Japan Sound Portrait

We are pleased to temporarily return from hiatus to bring you this podcast marking the recent release of a trailer for the Sound of Kyoto project, by Marios Joannou Elia. Sharing Marios' intrigue with the question "Does each city have its own sound?", it was a pleasure to be able to talk to him about how he has sought to 'musicalise' the city of Kyoto, interspersed with sections of music that will make up part of the final composition. The final film will blend performances from over 560 musicians, set in dozens of indoor and outdoor locations across the city, and including Japanese traditional instruments, an electronic matryomin ensemble, choirs, symphonic and mandolin orchestras. Following on from the “Sound of Vladivostok”, Sound of Kyoto promises to be a unique conceptual and musical interpretation of the city. Please enjoy the trailer and this podcast as a precursor to the release of the full film later in the year. During the ongoing Japan Sound Portrait podcast hiatus, you can catch up with some of

Concluding our series of podcasts focusing on Akinobu Tatsumi's visit to the UK, we are happy to bring you a section from his performance at The Rose Hill in Brighton on Sunday 24th February - it's a rather special journey through a range of both traditional and modern sounds. Please enjoy! And with many thanks to Yolanda Liou for the picture, which was taken on the very first day of Tatsumi's visit.    

Although beginning and ending somewhere in the vicinity of Japan, this podcast travels beyond our normal geographical boundaries in order to preview some of the artists who'll be performing alongside TA2MI on his forthcoming UK tour. The mix is inspired sequentially from the line-up for our Sound Portraits event at The Rose Hill in Brighton on Sunday 24th February http://www.therosehill.co.uk/events/2019/2/24/japan-sound-portrait https://www.facebook.com/events/1998259136955218/ thereby featuring: Nick Luscombe/Japan Sound Portrait - Monomachi Theme Simon James - OCT Meditation Bonus D/L track from Musicity 003 Shenzhen/Shanghai Moulay Ahmed Elhassani - Mi Hanna Dada, from Atlas Electric, forthcoming on Hivemind Records F.Ampism - Om Shandy khimera - Rise and Fall Sophie Brown - Live at The Bleeding Hearts Club All-Dayer You&TH - Te Voglio Bene Assaije Unknown, from Chii Poppins Nihon mix TA2MI - Mysterious Hi-Tempo amoeba - KanZeOn Xap Mo Xnok Dub before then previewing a little of our 'Thus Hav

We are delighted to confirm the full details for Akinobu Tatsumi / TA2MI's forthcoming visit to the UK, which will include: Wednesday 20th February The Arts Institute, Plymouth - KanZeOn screening, Q&A, DJ set https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/ta2mi-tour-uk-2019-kanzeon-and-the-hip-hop-monk https://www.facebook.com/events/522540438237169/ Friday 22nd February Falmouth Academy of Music and Theatre Arts - Live Performance, Q&A https://www.facebook.com/events/280977739248868/ Sunday 24th February Sound Portraits at The Rose Hill, Brighton - Live Performance/DJ set http://www.therosehill.co.uk/events/2019/2/24/japan-sound-portrait https://www.facebook.com/events/1998259136955218/ Saturday 2nd March Thus Have I Heard: Sound and Japanese Buddhism event at SOAS, London - Live Performance/Presentation https://www.soas.ac.uk/buddhiststudies/events/buddhisminsideout/02mar2019-thus-have-i-heard-sound-and-buddhism-in-japan.html https://www.facebook.com/events/307645966747046/ Please tell any fri

Also celebrating Tatsumi's forthcoming visit to the UK, we are making the film KanZeOn available to watch online for free for the first time - Tatsumi is one of three main characters in the film, which is part documentary and part a sensory exploration of sound, so anyone wanting to find out more about his fascinating double-life as a Buddhist priest and DJ/producer can do so via the following link. https://vimeo.com/103341775 This podcast provides an introduction to the sonic character of the film, consisting of selections from remixes of the film's soundtrack by the following artists: woob dj tatsuki kidkanevil manone shinekosei TA2MI escalade as part of KanZeOn ReIndications, which is available via the following link. https://kanzeonreindications.bandcamp.com/album/kanzeon-reindications  

Following the announcement of our forthcoming event 'Thus Have I Heard: Sound and Buddhism in Japan' http://thushaveiheard.eventbrite.co.uk/ which features the Buddhist priest and producer/DJ Akinobu Tatsumi, this podcast features a selection of Tatsumi's music. Two selections are taken from this mix of some of his more dancefloor oriented tracks by Yoshie Takahashi https://www.mixcloud.com/TA2MI/all-ta2mi-music-mix-by-yoshie-takahashi/ interspersed with an experimental entirely new track called 'Contact is Universe'. Further details will be announced shortly for other events that Tatsumi will be doing whilst he's in the UK http://ta2mi.com/          

