Final Descent x HUSET Presents: Akira.Drums (JP) + Amy Gadiaga (FR) //CPHJAZZ

This year, the Final Descent Artist in Residence program is proud to present three extraordinary musicians from Japan. Intertwining their cultural upbringing with free improvisation, extended techniques, and cross-aesthetic experimentation, they each offer a unique take on recontextualized Japanese music—ranging from hypnotic minimalism and electro-acoustic folk to avant-garde and spiritual jazz.

Experience Okinawan drummer Akira Nakamura and his hypnotic, minimalist solo setup under the moniker Akira.Drums, as he opens for the French-British jazz comet Amy Gadiaga.

Presented in collaboration with HUSET
Akira.Drums (akira dot drums)

Akira Nakamura’s solo project akira.drums, from Okinawa, blends minimalist visuals with extended, hypnotic rhythmic progressions. With roots in jazz and electronica, and inspired by Steve Reich, Japanese folk music, and krautrock, he creates rhythmically complex soundscapes that, when combined with sleek graphic visuals and layers of electronic noise, form a captivating and mesmerizing experience.

He has lived and studied in both Berlin and New York, influences that are clearly reflected in Nakamura’s music, where references to both Berghain and Blue Note can be heard.

akira.drums is part of Final Descent’s Artist in Residency 2025, where three Japanese musicians will visit Copenhagen Jazz Festival with solo performances and exciting new collaborations.

Amy Gadiaga (FR)

Amy Gadiaga (pronounced AH-MI) is a bassist, singer, and composer from the suburbs of Paris, now based in London, where she has quickly made her mark as one of the most exciting new voices on the jazz scene.

A graduate of the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Amy has received numerous accolades, including an award from the Royal Philharmonic Society and a nomination for “Jazz Newcomer of the Year” at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards.

Drawing inspiration from old-school jazz legends like Betty Carter and Wayne Shorter, Amy blends tradition with her own vibrant and soulful expression. Her performances are intense, heartfelt, and rooted in a deep love for music as a form of artistic freedom.

Join us in the intimate setting of Huset for a concert where the spirit and poetry of jazz come alive — part of this year’s Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

finaldescent.org