Kazue Sawai plays Bass Koto

Japanese artist Kazue Sawai is probably the best-known koto player in the world. She lives in Tokyo, and has a large class of students from all over the world. She was kind enough to invite me to her studio in Tokyo one afternoon in late July, and played a mini-recital to demonstrate the capabilities of the koto. I was particularly struck by the bass koto, played flawlessly and with great passion and commitment in this brief video excerpt, generously offered by this magnificent artist.

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[@anabellik]

By the way, this piece is called "Hana ni naru" (華になる) and was composed by Tadao Sawai (her late husband).

[@shingi085]

I love how freely she experiments here; you can almost sense her picking up onto an idea at 3:40, discarding it to search around a bit more, having an 'aha' moment and nailing it at around 4:55, see-sawing between delicate and harsh passages all the while. What a dynamic and ferocious animal this bass koto is, she seems to be saying!

[@Shaolinh808]

She looks like a maniac when playing but the is beyond amazing. So skilled

[@RusticRaver]

try playing in 1.5 speed, looks like that film the ring.

[@anabellik]

Out of all contemporary koto types, 17-stringed is by far the most inspiring. Maybe it's the deepness of the sound or the variety of sounds it produces, but I'm absolutely in love with it. I played mostly 13-stringed koto in Japan and brought back one to my country, but now I really regret I didn't choose the bass koto instead.

[@leond4164]

She is a very talented musician and when she plays her late husbands compositions I get emotional, they say music is the art of the soul and she has mastered this many times over

[@faktablad]

The instrument thanks her.

[@jonathanjackgoodman2764]

That was awesome!! It almost felt like a piece from Rachmaninoff. Dark and intense just at the edge of losing control. Bravo.

[@IdealInsomnia]

Had a rare chance to see her playing live at St. Petersburg. That was awesome! Her son Hikaru is a wonderful musician too.

[@colliecandle]

Instrument and player are as one - magnificent and a true pleasure for ear and mind.

[@Arrancargod]

Amazing playing and walk off like a boss!

[@Anaikimaru]

Loved watching this. Thank you!

[@JobCambronero]

Thank you for sharing, this is an amazing piece of art as a whole

[@shohom67]

Wow!! She is so talented. I'm a musician myself. I wish I could see a view from the top looking down, so I can see the entire instrument. I love to watch the strings move after they are plucked/strummed. Just thought. Thank you so much!

[@pygmymarmoset4007]

Incredible! Thank you!

[@wjstephens4654]

Wonderful. A world class musician bringing a unique sound and perspective.

[@cyclonefury27]

Without shame, I can honestly say that she can make tears well in my eyes. She inspires me.

[@rineric3214]

Wow! Absolutely amazing!

[@BlaringSIREN]

An absolutely stunning performance

[@omigoshwayde]

This is absolutely brilliant.

[@Ukemodo]

this is simply magnificent music, i love it!!

[@Chhazam]

I love it!!

[@MichaelHeroin]

The very first pluck took my breath away, this is amazing!

[@birdyteachchinese]

Fantastic!

[@numofan]

Yes... she is *the* champion of the bass koto, and its most accomplished player to date.

[@sisterdiggins]

She is just incredible!

[@ytcomposer]

Holy cow! You got Kazue Sawai on video in the front row? ...and only 679 views so far? I'm sharing this vid with everyone I know RIGHT NOW. Thank you for this vid.

[@patrickiocunningham]

1 single stroke of the koto makes for a great sound. I want one

[@MicheleoTuTo]

I really love this woman. In every single mouvement.

[@refriedboogie]

The jimi hendrix of koto music

[@dezsanderson]

Great, best wishes from England

[@joseteano6492]

she is SO cool.

[@Blackbeard235]

damn shes the real deal

[@leond4164]

I have seen people refer to her as the "Jimmy Hendrix" of eastern music and I can see why lol ;)

[@FISHMUSIC4U]

I'm feelin' it too, the waves are reaching the shore...

[@PinkIllimani]

Beutiful, magic

[@xijack]

I've got a new respect for the Koto

[@faxanadu13]

I want to learn how to play

[@freakystyley4000]

Ikebana... origami... tea ceremonies... it's about time Japan got BRUTAL!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Koto!!!!!!!

[@alexyang8440]

lmao

[@marvinthemaniac7698]

Arigato Kazue-sama!

[@m34nb34n]

Cool

[@hitohiso]

「起ったまま滅す寝子」 沢井一恵の振舞は、時に氷結する氣胎であろうか。 未だ知らぬ体が疼く・・・・

[@soundstreams]

@audiowiz We totally agree with you!

[@laurencematthews6907]

This makes me want to play tenchu

[@basslvck]

WOW

[@LeKongz]

GOOD

[@faxanadu13]

I listen to this video a lot. Very moody.

[@faxanadu13]

still one of my favorites. Brings out the tengu in my dreams.

[@lymehausdj8]

transcendent

[@biskitsshafillion9094]

It's also a difficult one to learn and it's easy to make it sound awful. This is flawless

[@MicheleoTuTo]

Sure, I LOVE you!

[@monkeybroth]

@slyglen i totally agree, im hearing a death metal cover in my head already

[@theveganninjamaster6542]

I like the harmonics she used. at 0:49

[@soundstreams]

@Davick119 That's a great comment, indeed.

[@Cult_of_the_Mantis]

Needs more love, too many people like too much generic pop music. I've found this Koto preset synthesis sound I keep using but I absolutely love the sound of the real thing, it's just spacious and expensive 😂

[@LeKongz]

USUALLY i listen hip hop and ten percent other music , and this is very , very very goos

[@jaejara]

holy improvisation

[@soundstreams]

@jaejara We couldn't have said it better!

[@deaddegenerategeneration7441]

Just wanted to be in these comments

[@PhillipThunderGrunge]

holy Jeebus...that is musicianship

[@markenfield319]

A master at her instrument!!

[@kavedude]

holy bass harmonics batman

[@visionsofthehorizon]

this is great! i wanna know the title of this piece though.:D

[@jiclxibad]

y este es para alimentar tu razón !

[@beboppalooka9897]

She's a master!!

[@visionsofthehorizon]

is this just improvisation? or if it is a composed work, may i know the title and the composer of the work?

[@mchelo1979]

Heavier than heavy metal

[@87HAL9000]

Excuse me, who is the composer of this piece?

[@mydearamy]

So much anger and turbulence in this piece. Beautiful and sad.

[@lamblatte8139]

Now slap it

[@giorgi-b5f]

..................!!!!!

[@StatutoryTape]

Spellbound is what I am.

[@Phobos2085]

It seems like she takes influences from a LOT of different sources for this performance. It most certainly isn't what I'd call traditional. So much emotion in it as well.

[@fortyfourcaliber]

Holy shit, you're right! Haha

[@smloveskittycats]

@visionsofthehorizon this man has a question

[@presleylouis1999]

Im here because of Jimi Hendrix

[@midibass1]

Missing a housebeat.

[@SPS148669]

Not very many Japanese people play Koto's or Asian-violin anymore as the the European Piano and European Violin is all the rage in Asia these days.

[@silentplummet]

I was invited to have midnight dinner with her and a student (Masayo Ishigure) at a Waffle House after a performance... and I declined... I regret it to this day

[@kelceyowens6296]

Even souds ammazing in low quality

[@utubeleplague]

i want that massage on my back

[@sitarnut]

Wiped out...... almost beyond comprehension.....

[@franciscoj.rodriguez243]

8 dislikes.