Paul Sakai

Peter Gannushkin / downtownmusic.net

Paul Sakai, born in Berkeley, California, is a cultural nomad currently based in Brooklyn, New York. Paul is a yonsei Japanese American raised as a Third Culture Kid amongst an international community in Southeast Asia. His work is an act of grounding — a practice of connecting one’s present body to place, people, and cultural histories.Paul is an experimental artist, drummer, and friction-based percussionist. He works with acoustic drum set, prepared floor tom, cymbals, and a mix of found objects and traditional percussion implements. His work is highly textural and is centered in the body. His practice is both ritualistic and improvisatory — continually seeking oneself and others through an open, exploratory and experimental process.

Selected Collaborations

Roy KiyoMark ChinenBear Bear - with Lulu WestSub Trio - with Stan Zenkov and Sunjay Jayaram, featuring
Caroline MortonJeff Pearring, Shu Odamura, and Adam LaneBen Davis and Kanoko NishiGonzalez/Sakai - with Lenny GonzalezGem Alchemy - with Nathan Chamberlain
and Leni KreienbergMilk & Cookies with Nathan Chamberlain - series at the Brothers Wash & Dry, Queens, NYSakai/Schlomann - with Brandon SchlomannIsabelle Waldner KalbNathan ChamberlainJosh Allen and Tim DuffMajid AraimNathan Nakadegawa-Lee, Vivek Menon, and Caroline Morton

Forthcoming Releases

Bear Bear
Mark Chinen
Lulu West and Billy Martin
Sub Trio - with Stan Zenkov and Sunjay Jayaram
Nicholas Christenson
Ben Davis and Kanoko Nishi
Gem Alchemy
Lulu West and Conner Simmons
Sakai/Schlomann

Recordings

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