Hamid Drake & Yuko Oshima

(USA / Japan)

German premiere

[Fokus: Chicago]

This concert is part of “GRAND OPENING: Haus of Jazz”

The differences in nature, physique, individual history and cultural background that come together in this duo create the fuel that will generate a captivating, cohesive dynamic and a unifying spirit. Japanese artist Yuko Oshima, who lives and works in France, and Hamid Drake, an African-American musician in constant motion, crossing the oceans from his home base in Chicago. The spirited Japanese drummer with her unique style has conquered her very own creative field beyond the beaten track (for example, with the duo Donkey Monkey). Reaching out to other artists, Oshima accesses the explosiveness and creative power of border areas. It is not surprising that she encountered and began collaborating with Hamid Drake, this universal spirit and extraordinary, battle-tried veteran of music on both sides of the Atlantic. His vibrations range from Sufi chants and Sardinian polyphony to deep blues and Caribbean reggae, to frenetic, free sound-expeditions and the cosmos of Nordic sounds – over decades of musical practise, he has managed to connect these different worlds. The percussion-discussion between these two artists is truly something to behold.