Customer Reviews

Eastwind: Japanese Shakuhachi Music

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Masayuki Koga's powerful shakuhachi sounds will bring you face to face with your unadorned true self. They are nature made manifest in all it's complete force and abundance. At times sweet and serene, at other times like a gale blowing right through you. Koga stands out above all the masters, incorporating and transcending the traditional. This is the first and last in Shakuhachi music--the real thing.

Many recordings of Japanese shaukaushi bamboo flute are available; thus I was surprised to find Masayuki Koga's album Eastwind still being produced. But then, there is a very good reason: it is a great album of both traditional and his own contemporary pieces. One must be highly talented and inventive to do both well; Koga is a master. The sound quality of the album, a remastered anthology of his LPs, is excellent, owing to the original studio engineering and the sense of chamber depth. The use of rice paper in package design is a nice touch. The classic pieces--Distant Cry of Deer, Sashi no Kyolu, Rokudan, and Zangetsu--are unforgiving; any flaw in breathing technique, sensitivity, and rhythmic flow is readily apparent. Koga, who was trained in both the Kinko and Tozan schools of shakuhashi, performs these works in grand style. His own works maintain the traditional sound but with modern flair in phrasing. One track is a duet with koto. Such slow music produces timelessness, tranquility, and awareness. Koga is a musical sorcerer.

Koga has technical chops, undoubtedly; but what makes this one of my favorite shakuhachi discs is the range of moods. Partly this stems from the mixture of old and new - the traditional pieces are handled very well, but his own compositions are refreshingly different. Highly recommended.

This CD is a wonderful part of any music lover's collection. Get lost in the haunting tones of the japanese flute. A great CD to relax to. I definately give this one a 2 thumbs up.