"Whether this music really has anything to do with Zen or not you can decide yourself. The first piece is called "Good to Be Alive" and is from a 1955 documentary of the same name about the horrors of the atomic bombings and the joy of surviving them. It features the koto jushichigen (bass zither) and shakuhachi in a meditative yet engrossing work that is quite accessible. The second piece, "Kuu" (loosely translated as "Empty Sky"), is Zen-influenced. It is full of shrill flute notes, arrhythmic drumming, and baboon-like low chanting. The last piece is entitled "Shumisen Haruka" after the metaphorical mountain of the afterlife in Buddhist teachings. It features a five-piece ensemble, including two bamboo marimbas. It offers up a repetitive rhythmic pattern reminiscent of the South American minimalist group Uakti. It's hard to know whom to recommend this disc to. It would be OK for anyone who likes Japanese classical but better for those who enjoy the avant-garde. Not for casual explorers." (AllMusic)
To my knowledge the only album devoted purely to traditional heikyoku music that is available outside of Japan. Heikyoku is an early style of Japanese traditional music equivalent to the European troubadour music of the Middle Ages, as it developed in the 13th century, was performed by wandering bards, and emphasized the lyrics, which were taken from the Heike Monogatari epic. Both the vocals and instrumental accompaniment are used sparingly in this genre, with alternating periods of dynamic music and silence used for dramatic effect. I certainly lose out on a lot of its appeal since I do not understand the lyrics, but I nevertheless find it very expressive and enjoyable. Junko Ueda's playing and singing is certainly very good, though nowhere near as brilliant as that of her teacher, Kinshi Tsuruta. 3 1/2 stars for enjoyment, bonus 1/2 star for rarity, being probably the most representative recording of this genre of music. Recording quality is good. Recommended! (Hattivat in RateYour Music)
"This famous bamboo flute, historically the instrument of the Samurai, is here played by the Masters of Meian-ryu, Kimpu-ryu, Tozan-ryu and Kikusui-ryu, at Darumaden of Nanzenji, and Meianji, Kyoto. Selected as one of CD Review Magazine's 50 Definitive World Music Recordings! (June 1990) Much of the shakuhachi's subtlety (and player's skill) lies in its rich tone colouring, and the ability for its variation. Different fingerings, embouchures and amounts of meri/kari can produce notes of the same pitch, but with subtle or dramatic differences in the tone colouring. Holes can be covered partially and pitch varied subtly or substantially by changing the blowing angle. Played by masters of various schools in Kyoto, these performances on the bamboo flute serves as excellent introduction to the scope of this mysterious and spiritual instrument. Fascinating background notes and performance descriptions of the 7 numbers on this CD." (worldmusicstore.com, wikipedia)
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