(born 31 January 1947) is a Japanese pianist and composer, who works in both jazz and art-music idioms.
Early life Kako was born in Osaka. He began playing piano at eight years old and learned to play jazz while in his teens.
Later life and career He attended the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music, receiving both his bachelor's (1965-1969) and master's in composition (1971) there. Upon graduating, he matriculated at the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied composition under Olivier Messiaen; concurrently, he played jazz in clubs, beginning a long-term association with Kent Carter and Oliver Johnson as a trio. He played with Noah Howard, Masahiko Togashi, and Steve Lacy in the 1970s, and with Togashi again as a duo in the early 1980s. Starting in the mid-1980s, he increasingly moved toward playing solo piano, although he occasionally toured with ensembles as well.
In addition to his performance career, Kako has worked extensively as a composer. He has written scores for traditional ensembles and for film and television, including the 1998 film The Quarry.
Discography As Emergency (with Bob Reid, Boulou Ferré, Glenn Spearman, Sabu Toyozumi) Homage to Peace (America, 1973) - Recorded in 1972
As leader/co-leader with Mototeru Takagi (Nadja, 1974) - live (Trio, 1976) (Trio, 1976) (Trio, 1977) - recorded in 1976 Night Music (Sun, 1977) - recorded in 1974 (Trio, 1977) - live TOK with Oliver Johnson, Kent Carter (Trio, 1978) El Al with Toshiyuki Miyama and his New Herd (Union, 1979) Valencia with Masahiko Togashi (Trio, 1980) (Baybridge, 1984) Twilight Monologues with Masahiko Sato, Aki Takase, Ichiko Hashimoto (Lunatic, 1984) Solo Concert (Insights, 1985) Poesie (CBS/Sony, 1986) (CBS/Sony, 1986) Scrawl (CBS/Sony, 1987) Kenji (CBS/Sony, 1988) (CBS/Sony, 1989) (CBS/Sony, 1990) Estampe Sonore (CBS/Sony, 1991) (Sony/Epic, 1992) (Sony/Epic, 1992) (TriStar Music, 1993) (Epic/Sony, 1996) (Sony/Epic, 1998) (Sony, 1999) (Sony, 2004) (Avex Classics, 2006) (Avex-Classics, 2007) Qualtet (Avex Classics, 2010) with Mototeru Takagi, Sabu Toyozumi (Kaitai, 2012) with Mototeru Takagi, Sabu Toyozumi (Kaitai, 2012)
Soundtracks NHK Special Original Soundtrack (Escalier, 1995; Excerpt on YouTube) Original Soundtrack From The Motion Picture (Sony Music Media, 1998) Shiki-Jitsu (式日) Original Soundtrack (Studio Kajino, 2000) Original Soundtrack (Toho, 2001) Original Soundtrack (Toho, 2002) Original Soundtrack (Fuji TV, 2004) Original Soundtrack (Avex Trax, 2008) Original Soundtrack (2014)
References
Kazunori Sugiyama, "Takashi Kako". The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. 2nd edn, ed. Barry Kernfeld.