Joe Hisaishi, the celebrated Japanese composer behind some of the world’s best-loved anime films, is releasing a brand new album on 21st February entitled Dream Songs: The Essential Joe Hisaishi – a collection of recordings from the composer himself. That same day, 30 albums from the composer’s extensive catalogue will be released on streaming services worldwide for the first time ever. This marks a major milestone for Hisaishi and is the result of an international collaboration between Decca Gold and UMG Japan.

The new album celebrates Hisaishi’s diverse and distinguished catalogue of compositions spanning his nearly 40-year career, including his work with acclaimed filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki and ‘Beat’ Takeshi Kitano as well as selections from Studio Ghibli classics Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle and more. Hisaishi’s first official music video to ‘One Summer’s Day’ (from Spirited Away) was welcomed by fans, having reached one million views in the first month alone.

Dream Songs: The Essential Joe Hisaishi includes several beloved Hisaishi compositions, many of which accompany the most famous moments in all of anime: ‘One Summer’s Day’ (from Spirited Away), ‘My Neighbour TOTORO’ (from My Neighbour Totoro), ‘”PRINCESS MONONOKE” Suite’ (from Princess Mononoke) and more. There is also the playful track ‘Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea’ and the tender ‘il Porco Rosso’. The compilation also features ‘Nostalgia’ and ‘The Wind of Life’ from Hisaishi’s solo piano works.

Meanwhile, in a major development for Hisaishi fans worldwide, 30 albums from the composer’s catalogue will now be available globally. These include beloved compositions from his film scores, as well as his own albums and original works – among them are ENCORE, FREEDOM PIANO STORIES 4, Melodyphony, WORKS II and MinimalRhythm 3.

Joe Hisaishi, hailed by Pitchfork as “The John Williams of Japan”, has won countless awards for his achievements in composition and film scoring. He is eight-time winner of the Japanese Academy Award for Best Music; he was awarded the Japan Medal of Honour in 2009; and he has composed soundtracks for two Academy Award-winning films, Departures (2008) and Spirited Away (2002).

Hisaishi’s body of work, comprised of nearly 100 film scores and solo albums, draws inspiration from the canon of American minimal music compositions, experimental electronic music, and European and Japanese classical music. He has scored all but one of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli films, including three of the top five highest-grossing anime films worldwide.

Joe Hisaishi will play select North American shows in 2020 including four shows at Seattle’s S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium - Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra on April 9th - 11th and two performances at Toronto’s Meridian Hall on April 18th. Full tour routing below.

JOE HISAISHI ALBUM CATALOGUE

1. ENCORE
2. Etude -a Wish to the Moon-
3. PIANO STORIES II -The Wind of Life-
4. NOSTALGIA -PIANO STORIES III-
5. FREEDOM PIANO STORIES 4
6. Piano Stories Best '88-'08
7. Another Piano Stories -The End of the World-
8. WORLD DREAMS
9. PSYCHO HORROR NIGHT
10. AMERICAN IN PARIS
11. W.D.O. BEST
12. The End of the World
13. Melodyphony
14. WORKS I
15. WORKS II -Orchestra Nights-
16. WORKS III
17. WORKS IV -Dream of W.D.O.-
18. Spirited Away Suite
19. Symphonic Suite Castle in the Sky
20. Minimalrhythm
21. Minimalrhythm II
22. Minimalrhythm III
23. Shoot The Violist
24. CURVED MUSIC
25. Departures (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
26. Children Of The Sea (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
27. Ni No Kuni The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
28. Kids Return (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
29. HANA-BI (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
30. Kikujiro (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

JOE HISAISHI 2020 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
Apr 9 - Seattle, WA - S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium - Benaroya Hall
Apr 10 - Seattle, WA - S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium - Benaroya Hall
Apr 11 - Seattle, WA - S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium - Benaroya Hall (2 shows)
Apr 18 - Toronto, ON - Meridian Hall (2 shows)