Детали релиза : Yagi Michiyo - Shizuku (1999) [FLAC (tracks)]

Artwork By [Design] - Ikue Mori
Composed By, Performer - Yagi Michiyo
Executive Producer - John Zorn
Executive Producer [Associate Producer] - Kazunori Sugiyama
Mastered By - Allan Tucker
Photography - Nobuyoshi Araki
Recorded By - Jim Anderson

Michiyo Yagi, a Japanese musician, studied koto under the late Tadao Sawai, Kazue Sawai and Satomi Kurauchi, and graduated from the NHK Professional Training School for Traditional Musicians. Between 1989 and 1990 she was a visiting professor of Music at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, U.S.A. During her tenure she premiered numerous modern compositions for koto and came under the influence of maverick American composers such as John Cage, Conlon Nancarrow, and John Zorn. Her solo koto CD Shizuku was produced by Zorn and released on the Tzadik label in 1999. In 2001 she recorded "Yural" with her koto ensemble Paulownia Crush for the East Works label. Under the auspices of the Japan Foundation, Yagi toured Russia with this koto ensemble in the fall of 2004.

Ко́то (яп. 琴 ) или японская цитра — японский щипковый музыкальный инструмент. Кото наряду с флейтами хаяси и сякухати, барабаном цудзуми и лютней сямисэном относится к традиционным музыкальным японским инструментам.

Сходные инструменты характерны для культуры Кореи (каягым) и Китая (цисяньцинь).

История кото как японского музыкального инструмента насчитывает более тысячи лет. Он был завезён в Японию из Китая в период Нара (710—793 гг. н. э. ) в качестве инструмента для дворцового оркестра и использовался в музыке гагаку. Своего расцвета кото достиг в эпоху Хэйан, как неизменный атрибут аристократического образования и времяпрепровождения. Одной из самых известных пьес написанных специально для кото является созданная в XVII веке слепым мастером Яцухаси Кэнгё композиция «Рокудан-но сирабэ» («Музыка шести ступеней») .

На кото играют с помощью накладных ногтей-медиаторов, надевающихся на большой, указательный и средний пальцы правой руки. Лады и тональности настраиваются с помощью струнных подставок (мостов) непосредственно перед началом игры.

Игра на кото является одним из традиционных японских национальных видов искусства, получивших распространение, прежде всего, при императорском дворе. Однако и сегодня этот инструмент пользуется большой популярностью. Благодаря своей пластичности кото находит применение в современной японской музыке и способствует её развитию.

В настоящее время существует два основных типа инструмента:

* Семиструнный «кин» длиной 1 м — используется как соло-инструмент;
* и «со» — длинной от 1,80 до 2,00 м, с числом струн от 13 и выше — используется как оркестровый инструмент.

An eclectic performer, Yagi has made frequent appearances on Japanese TV and has performed at the Moers Jazz, Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville, Archipel, Bang on a Can, Tokyo Summer, Vision, Punkt, Instal, and Music Unlimited Festivals. Yagi's koto has been featured in ex-Judy & Mary guitarist/singer Takuya's rock band, and she has recorded and performed with Ayumi Hamasaki, Japan's best-selling pop singer. She is a founding member of Kokoo, a trio which performs originals and progressive rock covers exclusively on traditional Japanese instruments, and was one-third of the avant-pop girl group Hoahio.

Yagi is one of the few improvising koto players on the international stage. She has performed with Mark Dresser, John Zorn, Peter Brötzmann, Elliott Sharp, Han Bennink, Akira Sakata, Kazuhisa Uchihashi (Altered States), Natsuki Kido (Bondage Fruit), Fred Frith, Chris Cutler, Otomo Yoshihide, Saadet Turkoz, Ned Rothenberg, Hoppy Kamiyama, Samm Bennett, Yuji Katsui (Rovo), Lauren Newton, Hans Reichel, Sabu Toyozumi, Mino Cinelu, Satoko Fujii, Joëlle Léandre, Tatsuya Yoshida (Ruins), Bill Laswell, Kazutoki Umezu, Carl Stone, Kang Tae Hwan, Christian Marclay, Koichi Makigami, Zeena Parkins, Masahiko Sato, Billy Bang, Keiji Haino, Jason Roebke, Sachiko M, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love, MZN3 (Kjetil Møster, Per Zanussi, Kjell Nordeson), Chris Mosdell, Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), and many others.

Yagi's most recent recordings are Seventeen (Zipangu, 2005), entirely performed on the giant 17-string koto; Live! at SuperDeluxe (Idiolect/Bomba, 2006), a trio session with Flaten and Nilssen-Love; and the limited-edition "Head On" (Idiolect, 2008) as a member of the trio Brötzmann/Yagi/Nilssen-Love. Upcoming releases include a studio session with Dresser and Rothenberg, a duo with Sharp, the second Brötzmann/Yagi/Nilssen-Love CD, and a collaboration with guitarist Eivind Aarset and electronica artist Raymond C. Pellicer.

She is featured as an interview subject, and also in live performance with The Incendiary Orchestra in the 2009 documentary film about lyricist and collaborator Chris Mosdell, entitled Ink Music: In the Land of the Hundred-Tongued Lyricist. The film's soundtrack also features original material co-composed by Yagi during the live performance segments.

One of the most versatile masters of the koto, Michiyo Yagi has performed in rock bands, jazz groups, movie soundtracks, classical ensembles, noise improvisations and of course Japanese traditional and folk groups. Here, using both orthodox and unorthodox techniques, she takes the koto to an exciting new world of her own invention incorporating influences from traditional Japanese and Korean music as well as the American maverick tradition of Partch, Cage, Nancarrow and Terry Riley.

Astounding new music for an ancient instrument by one of the world’s most adventurous and accomplished contemporary koto players.