Playing the audience
Mdou Moctar | Johan Brooks photos
The audience grew considerably for Niger master guitarist Mdou Moctar, who pretty much played the audience as skillfully as he did his instrument. Repetition is a plus with the so-called desert blues, and as his tight, rocking rhythm section kept up a solid wall of beat, Moctar kept shredding and shredding, until it seemed the distant thunder was a reaction to his powerful noise.
'You guys are the best,' he told the audience, meaning Japanese people, whom he genuinely admires. Twice he left the stage to play his savage solos surrounded by ecstatic bodies. There was a lot of heart in that show.
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The piano was played at a Tokyo event to promote the abolition of nuclear weapons in 2024. Koller says playing Yagawa's pianos has been a "life-changing journey" for him, which has brought a new dimension to his art. In addition to popular songs he plays to entertain his fans, he began composing his own pieces with themes of war and peace. In February, Koller released an album featuring his original pieces to remember war victims and pray for peace. His wife Noriko, his "biggest fan and best critic," played a key role in in the album's creation but passed away from cancer shortly before its release. Koller released an album in February. Koller is now raising their two children on his own. He says he is sustained by his resolve to be the best father he can be. That includes passing on the values he holds dear. "I think it's important to teach my kids about what has happened and we need to work for the future and how important peace is in the world," he says. 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'A piano must have a player' Koller acknowledges that wars may never be completely eliminated, but he says that does not mean the human race cannot strive to make the world better. "I know Yagawa-san wants a peaceful place. I want to live in a peaceful place. We share that dream together. I do not want to give up and I think it's important that nobody gives up," he says. Koller and Yagawa Yagawa says Koller's role is vital. "A piano must have a player. And Jacob plays the piano while really understanding its feelings," he says. "That's why he is able to touch audiences with the piano's sound. I think that's very significant." The trio – an atomic-bombed piano, its tuner and its player – are scheduled to perform in 20 more concerts this year in Japan and are already planning next year's events. They hope some will be outside Japan, including the US, as they continue sharing their musical message of peace. For more, watch this video: NEWSLINE May 28, 2025 Page 2
