Atzko Kohashi

Atzko Kohashi, who currently resides in Amsterdam, is a Japanese born pianist with international background. By the age of 5, her musical path began by studying classical piano.

During her university years studying Law at Keio University in Tokyo, she joined the college jazz big band and started gigging around Tokyo jazz scenes. From 1994-2001, Atzko lived in New York where she studied with the jazz master Steve Kuhn.

Atzko has thus experienced three different cultures: Japanese, American and European. Such multicultural background has surely influenced her view on music and led to her unique musical style. “Warm, Natural and human” ”Still waters run deep” “Being neither too much nor too little, which seems something common with Zen philosophy”– critics describe the playing of pianist Atzko Kohashi. Whilst her musical root lies in Jazz, she adapts the melodies to her own voice.

Atzko moved to Amsterdam in 2005 and since then she has been working with various Dutch musicians including Frans van der Hoeven (bassist), Tony Overwater (bassist), Sebastiaan Kaptein (drummer), Eddy Koopman (percussionist), Angelo Verploegen (trumpeter), Maya Fridman (cellist), Denise Jannah (vocalist) and has released a series of duo and trio albums with them. Those albums are well received by numerous critics and music lovers.

Her latest album “Crescent: Music of John Coltrane” playing in a Jazz Duo with bassist Tony Overwater was nominated for Der Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik (The German Record Critics’ Award 2/2022) and Dutch Edison Award (National category) 2022. The duo has just finished a new recording and will be released in the coming spring.