Neo

Talented multi-instrumentalist second generation Japanese American (son of two symphony musicians); studied at Manhattan School of Music, lived and worked with Kodo, taiko ensemble in Japan, for ten years; experimental and innovative but also lilting and tuneful at times

No FCC's; Favorite tracks: 1, 2, 6, 9, 10

*1-5:47 – “Bloodlines” starts with solo Japanese flute, drums and clinky percussion; lively, skippy, happy sound; adds more and more strands toward end including inchoate vocals

*2-5:37 – “Dreams” – drums underneath vocal chant/drone in harmony --- drum playing is very energetic and enjoyable; nice contrast; slows to tinkly bells and tweets midway then segues to galloping drum and percussion solo, and back to chant

3-6:49 – “Prism,”-- jagged and erratic flute and drum; a little avant garde for my taste

4-2:35 – more flute and drum; a little singsongy

5-5:11 – still more flute flights punctuated by bouts of drumming; has more of an arc; gathers speed near end

*6-8:45 – “Together Alone,” – starts with heavy duty taiko; very stirring; koto comes in, then flute, nicely segmented; nice contrast of light and heavy percussion

7-5:04 – “Iki” - starts with flute motif – steady drumbeat and flute intervals over spoken words, Japanese and Eric Garner's “I can't breathe,” builds in intensity; a little chilling

8-2:22 – more taiko-ish, heavy drums with lighter percussion, ceremonial-sounding

*9-7:28- “Shinobu” – starts with stringed instrument; beautifully resonant, opens out to lushness with drums, flute, and other percussion, Japanese garden in the 21st century

*10-4:25- “Reverse” – traditional tune – opens with flute motif, adds taiko; spare, ceremonial, timeless

11-2:22- somewhat shrill-sounding flute, pounding taiko

12-9:54 – “One”- hitting sticks, flute trills lead off; sustained flute solo followed by sustained taiko solo feel a bit unrelieved and random; sounds like shredding paper at the end.