****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
More than 40 years ago I took a lovely japanese girl on a first date to see Stomu Yamashita's Raindog. We're now coming up to our 40th wedding anniversary, so I'm very fondly disposed to Stomu. He kind of disappeared for a long time, entering a Buddhist temple, but it is good to see he has been more active again lately. He has been doing some wonderful work with lithophones - instruments made from stone. The instruments he uses are made from a volcanic stone called Sanukite, and the variety of sounds is remarkable. The "In-Zen Music" album is simply gorgeous.Walking on Sound sees Yamashta performing in a French church with Icelandic and Syrian opera singers, an Irish whistle and Japanese Shakuhachi player, and a group of Buddhist monks. It's an unusual mix. Much of the music is new, but themes from older albums such as Sea and Sky are also woven in. The mix seems uneasy at first, but as the piece progresses it gels much more, and by the end becomes both beautiful and fascinating. There is a second performance on the disc of Zen music, using monks voices and stone percussion, and a documentary about the creation of the works.It may not be to everyone's taste, but it repays repeated listening, and it is a genuine joy to see such an immense talent performing again .
