We are pleased to welcome Takanori Suzuki, a clarinetist who enjoys immense popularity primarily in the Kansai region, for the “100-Year-Old Piano JAZZ LIVE,” where you can enjoy the rich sounds of jazz!
A winner of the “2024 Naniwa Jazz Grand Prix (Professional Division)” and currently serving as a Specially Appointed Associate Professor at Osaka College of Music, he is a musician active at the very forefront of the jazz world.
Joining him on piano is Koichi Kasahara, who delivered a stunning performance at the “Refurbish” celebration marking the 100-Year-Old Piano’s debut and always captivates audiences wherever he performs.
Please come and enjoy this special live performance—featuring the 100-Year-Old Piano and clarinet—exclusively for this event. We sincerely look forward to seeing you there♪
100-Year-Old Piano: Jazz Live
・Date and Time: Saturday, August 22, 2026, 7:30 PM start
・Venue: Okukinosaki Seaside Hotel, 1st Floor Lobby
・Performer: Takanori Suzuki(Clarinet)
Winner of the 2024 Naniwa Jazz Grand Prix (Professional Division)
Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Osaka College of Music
Koichi Kasahara (Piano)
Local musician based in the Tajima region
・Admission: Free
[Takanori Suzuki, clarinetist]
He formed his own group, the Takanori Suzuki Trio, with Satoshi Aikawa (guitar) and Tetsuro Aratama (bass), both of whom are active in various fields. To date, he has released three albums featuring original compositions.
His work was featured and reviewed in the Italian jazz web magazine "Jazz Convention."
Reviews have appeared in domestic music magazines, including “CD Journal.” Additionally, one of his original compositions featured on the album was selected as the theme song for YAMABISHI Co., Ltd. and has been used in commercials broadcast nationwide from 2019 to the present.
In 2017, he performed as a soloist at the Japan Clarinet Festival.
In 2018, he was dispatched by the Japanese government to perform at the “Concert Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of Japanese Emigration to Cuba,” held in Havana, Cuba.
Drawing on his classical training, Suzuki pursues the possibilities and uniqueness of new clarinet music with his signature warm, resonant tone.
In addition to contributing to numerous artists’ CDs, he actively engages in a wide range of recording work, including arranging and performing for USEN broadcasts, as well as composing music for TV commercials and dramas. He appeared as a clarinet and saxophone player in the NHK morning drama series “Kamkam Everybody” and “Boogie-Woogie.”
He teaches at Osaka College of Music, nurturing the next generation of musicians, and also conducts several off-campus courses, including those at senior colleges.
In 2026, at the Paris Collection held in Paris, France, Takanori Suzuki’s music was featured on the runway for the up-and-coming brand “kilig” and was well received.
Specially Appointed Associate Professor at Osaka College of Music.
Recipient of the 2024 Naniwa Jazz Grand Prize
[The 100-Year-Old Piano]
This piano was manufactured in Germany in 1922 and imported directly in 1926 after prominent figures in Takeno raised funds, driven by their desire to “bring the true sound of music to children.”
It has long been cherished at the local elementary school and throughout the Takeno community, but over the years, it had fallen into a state requiring restoration. Just then, by a stroke of fate, the 100-Year-Old Piano found its way to the Okukinosaki Seaside Hotel.
“We wanted to bring this piano—which has accompanied the children’s singing and watched over the town’s history—back to life once again.” Driven by this strong desire, and thanks to the tremendous support of the local community, those who worked tirelessly on the restoration, and everyone across the country who contributed through crowdfunding, we were able to carry out a complete restoration.
With deep gratitude, we warmly welcome you all here alongside this 100-year-old piano.
