Japan's Midori Takada is a gifted percussionist and composer, whose ambient, minimalist music combines East Asian and African traditions with jazz and progressive classical sounds. Born in Tokyo in 1951, Takada honed her skills studying at Tokyo's University of Arts. After graduating, she made her professional debut performing with the Berlin RIAS Symphony Orchestra in the '70s. In 1983 she released her debut solo album, the highly regarded and innovative Through the Looking Glass. Along with her solo work, she has composed for film and video game soundtracks, contributing to such franchises as Final Fantasy, Haibane-Renmei, and Akira Senju's Tetsujin 28, among others. Takada has also worked on live theater productions. ~ Matt Collar