RhoDeo 1125 J-Roots

Hello, as we are in Japan week doing roots i've found a perfect bunch. For starters Ensemble Nipponia , it makes the comparison to last weeks european late middleages, renaissance music interpretations, as a stark contrast to these Japanese sundazers. The history of kabuki began in 1603 when Izumo no Okuni began performing a new style of dance drama in the dry riverbeds of Kyoto ..wow and here we arrivee at a man who's been in the spotlight just 2 says ago, Ryuchi Sakamoto. From the start of his career he was interested in ethnic music and some of his impressions he together with medieval/renaissance band Danceries translates into a rich tapestry. Lastly Dry & Heavy (ex Audiio Active) proclaim their love for dub and they bubble as well. Now what's a joint called in Japanese, gimme some slang....

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The same can be said for this latest reissue of East Asian recordings from the Nonesuch Explorer Series: the austere cover artwork and the historical liner notes in the CD booklet, along with the music itself, form a deep impression of the nature of Kabuki theatre, its philosophy as well as its sound. Ensemble Nipponia. The group, which formed in 1964, became known around the world for its skill at reviving and preserving traditional Japanese repertoire and for its desire to showcase modern work in a similar mould, employing the same instruments as the musicians who had conjured up these sounds many generations before.

These live performances were recorded by Explorer Series producer David Lewiston in October, 1978 at the Academy of Arts and Letters in New York City during Ensemble Nipponia's second American tour. The album's first half consists of excerpts from the naguata ("long song") music that accompanies the dances featured in Kabuki theatre and serves as background music during its narrative portions. Featured throughout is the shamisen, a three-stringed lute not unlike a banjo; in most of the Kabuki pieces, tailored for the concert hall rather than a theatre, the shamisen is the focus. Listen to "Atsumori," however, adapted from an 800 year-old military epic, and one will also hear an impassioned human voice propelling the action. The final two pieces were composed by Ensemble Nipponia leader Minoru Miki, who, in his writing, combines the traditional with the contemporary and, in the process, creates something timeless.

Ensemble Nipponia - Kabuki and Other Tradional Music (80 115mb)

01 Echigojishi (The Echigo Lion) 3:39
02 Ataka No Matsu (The Pine Tree At Ataka) 3:15
03 Musume Dōjōji (The Maiden At The Dōjō Temple) 4:54
04 Kanjinchō (The Subscription List) 10:06
05 Shirabe-Sagariha (The Sound Of Wind Through The Bamboo Leaves) 5:39
06 Atsumori (The Death Of Atsumori) 7:17
07 Hanayagi (The Greening) 6:15
08 Sattō (Wind Dance) 6:05

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Sakamoto entered the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1970, earning a B.A. in music composition and an M.A. with special emphasis on both electronic and ethnic music. He studied ethnomusicology there with the intention of becoming a researcher in the field, due to his interest in various world music traditions, particularly the Japanese (especially Okinawan), Indian and African musical traditions. He was also trained in classical music and began experimenting with the electronic music equipment available at the university, including synthesizers such as the Buchla, Moog, and ARP. From the beginning of his career Sakamoto would alternate between exploring a variety of musical styles, ideas, and genres. This work came about with the input of Danceries, formed in 1972 by Ichiro Okamoto. They play medievall and renaissance music. It has a great reputation in Japan and have gained some friends in France where they've toured 5 times. This package then set out on sublimely capturing this groundbreaking 1984 album Illustrated Musical Encyclopedia ( with booklet and in flac).

Riuichi Sakamoto and Danceries – The End Of Asia (flac) (84 193mb)

01 Dance (Sakamoto 1981) 2:37
02 Two Rondes (Danserye, Netherlands.c XVI) 3:08
03 Fa La La La L'An (Cancionero de Upsala, Spain c.XVI) 1:59
04 Boku No Kakera (Sakamoto 1981) 3:56
05 Instrumental Motet: In Seculum (France c.XIII) 2:27
06 Grasshoppers (Sakamoto 1978-81 3:22
07 Pour Ce Se D'Amer (Trouvère c.XIII)6:00
08 The End Of Asia (Sakamoto 1978) 4:40
09 L'Entrada Del Ten Clar, Eya (Troubadour c.XIII) 1:35
10 Istampita Isabella (Italia c.XIV) 3:54
11 River (Sakamoto 1981) 1:45

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Dry & Heavy is a Japanese dub and reggae band formed in 1991 by drummer Shigemoto Nanao (Dry) and bass player Takeshi Akimoto (Heavy). Their names come from a renowned Burning Spear album of the same name. The line-up which recorded the album Dry & Heavy came together in 1995 with Naoki Uchida on dub controls, Mitsuhiro Toike on keyboards, Kei Horiguchi on guitar, and the vocal duo of Likkle Mai and Ao Inoue. In 2001, during Fuji Rock founding member Takeshi Akimoto (Heavy) announced he was leaving the group, Audio Active's current bassist Pata, stepped in to fill the void. Takeshi Akimoto was the former bassist for Audio Active, and Shigemoto Nanao the former drummer of the same band.

As well as appearances on every major Japanese rock and reggae festival, the band have enjoyed great success with their own headline dates in Japan, England, France and Switzerland as well as highly acclaimed appearances at the 2000 Reading (U.K.) and Hanover (Germany) Womad festivals Their own highly successful Japanese dubfest, Echomaniacs which featured Adrian Sherwood, Andrew Weatherall, Dennis Bovell and 3 Head as well as dates in Japan with reggae legends, Lee Perry, Horace Andy, Jah Shaka and Mad Professor. No new music has been recorded since 2002's New Creation, though the band continues to tour.

Dry & Heavy – One Punch ( flac 367mb)

01 Mr. Blueflame 3:23
02 T.K.O. 3:48
03 Triumph 3:45
04 Harmony 4:01
05 Lost World 5:36
06 Say No More 3:16
07 Don't Give Up Your Fight 4:44
08 Herbal Wise 4:48
09 Night Flight 4:28
10 Gassy Disco 4:13
11 The Athlete 5:24

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