kuhn. Atzko has thus experienced three different cultures: Japanese, American and European. Such multicultural background has surely influenced her view on music and led to her unique musical style. “Warm, Natural and human” ”Still waters run deep” “Being neither too much nor too little, which seems something common with Zen philosophy”– critics describe the playing of pianist Atzko Kohashi. Whilst her musical root lies in Jazz, she adapts the melodies to her own voice.
After moving to Amsterdam in 2005, she formed a duo with Dutch bassist Frans van der Hoeven and released duo album Amstel Moments in 2009 and Waltz for Debby in 2013. She also made an album Dualtone with Drummer Sebastiaan Kaptein. Then all three musicians came together and produced the album Lujon. In 2013 and 2016, Atzko went on a tour in Japan as a duo and a trio.
In 2017 she released an album called Elegy with Russian classical cellist Maya Fridman in ÆON trio – jazz & classics cross-border. Atzko also released her first vinyl album Lost & Found accompanied by Dutch Surinamese singer Denise Jannah. Atzko and Denise succeeded a duo concert at DeLaMar Theater in Amsterdam in October 2020. She also works on the trio project with Dutch trumpeter Angelo Verploegen and bassist Tony Overwater, and the trio released the album called Virgo in 2019. In 2020 Atzko made a recording with Eddy Koopman, percussionist of Metropole Orchestra, and their album Sketches of Seasons was released in 2021.
She currently teamed up with bassist Tony Overwater as a duo, and their latest album Crescent was released both from Japanese and Dutch record labels. The album Crescent has been well received by many critics and fans both in Japan and Europe, as well as by classical music fans. Cresent was nominated Der Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (The German Record Critics’ Award 2/2022) and Dutch Edison Award (National category) 2022. Crescent was featured as one of the 10 Best jazz albums of 2022. This duo had a concert at Bimhuis, Amsterdam in December 2022, and has just finished a new recording, which will be released in the coming spring.
She has been particularly acclaimed for the beauty of her piano tone. Hence her albums have also been highly praised by both music lovers and audiophiles.
Atzko Kohashi
Atzko Kohashi, who currently resides in Amsterdam, is a Japanese born pianist with international background. By the age of 5, her musical path began by studying classical piano. During her university years studying Law at Keio University in Tokyo, she joined the college jazz big band and started gigging around Tokyo jazz scenes. From 1994-2001, Atzko lived in New York where she studied with the jazz master Steve Kuhn. Atzko has thus experienced three different cultures: Japanese, American and European. Such multicultural background has surely influenced her view on music and led to her unique musical style. “Warm, Natural and human” ”Still waters run deep” “Being neither too much nor too little, which seems something common with Zen philosophy”– critics describe the playing of pianist Atzko Kohashi. Whilst her musical root lies in Jazz, she adapts the melodies to her own voice.
After moving to Amsterdam in 2005, she formed a duo with Dutch bassist Frans van der Hoeven and released duo album Amstel Moments in 2009 and Waltz for Debby in 2013. She also made an album Dualtone with Drummer Sebastiaan Kaptein. Then all three musicians came together and produced the album Lujon. In 2013 and 2016, Atzko went on a tour in Japan as a duo and a trio.
In 2017 she released an album called Elegy with Russian classical cellist Maya Fridman in ÆON trio – jazz & classics cross-border. Atzko also released her first vinyl album Lost & Found accompanied by Dutch Surinamese singer Denise Jannah. Atzko and Denise succeeded a duo concert at DeLaMar Theater in Amsterdam in October 2020. She also works on the trio project with Dutch trumpeter Angelo Verploegen and bassist Tony Overwater, and the trio released the album called Virgo in 2019. In 2020 Atzko made a recording with Eddy Koopman, percussionist of Metropole Orchestra, and their album Sketches of Seasons was released in 2021.
She currently teamed up with bassist Tony Overwater as a duo, and their latest album Crescent was released both from Japanese and Dutch record labels. The album Crescent has been well received by many critics and fans both in Japan and Europe, as well as by classical music fans. Cresent was nominated Der Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (The German Record Critics’ Award 2/2022) and Dutch Edison Award (National category) 2022. Crescent was featured as one of the 10 Best jazz albums of 2022. This duo had a concert at Bimhuis, Amsterdam in December 2022, and has just finished a new recording, which will be released in the coming spring.
She has been particularly acclaimed for the beauty of her piano tone. Hence her albums have also been highly praised by both music lovers and audiophiles.
Discography
Elegy
Aeon Trio