Tomoko Sauvage

Where are you now?

At home in Paris.


Where would you like to be?

I feel good at home, but going out to take the air by the sea or in the forest would be great too...


What are you doing at the moment?

When I'm not with my kids, I compose and mix the recordings I've made before. I'm currently finishing an album. There are also quite a few requests, interviews and things like that...

What are you hearing right now?

It's raining right now, so I'm hearing the rain. It's way more quiet than usual, but I can still hear the sound of the cars in the center of Paris.


Are you using this containment period to make music?

Totally. It's indeed an ideal situation to make music. It's been a long time since I have had so much free and quiet time. And Western Europe based artists are privileged. I received a financial aid from the French government. Otherwise, it would have been tough and worrying with many canceled concerts. It's horrible for American or Japanese artists right now, and I'm not even talking about countries that were already struggling before all that...


What will the world be like next?

It will certainly be very problematic, as before but even worse. At the same time, there should be many brilliant and courageous initiatives. On the cultural side, it will take time to get back to public events as we'd like to, but we will adapt and we will find solutions.

How can we support the music community?

I try to support underground and institutional initiatives when I can, and when there is an artistic / friendly affinity. There are a lot of things going on right now to collect money or to organize online events, but in fact, all this mainly helps to build links — compilations to donate to humanitarian associations, art auctions to save unsubsidized places (that of Cafe OTO in London apparently worked very well!)... It sounds minimal, but I believe in the "grassroots" approach, which says that the ecosystem of the music community is sustained by micro-organisms.


Five music to recommend?

Thelonious Monk - April in Paris

Pete Rock - Petestrumental https://boomkat.com/products/petestrumentals-10th-anniversary-expanded-limited-edition
Kinshi Tsuruta - Dan no Ura https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CtRwZTPy8U
Jon Gibson - Two Solo Pieces
Christina Kubisch - On Air 

A book? A manga?

Jean Genet - L'ennemi déclaré: Textes et entretiens choisis (1970-1983) 

Shigeru Mizuki - GeGeGe no Kitarō

What will you do when you get out?

Walk, have a drink, (and as soon as possible) travel and do concerts — with great joy!

Links:

Musique Hydromantique (Shelter Press): https://tomokosauvage.bandcamp.com/album/musique-hydromantique 
A mix I did for the Barbican Centre:
https://www.mixcloud.com/barbicancentre/ambient-mix-by-tomoko-sauvage/