Sara Dotes (aka sara (.es) is a pianist from Osaka, Japan. She is best known for the duo .es with Takayuki Hashimoto:

"Formed in 2009, residing in Gallery Nomart, one for contemporary art, in Osaka, .es is composed of Takayuki Hashimoto (alto sax, guitar, harmonica) ＋ sara (piano, others), a contemporary music unit, produced by Satoshi Hayashi, director of the gallery.

From the beginning, they have collaborated with artists of different fields of expression, like contemporary art, and played in and outside Japan. Stepping across the border between diverse genres, its exquisite way of performing has been highly appreciated. In 2013, they released an album void through P.F.S. Records.

They were invited to perform to 'Sasebo Art Project', Nagasaki, in 2011, Shizuoka City Museum of Art in 2013, Oita Prefectural Art Museum in 2016, and 'Tatsuno Art Project', Hyogo, both in 2017 and 2018.

The two musicians perform in a borderless realm that is forged through their collaborations with musicians from all over the world who work in diverse genres, from improvisation, noise, electronic music, through to jazz, rock, and classical and contemporary music, creating the senses intertwined between 'sound' and 'music'.

In May 2021, sara decided to continue activities as ".es" after Takayuki Hashimoto passed away."

"Tatsuya Nakatani. Acoustic Sound Artist, Master Percussionist. b. 1970, Osaka Japan

Tatsuya Nakatani is an acoustic sound artist and master percussionist originally from Osaka, Japan. He has released over eighty recordings in North America and Europe. Residing in the USA since the mid-nineties, he has performed countless solo percussion concerts and has collaborated with hundreds of artists in international music festivals, university concert halls, art museums and independent venues. Infamous for his constant touring, Nakatani criss-crosses the country every year inspiring audiences with his pioneering sound. In addition to his solo performances, he conducts the Nakatani Gong Orchestra (NGO), a mobile community engagement project which organizes local ensembles performing on multiple bowed gongs.Nakatani teaches master classes and workshops at universities, giving students an opportunity to share his unique musical approach and philosophy for creating visceral, non-linear music.

He has created his own instrumentation, effectively inventing many instruments and extended techniques. Utilizing drums, gongs, cymbals, singing bowls, wooden sticks, metal objects, and the bows and mallets he handcrafts in his Kobo; he creates an intense, intuitively primitive, expressive music that defies genre. His work references improvised-experimental music, free jazz, and noise, while still retaining the sense of space and beauty found in traditional Japanese folk music."