Akira Satake first discovered the banjo through his older brother’s Flatt and Scruggs recordings while growing up in Osaka, Japan. After relocating to New York City in his early 20's he spent two decades honing his innovative banjo style in venues from Village clubs to Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. He went on to master the shamisen (Japanese banjo) in his own original style, and has made it an important part of his repertory.
Satake garnered international attention with his collection of original compositions, "Cooler Heads Prevail," and shared the 1998 German Music Critics’ Award for Best World Music Recording with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He has performed and/or recorded with such artists as Shawn Colvin, Nancy Griffith, Jim Lauderdale, Hazel Dickens and Tony Trischka, and produced award-winning CDs for Tim O’Brien, Mamadou Diabate, Johnny Cunningham and flamenco guitarist Gerardo Nunez.
American banjo virtuoso Tony Trischka calls Satake, "a brilliant banjoist with a split-level passion for the fiery breakdowns of southern Appalachia and the kaleidoscopic rhythms and melodies of World Music."
CD
Cooler Heads Prevail
Imagine what the music for the fantasies of a daydreaming world traveler might sound like. Perhaps there'd be a rollicking jig bumping headlong into a crescendo of female Bulgarian vocals. Or a plaintive koto plucked lightly to a tune with a tropical feel. How about Native American chants cascading over a bouncy Irish melody? Now imagine that the music produced by these myriad world rhythms and instruments features the banjo.
Includes:
John Cunningham - violin and bouzouki
Steve Gorn - bansuri bamboo flutes
Jerry O'Sullivan - uilleann pipes
Glen Velez - frame drum and percussion
E.J. Rodriguez - percussion
Dominic Kanza - guitar
Alfredo Tadaneras - bandoneon
and many others
Music Career Timeline
1972 — started playing banjo and guitar in Osaka, Japan.
1982 — moved to NYC.
Mid-80s —
Played with:
-The East River Bluegrass Boys (Larry Campbell, Jim Lauderdale, Kenny Kosek and Ollie O’Shea)
-Rhythm and Romance (Nikki Matheson, Marty Laster, Terry King, Neil Conaty, Larry Wexler)
-formed The Akira Satake Band (Nikki Matheson, Lisa Gutkin, Larry Cohen, Bob Green, Terry King) performed in NYC and toured in Japan.1990 - TN Banjo Institute Conference - invited artist along with John Hartford, Tony Trischka, Bill Keith, Taj Mahal, Pete Wernick, Alison Brown, and Henry Sapoznik
1992 - 2000 — Damfino Productions, NYC
1996 - 2001 — Alula Records (Catalogue - discogs.com)
—1996 Voices (World compilation including Bulgarian Women’s Choir and Huun-Huur-Tu)
—1996 Jucal (Gerardo Nuñez)
—1996 Cooler Heads Prevail (Akira Satake) produced by Akira Satake and Larry Cohen
—1997 Saatus (Kirile Loo)
—1997 Prayer for the Soul of Layla (Jamshied Sharifi) produced by Akira Satake and Jamshied Sharifi
—1997 Peter & Wendy (Johnny Cunningham) produced by Akira Satake and Johnny Cunningham
—1998 Calima (Gerardo Nuñez) produced by Akira Satake
—1998 Bushes & Briars (Susan McKeown) produced by Akira Satake
—1998 Life Around the World (Hassan Hakmoun)
—1998 I Am Gypsy (Casta)
—1998 From the Tobacco Road of Cuba (Cuban compilation)
—1999 Tamborea (Energipsy)
—1999 The Gypsy Road, A Musical Migration From India To Spain (Roma compilation)
—1999 The Crossing (Tim O’Brien) produced by Akira Satake and Tim O’Brien
—1999 Absolute World (compilation)
—1999 Muso Ko (Habib Koite & Bamada)
—1999 Bilbao 00:00h (Kepa Junkera)
—2000 Aire Y Candela (De Madera)
—2000 Tunga (Mamadou Diabate) produced by Akira Satake
—2000 Night Owl (Dolores Keane)
—2000 Sabil ‘A ‘Salaam (Nass Marrakech)
—2000 Patriarca (Miguel Angel Cortés)
1998 - 2003 — played with Angelwood (Kenny Kosek, Jon Sholle, Dave Thompson, and Rick Perry)
1998 — German Music Critics Award for Best World Music Recording for Cooler Heads Prevail
1998 — Rudolstadt East Germany Music Festival - invited artist along with Tony Trischka and Gerry O’Connor.
2003 — concert at the World Music Institute, NYC, with The Yoshida Brothers
2003 — moved to Asheville, NC
2004 — Brazil tour with Antoine Silverman
2004 — formed The Akira Satake Band (Asheville incarnation: River Guerguerian, Duncan Wickel, Julia Weatherford), performed at LEAF and White Horse Black Mountain
2004 to present - performs solo and together with Duncan Wickel