In this podcast we are happy to share some of the great music that we've been sent/given during the year... - starting with a remix by our friend Koichi Yuasa/japanetehq of a Japan Sound Portrait track made with Takeshi Nishimoto at last year's nowJapan Festival. - followed by a track called City (Lm version) by GOOD LUCK HEIWA, from their album Lm released at the end of 2017. http://goodluckheiwa.jp/lm/ GOOD LUCK HEIWA are Takuji Nomura on Keyboards and Daichi Ito on Drums and Whistling, and they are also part of Haruomi Hosono's touring band - we were grateful to receive their CD as everyone was saying their goodbyes following their concert at The Old Market in Brighton earlier in the year. - next is the track Doujiri by Ken Sugai. https://sugaiken.bandcamp.com/track/doujiri The image accompanying this podcast is of Ken-san, and is a fantastic modern re-creation of an important religious statue of the itinerant monk Kuya. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%ABya Where in the original image/statue th

Nick meets DJ Sinta and UKD from the Tokyo Grime production duo Double Clapperz, and ONJUICY, a Grime MC also from Tokyo, during their visit to London earlier this summer. https://soundcloud.com/doubleclapperz https://onjuicy.localinfo.jp/ We already started to explore the story of Grime music in Japan in a previous interview with Elijah, Director of the UK label Butterz http://japansoundportrait.libsyn.com/japan-sound-portrait-23 and 6 weeks from now sees what promises to be a landmark event taking place in Tokyo, where Butterz will celebrate their 8th birthday alongside an Allstar line-up of artists from the Japanese grime scene and beyond https://www.facebook.com/events/247661915882943/?active_tab=about Featured tracks: Double Clapperz - Sha Ni Kamaeru - Obscure VIP - 02 Obscure (EGL VIP) Sha Ni Kamaeru - Obscure VIP - 01 EGL - Sha Ni Kamaeru feat. Ralph (Double Clapperz VIP) Thanks to Hayato Takahashi for help with arranging the interview and translation.    

Nick meets Tomoko Hojo and Rahel Kraft - two sound artists who are exploring intimate, hidden sounds in different regions through a joint project. During their two months residency at Nairs in 2017, they investigated the specific acoustics of the Lower Engadine, in collaboration with the local community with special regard to the interaction of 'inner sounds' between people, language, space and nature. Their previous work Reborn Homes Through My Voice, seven site-specific sound works in a traditional Japanese house with performances and events, was exhibited at the Denchu Hiraksuhi House, Tokyo, 2017. Currently a German edition of this work is exhibited in the group show SPOT ON, Nairs.

We are delighted to interview Kiku Day, (http://www.kikuday.com/) one of the organisers of the World Shakuhachi Festival, which is taking place this week in London. Following discussion of the festival, Kiku-san gives some in-depth background about the history of the instrument, and discloses elements of the experience of playing the instrument, whereby the techniques of breathing and improvisation can make for a transformative meditation. -------------------------------------- More information about the World Shakuhachi Festival 2018 in London. As you can read on the website www.wsf2018.com it is the 7th time a WSF is held. It is the first time in Europe.    Dates and times:   30.07: There will be an academic conference just on the subject of the shakuhachi. Scholars from various fields such as ethnomusicology, Japanology, history, sociology, art history, science of acoustics will present their research.   31.07, 20:00: Opening Gala Concert mix programme - Union Chapel   1 - 4 August at Goldsmiths, Univer

Nick discusses the film CODA with its subject Ryuichi Sakamoto and its Director Stephen Nomura Schible. ---------------------------------- One of the most important artists of our era, Ryuichi Sakamoto has had a prolific career spanning over four decades, from techno-pop stardom to Oscar-winning film composer. The evolution of his music has coincided with his life journeys. Following Fukushima, Sakamoto became an iconic figure in Japan’s social movement against nuclear power. As Sakamoto returns to music following cancer, his haunting awareness of life crises leads to a resounding new masterpiece. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA is an intimate portrait of both the artist and the man. CODA had its world premiere at the Venice Film Film Festival, Out of Competition, and is set for a worldwide theatrical release during 2018 - in the UK from June 29th.

Nick meets Haruomi Hosono ahead of his forthcoming UK performances in London https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2018/event/light-in-the-attic-haruomi-hosono-acetone and Brighton http://theoldmarket.com/shows/haruomi-hosono/ to discuss the release of The Haruomi Hosono Archival Series by Light In The Attic Records https://lightintheattic.net/artists/2475-haruomi-hosono and a few other things... Translation and interpretation by Ken Nishikawa.  http://kendajapkid.blogspot.com/ ---------------------------- One of the most revered figures within Japanese popular music, Hosono-san has played a key role in not one but two of the most influential bands the country has ever produced. Debuting as part of Apryl Fool in 1969, he went on to form Happy End in 1970 - notable for being one of the first Japanese rock bands to sing in their own language. This was followed by establishing the electronic music trio Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) with Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Nakamoto in 1978.  In addition to achievi

