Credits:

Wolfgang Schulz

Description:

Japanese Artist Masanori Takumi Wins 65th Grammy Award(R)!
Composer and arranger Masanori Takumi's solo album "Sakura," released on September 1 under the name "Masa Takumi," won the Grammy Award(R) for Best Global Music Album at the 65th Grammy Awards ceremony(R) held on February 6, 2023, Japan time. The Grammy Awards were held on February 6, 2023, Japan time.

This is the first time that a Japanese artist has won in the Global Music (formerly World Music) category. The Grammy recognized Takumi's work, which was created primarily with traditional Japanese instruments and fuses the aesthetics of Japanese culture with the sounds of the United States. Takumi said, "I am proud to receive this prestigious award as a Japanese composer. I would like to thank the Japanese music industry for nurturing me and the American music industry for welcoming me.

Masanori Takumi is a composer who has composed songs for many Japanese and international artists, and his reggae album as a member of Sly & Robbie and The Jam Masters was nominated for a Grammy Award at the 56th Grammy Awards(R). In Japan, he has been actively composing and arranging music for AAA's "CALL" and DA PUMP's "P.A.R.T.Y.: Universe Festival," for which he received the Japan Record Award for Best Work.

Comment on the work
There are many sad events happening all over the world today. I composed this piece in the hope that the beautiful flower in everyone's heart will bloom. As a Japanese, I named the flower Sakura. I hope that "Sakura" will bloom in everyone's heart. I have incorporated not only Japanese traditional instruments such as koto and shamisen, but also erhu, bamboo flute, and percussion from around the world.

Tracklisting:

1.Sakura
2.Katana
3.Shizuku
4.Kaze
5.Yuzu Doll
6.Kotodama
7.Tamashii
8.Inochi
9.Shizuku (Piano solo ver.)
10.Sakura (Piano solo ver.)