MUSIC – CDs
28.06.2024 | digital release: Masako Ohta – Solo EP
Masako Ohta: "Solo EP"
Composed by Matthias Lindermayr
"During the recordings with pianist Masako Ohta and trumpet player Matthias Lindermayr, for what is going to be their follow-up album to 2022's 'MMMMH', we were lucky enough to capture a few solo takes from Masako which will be released in digital format. The Solo EP offers three pieces written by Matthias and a heartfelt rendition of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s Hibari. The songs project melancholic calm paired with joyful improvisation and the music rewards the focussed and the absent-minded listener alike." [Squama]
Masako Ohta: "Solo EP"
squamarecordings.com/release/solo-ep
Artist: Masako Ohta – Release Date 28.06.2024
03:00 Agora
03:46 Hatsuhinode
04:42 Hibari
03:58 Shizuku
10.05.2024 | Solo-Single "Hatsuhinode": the first sunrise of the New Year
"Hatsuhinode" 初日の出 : 🌄 the first sunrise of the New Year
Composed by Matthias Lindermayr
"I'm excited to share some wonderful news from our recent studio sessions!
While we were busy recording our upcoming album—a sequel to "MMMMH"—we captured some enchanting solo performances by the incredibly talented Masako Ohta. We couldn't resist turning these into something special, so we're releasing the "Masako Ohta - Solo EP".
This EP includes three original pieces I wrote, plus a heartfelt rendition of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s "Hibari," all beautifully executed by Masako. It’s perfect for those who appreciate the subtle interplay of melancholy and joyous improvisation in music.
The first single, "Hatsuhinode," is out now and available for streaming. You can find the link right here:
https://lnk.to/masako_ohta
A huge thank you goes to Noël Riedel, Martin Ruch, Martin Brugger and Maximilian Schachtner for their incredible work on this project.
Looking forward to sharing this beautiful music with all of you. Stay tuned and let me know what you think of the first single!"
Matthias Lindermayr
www.youtube.com/watch?v=niSQh2FzXi0
The album “Mmmmh” was released in autumn 2022
Masako Ohta & Matthias Lindermayr – "Mmmmh"
BR-Klassik: “Album of the Month” and “Top Ten Jazz Albums 2022”
The album "Mmmmh" was nominated for "Instrumental Album of the Year".
Ohta and Lindermayr are two Munich-based artists who have both worked on a variety of projects. The two met in 2019 at the award ceremony for the City of Munich's Music Promotion Prize. They decided to improvise together, freely and full of spontaneity. They continued to take this intuitive approach when recording their music in the studio.
The Japanese Masako Ohta is a classical pianist with a very broad musical horizon and a penchant for experimentation. Coincidence brought her together with the renowned Munich jazz trumpeter Matthias Lindermayr at an awards ceremony in 2019. In 2022, a spontaneous duo became a CD project with “harmoniously concise miniatures from which soulful improvisations develop...only short topics are defined, everything else arises from the moment and the atmosphere” (BR). Two musical worlds create a sound with a lot of space, intensity, wonderful harmony and attractive dissonances. Calm sounds and relaxed tempos determine the dialogues. For the BR, Ohta and Lindermayr are “one of the most exciting musical constellations in the current scene”. (Kallmann Museum)
Album Information (in German): Album-Mmmmh-Ohta-Lindermayr
More: Pressetext Ohta-Lindermayr (PDF-german) and Ohta-Lindermayr-Biografien (PDF-german)
Information & ordering: squamarecordings.com/release/mmmmh
The album "MY JAPANESE HEART" was released in summer 2020
MASAKO OHTA – "MY JAPANESE HEART"
Nominated for the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik 4/2020"
"Jury Zeitgenössische Musik"
Masako Ohta presents an unprecedentedly daring insight into the Japanese musical world from the 17th century to today.
Thanks to Japan's temporary isolation and special island position, cultural characteristics are preserved that are still present in contemporary music.
Japanese music from past centuries and commissioned compositions interpreted on a concert grand piano: tradition, folk song and the art of composition become one.
Masako Ohta receives the Music Prize of the City of Munich.
The Munich-based pianist takes us on a musical journey through time and invites us to experience extraordinary compositions from four centuries from the land of the rising sun. Sound creations of great Japanese composers such as Kengyo Yatsuhashi from the 17th century, Kengyo Yoshizawa from the 19th century, Toru Takemitsu from the 20th century as well as Toshio Hosokawa and Fumio Yasuda from the present are telling us about springtime at the sea, the rain tree, the singing of birds and dances of distant islands.
Informationen by Winter & Winter:
Press "My Japanese Heart" (PDF-english)
More: CD-My Japanese Heart English
Information & ordering:
www.masako-ohta.de/CD-Bestellung.html
The "POETRY ALBUM" was released in 2018
MASAKO OHTA – "POETRY ALBUM"
Behind every work there is a relationship - sometimes secret, sometimes far too short, sometimes lifelong.
The “Poetry Album” presents compositions for the piano written by composers from Takemitsu to Bach, recorded on a C. Bechstein concert grand piano during one weekend in the autumn of 2017 at the Waldhaus Grandsberg, a space created for enjoying intimate music.
Japanese pianist Masako Ohta devotes herself to classical and contemporary classical music. She studied the piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, the University of the Arts Berlin and also with György Sebök, András Schiff and György Kurtag. Masako Ohta, who delved deeply into the poetry of the sound from Japan and Europe, compiled the musical declarations of love for the “Poetry Album” together with producer Stefan Winter.
More: www.winterandwinter.com/index.php?id=2120
Information & ordering: www.winterandwinter.com/index.php?id=5