Akira Horikoshi (Drums&Percussion)
Akira Horikashi was born April 24th, 1965 in Tokyo.
At age thirteen he begun playing drums. He studied under Kazuhilo Ebisawa and Syuichi "PONTA" Murakami. (They are Jazz musicians) He loves Japanese traditional music deeply from the influence of his father who is the master of "Japanese dancing".
Though the method of the jazz drum is his basic form, he is developing the original play style which exceeded all genres by mixing many elements such as Japanese music and folk music, also contemporary and classic freely.
He has been already going through various Units now, he interprets the play action as some necessary body performance, and he starts the project which has a theme to the search of the space production and the expression of the sound as an Asian. "TOHO-IBUN(東方異聞)" by the organization with the Japanese traditional instruments such as Satsuma biwa(a kind of lute), Japanese bamboo flute, and so on. The drum solo performance "SOLO-ist" which is the general space production that Masato's kinetic objects surrounded percussion instruments. He carries out original activities like these. He has two classes of drum school in Tokyo now.
1990
a professional debut as a member of "Yosuke Yamashita New Trio" (by the audition)
1991
Have tours both in Japan and in Europe
1992
Have a tour in Brazil , Argentine and Paraguay with the Japan Foundation Start playing with Mariko Ogawa and Pappa TARAHUMARA ( dance company with Masahiro Sugaya )
1993
CD release "PLAY GROUND" (polydole) "88 points whole Japanese country running through surviving tour" carrying out.
1994
A new activities start as "Yosuke Yamashita duo plus" (German /Belgian tour.)
Participate in CM music of Daihatsu Motor Co.,Ltd. "MOVE".
1995
Organize an own unit, and make a promotional video.
Participate in music part of performance "castle" of pappa TARAHUMARA.
1996
Participate in the "Takio Ito" band, who sings Japanese folk songs by fusing the Japanese music and the Western music.
1997
Participate in South America tour with the "Takio Ito" band by the dispatch of the Japan Fundation.
1998
Guest participation to the Japan tour of "Buenos Aires Neo Tango" which visited Japan from Argentina.
1999
Guest participation to "Pythagorean Party" Begin a Unit with the ethnic musician from Africa, Nepal, China.
2000
Organize an own unit "東方異聞 Tohoibun", the activities start.
Short-term studying abroad to "Drummer's collective" of New York.
Guest participation to "the Japan tour of Tango Volviendo" which visited Japan from Argentina again.
2001
Begin the collaboration that the play of the drum solo is a basic element with Masato Tanaka(as Kinetic Artist).
Participate in the sound track of the movie "助太刀屋助六". (Director/"Kihachi Okamoto", Music/"Yosuke Yamashita")
Album release for "Yoko Kobayashi(pianist) "Little things".
Participate in the tour "Solo play 2001" of "Hiro Tatekata" who is the star of "THE CONVOY".
Have a concert titled "東方異聞 Tohoibun with Mai" which merged hiw own "東方異聞) Tohoibun" and Noh music.
2002
Participate in the tour "Confession of Orpheus" by dancers Hiro Tatekata and Dai Sasaki.
Participate in a fringe festival held in Macao by "SOLO-ist".
Participate in the stage "RED" direcited and choreographed by Haruka Ueda.
Form a group "NEO.jp" with Hideki Ishima who plays his original guitar called "sitara", and keyboard player Jun Fukamachi.
2003
Paricipate in the jazz live tour of actress, Mari Natsuki.
Participating in the stage "Carmen" direcited and choreographed by Haruka Ueda.
Have a concert "Feast in midsummer" inviting Yosuke Yamashita as a guest player.
Present "SOLO-ist Romanticism", which is the broad interpretation of classical music.
Appear NHK's program "Kohaku Utagassen" with Takio Ito & TAKIO BAND.
2004
Have a concert "Heaven's voice, God's whisper and people's song" inviting folk song singer, Takio Ito as a guest player.
Present "SOLO-ist WAR CRY" having a string quartet and a swordist as guests.
Paritcipate a dinner show "Memories of Shoji Suzuki & Bennie Goodman" commemorating the 20th anniversary of Hilton Tokyo.
2005
Participate Yosuke Yamashita New Year Jazz Concert " Jazzman Chushingura " at Tokyo Opera City.
Paticipate Shanghai Jazz Festival with Yosuke Yamashita group.
Start " The WILL " with violinist Tsuyoshi Watanabe and keyboardist Jun Fukamachi.
Participate in Satoko Fujii unit.
Join the saxophone quartetto " ROVA "( from SanFrancisco ), and paticipate a tour of Europe Jazz Festival with them.
2006
Release his own group " The WILL " first album " INFINITY ORCHESTRA".
In June have a gig " Truth" ( New SOLO-ist's work )at Theater Tram.
In October realease " TOHO-IBUN " first album " A Strange Story from the Far East ".
Paticipate South Korea tour of TAKIO BAND.
2007
Start one-to-one lesson drum school " Drumming Arts Lavo ".
Participate in some dance performances , AMI Flamenco recital and REDxRED Soul Company.
Have a gig “long to be a musician“ at his alma mater Wakabayashi junior high school.
Participate in a drama group Pappa Tarahumara " Letters between Tokyo - Buenos Aires ".
Join a band "Happenings Four" in Okayama international music festival.
Participate in Satoko Fujii unit in Jazz Festival in Sydney and Melbourne.
2008
Have a performance with Masato Tanaka in Havana, Cuba.
Play at「Microsoft Conference2008」and write a tune for the opening act.
Paticipate in Expo Jazz Festival as " The Will ". Paticipate in Satoko Fujii quartet.
Participate in Drum contest in Taiwan " Drum battle in Taihoku " as a judge.
2009
Have a tour in Europe ( 13 gigs in 7countries) with ma-do Satoko Fujii.
Produce CD UTAGOKORO by a master of shakuhachi Satoshi Yoneya.
Play at a jazz festival in Ljubljana, Slovenija , and North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland.
Participate in Yokohama Jazz Promenade as The Will.
Participate in Keiki Shichijo hair show by the Chinese Governent in Tianjin.
Participate in Japanese drums event by Asano Taiko as director and player.
Form a group " LOTUS POSITION " with Akito Obama who plays Japanese bamboo flute.
2010
Have a tour with accordion player taca from Paris.
Have a tour in 11places as The Will.
Play with flute player Göran Månsson from Sweden at a Nordic folk music festival in Expo‘70 Commemorative Park.
The Will play with flamenco dancer AMI.
Play with Takio Ito at Bakumatsu Ishin festival in Tokyo.
Participate with Rhapsody with AMI triangulo & The Will as director and player in Ginza , Tokyo.
2011
Have a tour with Satoko Fijii ma-do in Australia, USA and Europe.
Participate with CD Crossmodal , pianist Masaki Hayashi , Stewmahn.
Participate in a musical , a story about Yves Montand , by Shigeo Owa at Mitsukoski Theatre.
Compose a tune for the opining act at "Microsoft Conference 2011".
Participate in AMI & Akira Horikoshi "Quartier Latin" at Hakuhinkan Theatre as director and player.
Play with Horn player Richard Todd from USA.
2012
Have a tour with accordion player taca , taca Wind of Legend.
Play with erhu player Chen Min.
Have a recording CD by rock keyboardist Nobuhiko Hara.
Participate in comtemporary dance performance"LINK" by Junko Kikuchi.
Have 2 drum schools in Tokyo including some classes for young people.