Bliss.


I haven’t written in here for a while, but last month, I was really lucky to
be able to meet a great person – a seemingly aloof, independent trumpeter I’
ve respected for a really long time, Toshinori Kondo [1]. We’re writing the
theme for this year’s Earth Day together and plan to perform it together as
well.

Ever since the 80’s, Kondo has been based in New York and circling the globe
on a spiritual musical journey, searching for truth. He’s like a stoic
electronic Samurai. Believing in the values the Dalai Lama espouses, he’s
produced a “Holy Music Festival” that crosses international borders. His
solo project “Blow the Earth,” held in places like Israel’s Negev Desert,
the Andes of Peru, Yakushima in Okinawa, and the Himalayas in Ladakh, takes
the vibration of nature and the sound of the electric rapper [2] and
synchronizes them, touching the soul. And last year, over sixty years since
the atomic bomb was dropped, he began the “Pikadon Project” [3].

I really respect what he’s doing. Kondo himself is spiritual, wise, cool,
tall, and all-over wonderful. His unbelievable beauty and deep, persuasive
power are all condensed into the sparkling timbres of his trumpet. A sound
like soaring to the heavens, then raining down upon the planet…without
really noticing, I think I’ve been greatly influenced by him. I’m so
honored to be able to work on this collaboration with him.

Working with Kondo’s purpose, tossing ideas around, composing, and recording
was all a great time full of energy. Especially when we were dubbing the
theme the feeling of playing in unison was true bliss. Improvising together,
hearing the entwined sounds of Kondo’s electric rapper and my electric
violin was like being in a heaven of explosive imagination. I think we
created a sound that is like suddenly happening upon a living creature
totally unknown in the deep sea or the distant sky. The title is “PRAY FOR
MOTHER EARTH.” It was really sublime, and I can’t wait for you all to hear
it! I think we’ll probably offer it to purchase and download online at some
point. At ten minutes, it’s a pretty long song, but really deep, really
majestic. It makes you imagine the synchronization of the heartbeat of this
earth our mother and our heavenly father the cosmos, a great ambient track.
Anyway, I’ll let you know more information at a later point.

Also, it’s kind of sudden, but tomorrow (today already?), March 4th, I’m
joining Kondo at Daikanyama UNIT to play with his jam band the KKP ORCHESTRA.
The featured vocalist is ANARCHY’s [3] Shigeru Nakano! It should be amazing
and lots of fun. For those who are able to fit it into their schedule on such
short notice, come check us out at UNIT.

Meeting a new sage of the heart. I really feel like after this all kinds of
good things could happen.

Sugizo

Posted by SUGIZO : at02:53 AM


TRANSLATOR’s NOTES

[1] An unofficial website: http://homepage2.nifty.com/kondomaniacs
[2] I’m unsure exactly what a 電気ラッパ is. If anyone knows, please explain!
[3] Pikadon is another word for “atomic bomb.” The project’s website is:
http://www.pikadon.jp/top.html
[4] Official website: http://www.anarchy.co.jp