Ryuichi Sakamoto | Artist
Ryuichi Sakamoto was a Japanese musician, singer, composer, record producer, activist, writer, and actor born 1952 in Nakano, Tokyo. He is known for his early involvement with groundbreaking synth-pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra, and later for his experimental electronic works and award-winning film soundtracks. Sakamoto entered the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1970, earning a B.A. in music composition and an M.A. with special emphasis on both electronic and ethnic music. He studied ethnomusicology with the intention of becoming a researcher in the field, due to his interest in various world music traditions, particularly the Japanese, Okinawan, Indian, and African musical traditions. He was also trained in classical music and began experimenting with the electronic music equipment available at the university, including synthesizers such as the Buchla, Moog, and ARP. Sakamoto began his career while at university in the 1970s as a session musician, producer, and arranger. After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as electropop/technopop, synthpop, cyberpunk music, ambient house, and electronica. YMO disbanded in 2012 leaving seven studio albums, plus live albums, EP's and Singles. Sakamoto released his first solo album Thousand Knives of Ryūichi Sakamoto in mid-1978 with the help of Hideki Matsutake—Hosono also contributed to the song "Thousand Knives". The album experimented with different styles fusing electronic music with traditional Japanese music. His prolific recording career produced over 90 studio albums, incluing solo works, collaborations and soundtracks. He collaborated with David Sylvian, David Byrne, Bill Laswell, Fennesz, and Alva Noto, among others. Outstanding albums include Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto (1978), B-2 Unit (1980), Ongaku zukan (1984), 1996 (1996), BTTB (1999), Asynch (2017), and 12 (2023), plus the soundtracks for films Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (1983), The Last Emperor (1987), The Revenant (2015), and Monster (2023). For The Last Emperor he won the Academy Award for Best Original Score, making him the first Japanese composer to win an Academy Award. Sakamoto also acted in several films: perhaps his most notable performance was as the conflicted Captain Yonoi in Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, alongside Takeshi Kitano and British rock singer David Bowie. He also played roles in The Last Emperor (as Masahiko Amakasu) and Madonna's "Rain" music video. In 2005 Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia hired Sakamoto to compose ring and alert tones for their high-end phone, the Nokia 8800. Ryuichi Sakamoto crossed numerous musical and cultural boundaries throughout his groundbreaking, highly accomplished career.
Artist Website: sitesakamoto.com
Featured Albums: Ryuichi Sakamoto
Related Artists: Yellow Magic Orchestra, Jaques Morelenbaum, Virginia Astley
Collections: Music Visionaries