Here is a special edition of the Japan Sound Portrait podcast to celebrate a special week-long season on BBC Radio 3 called Night Blossoms, which will explore the mysterious, counter-cultural and unexpected side of Japanese music and arts across the station’s evening programmes, running from 21st to the 27th April. The season will start on Saturday with a special edition of Between the Ears in which Nick will explore the essay In Praise of Shadows - a classic in the field of Japanese aesthetics by Junichiro Tanizaki. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09zmqhd This podcast collects together some echoes from Japan Sound Portrait to accompany some sound-related quotes from the essay, fuller versions of which are available below. Featured music: Nick Luscombe: Monomachi Theme amoeba: Kanzeon Xap Mo Xnok Dub Nick Luscombe & Robin The Fog: Monomachi Theme Remix shinekosei: No Many thanks to the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation for supporting research into this project. Elsewhere in the Night Blossoms Season,

Ahead of next week's BBC Radio 3 Exposure / Japan Sound Portrait event at Spiritland http://spiritland.com/events/bbc-radio-3-exposure-japan-sound-portrait-live/ we have a special podcast including interviews with two of the featured artists who will be performing - Hatis Noit and Midori Hirano/MimiCof. Hatis Noit is a vocal performer inspired by Japanese classical music, opera, chanting and avant-garde and pop vocalists. Her debut EP is released on Erased Tapes on March 23rd. https://www.erasedtapes.com/artist/hatis-noit Midori Hirano is a Berlin-based musician, composer and producer. She started learning the piano as a child, and this triggered what was to later see her study classical piano at university. Therefore her productions are based on the use of acoustic instruments such as the piano, strings or guitars, but yet experimental and an eclectic mixture of modern digital sounds with subtle electronic processing and field recordings. http://midorihirano.com/ Featured music: Hatis Noit - Illogical

Another Kyushu Special, featuring field recordings by Thomas Martin Nutt https://www.thomasmartinnutt.com/ of - New Years Day prayers at Yasaka Shrine in Kokura. - A summer meadow in Mt. Kujyu. - Part of the Tagawa River Festival. - Frogs in some rice paddies around Nogata. plus two tracks from TA2MI's recently released new HeadCleaner album https://ta2mi.bandcamp.com/album/headcleaner from over in Yatsushiro and then also a remix by japanetehq in Saga https://www.youtube.com/user/remixn88 of a previously podcast Japan Sound Portrait track made with Takeshi Nishimoto, who is from Fukuoka...

Nick interviews Masaaki Yoshida, otherwise known as Anchorsong, talking about the development of his music, how he creates his unique live show, and his plans for a new record in 2018. http://anchorsong.com/  

An interview with Takeshi Nishimoto, combined with recordings from a recent improvised live collaborative Japan Sound Portrait performance at the nowJapan Festival in Vlinus, Lithuania. Born in Fukuoka, Takeshi is a classically trained guitarist and composer who is conversant with European, Northern Indian, and American jazz classical traditions. In addition to collaborations with diverse artists , from sitar master Rahul Sakyaputra to I'm Not a Gun associate John Tejada, Nishimoto has also performed extensively as a solo artist. In this interview, Takeshi talks about his development as a musician, how to approach using tools for creating electronic music (informed by his position as a specialist adviser to Ableton) and the process of discovering what you want to hear.  

Tomoko Sauvage, Japanese musician and artist active since mid 2000’s, investigates the sculpturality of sound and improvisation in relation to the environment. Mainly known for a musical / visual research about ‘natural synthesizer’ of her invention, composed with diverse fluid, bowls, ceramic, light and underwater amplification, Sauvage’s approach is attached to questions of alchemy, meditation and balance between hazard and mastery. Under the form of performances, installations and musical compositions, her work is regularly presented in Europe, Asia and America. https://o-o-o-o.org/ https://tomokosauvage.bandcamp.com/  

“to me the world is sound. Sound penetrates me, linking me to the world. I give sounds active meaning. By doing this I am assured of being in the sounds, becoming one with them. To me this is the greatest reality. It is not that I shape anything, but rather that I desire to merge with the world.” Toru Takemitsu, Confronting Silence, p.13

We leave you with the rhythmical motions and gently deep popping that is the sound of green tea leaves being dried in a large metal bowl over a fire. This traditional technique was recorded at a co-operative drying house in a valley of the tea-growing region of Ureshino in Kyushu - apparently one of the few left still using the technique, and the Emperor and Empress were due to visit the following week for a very special cup of tea. Big thanks to Koichi Yuasa for arranging what was a very special visit. The Japan Sound Portrait Podcast will be back in September, as long as there aren't any especially urgent sounds we need to share in the meantime. Thanks for listening and check out our Kyushu Sound Map webpage if you'd like to be creating your own podcasts while we're away... https://www.japansoundportrait.com/sound-map