New Music Event "Craft Alive" Featuring AI × Live Performance to Be Held on December 9

Dentsu Inc. Creative X will host "Craft Alive," a new music event combining AI (artificial intelligence) and live performance, at Daikanyama UNIT on Friday, December 9.

Centered on the theme of "Music and AI Coexistence," this event will offer a new musical experience fusing AI with live performance. Highlights include a performance by BIGYUKI, an artist active in the US music scene, using the AI audio plugin "Neutone" (*1), and an improvisational session featuring percussionist Shun Ishiwaka + Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM] (*2), where Ishiwaka performs alongside an AI trained on his own playing.

■Press release for this event

【Overview】
Name: Craft Alive AI × Live Performance Presented by Dentsu Craft Tokyo
Date & Time: Friday, December 9, 18:00 doors open / 19:00 start / 22:00 close
Venue: Daikanyama UNIT (The House Building B1F, 1-34-17 Ebisu Nishi, Shibuya-ku)
Performing Artists: BIGYUKI, Shun Ishikawa, Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM], Nao Tokui, MOODMAN, Sountrive
Organized by: Dentsu Craft Tokyo
Sponsored by: Qosmo
Operational Support: Dentsu Live Inc .

【Ticket Sales Information】
Ticket Sales Period: Wednesday, November 16 - Thursday, December 8, 18:00
Ticket Sales Site:eplus
Ticket Price: ¥3,000 (tax included, drinks not included)

*All seats are standing room only
※No entry for those under 20 years old (Age verification may be conducted at entry)
※Subject to cancellation depending on social conditions, including the spread of COVID-19

 

■Performing Artist

BIGYUKI Keyboardist
He began learning piano at age 6 and enrolled at the Berklee College of Music in the US after graduating from high school. After moving to New York, he joined the bands of Talib Kweli and Bilal, and also performed with Robert Glasper in Bilal's band. In 2016, he participated in albums released by A Tribe Called Quest and J. Cole, both of which reached No. 1 in the US, making him the first Japanese musician to participate in two No. 1 albums in the US. He is currently touring worldwide with genre-defying artists such as Antonio Sánchez and Jose James, expanding the scope of his artistic activities.

Shun Ishikawa, Percussionist
After majoring in percussion at the Tokyo University of the Arts High School of Music, he graduated from the same university. While leading Answer to Remember, SMTK, and Songbook Trio as his own projects, he has participated in numerous live performances and works with artists such as Quruli, CRCK/LCKS, Kid Fresino, Taiga Kimijima, and Millennium Parade. He composed music for NHK audio drama "The Intruder on the Roof," Yamamoto Seisakusho's "OU-O," Figaro Japon's "The Hour of the Rainbow Chapter 15," LOEWE FW21 | "The Exploration of Happiness," and NIKE's "Jordan Brand - Tokyo Fearless Ones" promotional videos. In 2019, he released the concert piece "Sound Mine" with Miyu Hosoi and Shun Ishikawa at YCAM. In 2022, he collaborated with Tomomi Oda on the music for the NHK drama "Ending Cut."

Nao Tokui Artist / DJ / Researcher
Explores the expansion of human creativity through AI in both research and artistic practice. Her works have been exhibited at institutions including MoMA New York, London's Barbican Centre, NTT InterCommunication Center, and Ars Electronica. Last year, she released the 12-inch "Dawn Patrol EP" on her own label, Surf On Entropy. For this performance, she will present "AI Generative Live Set," an evolved AI DJ performance utilizing the latest real-time acoustic synthesis AI.

■Dentsu Craft Tokyo
A creative house developing new expressions and experiences rooted in digital technology. By handling everything from planning to development, it excels at creating works where engineering and expression are fused at a high level. Its activities span not only client work but also R&D and collaborative projects with artists. In 2021, they unveiled "YAKUSHIMA TREASURE ANOTHER LIVE from YAKUSHIMA," a new form of live experience content. This project received high acclaim at domestic and international awards, including the Japan Media Arts Festival.

※1 "Neutone": A new initiative centered around plugins that utilize the latest AI models to generate innovative musical expression, bridging the gap between AI developers/researchers and music creators. This plugin operates within a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), driving deep learning-based DSP (Digital Signal Processing) models in real time. It makes AI, previously considered difficult for artists and creators to use, easily accessible for incorporation into the creative process through a universal plugin. Furthermore, AI researchers and engineers can easily share newly developed models with music and sound creators through this platform.
 

※2 [YCAM]: Since its opening in 2003, YCAM has focused on exploring new forms of expression using media technology, hosting diverse events including exhibitions, performances, film screenings, and workshops. A key feature is its in-house research and development team, "YCAM InterLab," composed of engineers, curators, and educators. InterLab actively collaborates with citizens and experts across various fields to realize projects from concept development to artwork creation and workshop design.