Atsushi Sakai has been active improvising on the cello, performing at European jazz scenes for nearly twenty years.  He has collaborated closely with saxophonist Christophe Monniot, forming several successful groups such as Monio Mania and Station MIR.  In 2010, he joins Quatuor IXI, a French string quartet specializing in improvised music, jazz and beyond.  Their last album "Temps Suspendus", released in 2015, has been awarded CHOC of the Jazz Magazine. Over the past few years, Atsushi Sakai has also been collaborating regularly with guitarist David Chevallier, experimenting new expressions not only on the cello, but also on the viola da gamba.