Teiji Ito - The Shamanic Principles [Tzadik - 2008]Teiji Ito was a Japanese composer and performer who moved to New York at an early age in 1952. Mostly know for his film scores for the avant grade films of Maya Deren, as well as his mixing of rhythmic and instrumental world music elements with-in his often improvised sound. This forth volume of his work from Tzadik deals with two pieces base around the native American Indians music, Shamanism and legends. To start off with you have to be impressed by the vast amount of instrumentation utilized here thats all mainly played by Ito himself, we have the following: Horn Rattles, Boar Tooth Rattle, Deer Rattle, Bamboo Trumpet, Vaccines, Cricket Whistles, Ratchets, Hand Drums, Bullroarers, Conch Shells, Berimbau, Shakers, Duck Calls, Kazoos, Thumb Piano, Jews Harp, Rasps, Scrapers, Tibet Cymbals, Stones, Kokoriko, Double Ocarina, Quena Flute, Flute, Shakuhachi, Eaglebone Flute, Whistling Cuica, Misc. Percussion, Voice, Frame Drum, Clarinet. The first track Axis Mundi from 1982 seems to be using most of the instruments listed & is best described as ritual/ shamanic native American Indians music meets improv. Over it’s just over 30 minute running time it goes from; shaker, rattle and ritual percussive work-outs overhung droning spiritual tones, to field recordings of water buzzed over by whistling and rattle tones, to mystic sound flute raising that sometimes build quite dense and perching, To strange war like dances underlined by bird sounds & native American chanting. The piece managers to keep your attention through-out,Sounding spiritual, strange, experimental and primal. The second piece Quetzalcoatl from 1980 is split into four parts, having more a composed feel to it like a strange Native American Indian music meets avant-garde Broadway musically, with a well spoken American female narrator popping up half way through to detail a bizarre folk tale. Again the four parts mix together chants, precussive & flute elements,drones,ect and Singers from the Sioux Nation. The piece came about in 1979 after Ito had visited one of the biggest Pow Wow’s of the year by Sioux Indian tribe of South Dakota. It was as a way of keeping the Sioux Indian legends alive in a theatrical collaboration, that was also giving the blessing of the elders of the tribes. Again another rewarding and enjoyable piece that showed Ito's great love for American Indian culture and the avant-garde, and his want to mix both together into a compelling and strange meeting of sounds. The cd comes with an informative booklet detailing the pieces along with pictures of his original scores,ect. This collection is a real find for those who want something a little different that mixes together world and improv elements in a fresh, lively and compelling manner    Roger Batty
|
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2023. Twenty two years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=com
