A Tango story from the land of the rising sun
The singer ANNA SAEKI comes from Japan, more precisely, from the island of Hokkaido, in the cold north of Japan.
Her artistic, creative talent was noticed very early. She was trained in classical Japanese dance, singing and Koto playing. But Anna's love for the traditional Japanese art forms did not keep her from being interested in other cultural worlds. It was the Argentinean tango that enchanted her and drew her in like magic. Since the tango had been an established art form in Japan since the early 20th century - there were numerous Japanese Orquesta Tipica and tango singers - Anna was able to tie into this tradition seamlessly. She sang classical Argentinean tangos in Spanish, new tangos in Japanese, and transformed internationally well-known folksongs into tangos. She recorded numerous albums in Japan throughout the years and filled the concert halls at home. And finally, her reputation made it to the home of the tango, Argentina. Several big orchestra directors, composers and musicians in the Argentinean world of tango became aware of Anna. They invited her to perform concerts in Buenos Aires and accompanied her with their famous orchestras.
In 2007, Anna Saeki celebrated her 20-year stage anniversary and she celebrated her friendship with the greats of Argentinean tango: Raúl Garello, Nicolás Ledesma, Horacio Ferrer and Leopoldo Federico. She recorded two new CDs with them in Buenos Aires: "Concierto de Anna - Clásica" and "Concierto de Anna - Moderna". With great success, she presented her new tango show in Japan and in Buenos Aires, New York, London, Paris and Berlin.
The two anniversary CDs appear in Europe as a double album and show two facets of this many-sided artist: the classical tango diva and the interpreter of modern tango. The particular fascination of her interpretations lies in the artistic bridging between two apparently contradicting cultures. Anna Saeki combines the expressiveness and passion of the Argentinean tango with the tenderness, grace and grandeur of her Japanese roots. Anna Saeki never copies; she creates her own style, her own distinctive tango with far-east flair.
No one can describe this in a more beautiful way than the great Horacio Ferrer: "La voz de Anna Saeki es como si fuera un perfume!"
After her second Europe tour ORIENTE Musik presented Anna Saeki's CD with songs from South East Asia that were so much appreciated by the audience as a "breaking up" of her Tango and Milonga program.
Folk songs and chansons from Japan, Corea, China, Thailand, Vietnam und Mongolia, carried into a Tango spirit with sensitivnesss and empathy. Pieces of art, somehow irrititating, tender and delicate, fragile and frisky.
DISCOGRAPHY
Tango clásico y moderno (Do-CD, 2008), RIENCD66
Negau - Songs from Asia (2009), RIENCD72