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english / japanese
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Insta
Miranda Remington gives us ten points of entry into the bewildering back catalogue of 'The Man From The East', Stomu Yamash'ta, a Japanese percussion prodigy who weaved together the classical with the underground; science fiction with Buddhism
Of all the artists who have managed a lifetime of extremity in sound, Stomu Yamash’ta, a Japanese percussionist, born Tsutomu Yamashita, has a discography that begs for reconsideration. Between his early beginnings in classical music, forays into jazz and progressive rock and a fundamental attachment to spiritual tradition; his drums, chimes, gongs and other unique instruments have graced many genres with unusual timbres.
Amongst the immense recognition and opportunities experienced by him, episodes of his biography affirm an enigma across many levels – mysterious science-fiction films, an original jazz-fusion stage show production, performances using volcanic rocks and a prolific, all-star list of collaborators. Later in life he retired to a temple where he channeled music for ritualistic purposes, but his entire life story represents a dynamic collision of ideas experienced by many Japanese renegades after the Second World War.
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