A few years back, when I was traveling during the wintertime, I rented out my Berlin apartment to Alison, a DJ from New York. Last summer, before I flew to Japan, she connected me with Yasu, an old friend of hers, who lived in Tokyo.
He and Alison met, when Yasu was studying music business in New York back in 2000 , while working as an intern at a record label called ‚Turntable Lab’.
On his return to Tokyo after finishing his studies in 2004, he opened up his own record label and store called ‚Moonwalk Records‘ as well as a Tokyo branch of ‚Turntable Lab‘. But the music business in Japan was not going as well as expected, so Yasu switched to advertising. He worked for clients like Audi, doing brand promotions including parties and popup stores, where he could combine his love for music with the job.
A friend of Yasu started an animation company and asked him to join as a producer. For animation you need a story, graphic design and music. Working as a producer, has enabled Yasu to integrate his many previous life experiences.
Shooting with the traditional Japanese Band Japan’s Elegant Breeze 凛と風 in Tokyo during my trip in June. The band members are playing the traditional instruments koto, shamizen and shakuhachi. JEB is invited to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We shot at the Nezu Shrine and a original Japanese tea house in Ueno to produce a portfolio of pics that can be used for public relations.
