The 16th edition of the Live Image Seizetour kicked off in Tokyo at the Suntory Hall on June 12, 2016 with subsequent shows at the Aichi Arts Center in Nagoya before closing at the Symphony Hall in Osaka for a total of six performances.
Famous artists like flamenco guitarist Jin Oki, bandoneon player Ryota Komatsu, acoustic guitar duo Gontiti, violinist Naoto, pianist Takefumi Haketa, violinist Miyamoto Emiri, and vocal group Le Velvets took the stage one after the other to raise money for the Kumamoto earthquake disaster relief fund through the Japanese Red Cross.
Gontiti members Gonzalez Mikami and TiTi Matsumura, who have topped Japan's jazz and instrumental charts for months at a time over the past two decades and have been hailed Japan's most unique adult contemporary sound, selected K-array’s KR102 portable system for sound reinforcement during their portion of the tour.
Shozo Sawaki, sound consultant from Sweet Boon Music:
"The first time I heard this sound, my gut told me 'This is it'! Even when I played the guitar myself, the sound felt nice. And when I made the proposal to Gontiti, I was able to talk to them about K-array’s speakers with confidence."
The system was installed just behind the famous duo and, although it was set up in front of the piano and the orchestra, it was never a hindrance or a visual obstacle.
Audio director from Suntory Hall:
"My thought first was, 'Are we really using electric instruments for an acoustic music event'? We had the ability to control the sound from those speakers as if they were a part of the instruments to deliver the musicians’ feelings to the audience."
During these kinds of performances where the acoustic sound and reverberation can be an issue, the KR102 delivered a natural sound that seemed to integrate with the acoustic guitars.
TiTi Matsumura, Gontiti member:
"We managed to perform as we wanted, thanks to this sound, which was like a part of our instruments."
Shozo Sawaki:
"More than any other speakers, they have a tone that leaves an extremely good sense of each instrument and their particularities. The acoustic guitar sound was delivered to all the audience exactly the way it was and blended perfectly with the sound of the orchestra."
Gonzalez Mikami, Gontiti member:
"Those speakers made a huge difference. We wouldn’t have been able to conceive this show without them."
