Discography

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SLSD CoverStriking Light, Striking Dark

Poetry sung to original compositions by Sasha Bogdanowitsch (Voice) and Christopher Yohmei Blasdel (Shakuhachi). Poetry from the works of Ranier Maria Rilke (Germany), Pablo Neruda (Chile), John Logan, Sam Hamill (American), and the ancient Japanese Zen-inspired text, Kyotaku Denki.

We are proud to announce the release of our new CD, Striking Light, Striking Dark. Shakuhachi master Christopher Yohmei Blasdel collaborates with the phenomenal singer Sasha Bogdanowitsch to create new compositions that cross the boundaries of culture, style, time, the written word, and song. These two musicians set to song and instrumental accompaniment the poetry of legendary poets from four continents that span several centuries. The shakuhachi— Japan’s traditional vertical bamboo flute—makes the perfect blend of Sasha’s fluid voice. They also use an array of rare world and original instruments, such as the Pantheon Steel Halo, Freenotes metallophone, and Mbira Array along with the African dosongoni and karimba, to dramatize and enrich the songs. This CD is a perfect example of cross-genre, cross-cultural music that stimulates both on an artistic and intellectual level. Purchase directly from CD Baby.

Track list (The poems and permissions can be found here)

  1. Ish Province Work Song (Sam Hamill)
  2. How Could We Forget? (Ranier Maria Rilke)
  3. Unity (Pablo Neruda)
  4. Solstice (Sam Hamill)
  5. Peacock Feather (Ranier Maria Rilke)
  6. Elegy (Sam Hamill)
  7. All of It (adapted from David Wagoner, Who Shall be the Sun?)
  8. Oracular (Sam Hamill)
  9. The Art of Literary Translation (Sam Hamill)
  10. The Search (John Logan)
  11. Kyorei (from the Kyotaku Denki)
  12. Saltarello instrumental

 

Navarasa

Shakuhachi: Christopher Yohmei Blasdel Bass MArk Izu

Shakuhachi: Christopher Yohmei Blasdel
Bass, Shô, Sheng: Mark Izu
All compositions by Christopher Yohmei Blasdel & Mark Izu

This CD is based on the navarasa (the nine basic human emotions written in ancient Sanscrit and given life through classical Indian dance) expressed through a combination of shakuhachi, bass, and mouth organ (the Chinese sheng and Japanese shô). The performers on this CD are Christopher Yohmei Blasdel, an American who has lived most of his life in Japan studying Japanese music, and Mark Izu, a Japanese American who has spent his life on the American west coast as a jazz artist and composer deftly utilizing aspects of traditional Asian music. The music is mostly improvised, based on the various rasa themes.

  1. Love (Śṛngāram)
  2. Interlude for Sita
  3. Mirth (Hāsyam)
  4. Compassion (Karuṇam)
  5. Arjuna’s Laugh
  6. Fury (Raudram)
  7. Ganesha’s Walk
  8. Heroism (Vīram)
  9. The Visage of Shiva
  10. Fear (Bhayānakam)
  11. Dance for Hanuman
  12. Disgust (Bībhatsam)
  13. Wonder (Adbhutam)
  14. Sita’s Return
  15. Tranquility (Shanta)
  16. Bass Solo
  17. Shiva’s Dance (shakuhachi solo)

 Visionary Tones

Christopher Yohmei Blasdel
Bright One Records BOCH-0001
Copyright 2004 Christopher Yohmei Blasdel.
All Rights Reserved.
Two CD Set of Traditional and Contemporary Kinko Style Shakuhachi Music

CD1

  1. Sokaku Reibo (Song of the Cranres)
    Kinko Style Honkyoku
  2. Yugure no Kyoku (Evening Song)
    Kinko Style Honkyoku
  3. Shigure, Kagero, Katsuragi
    Takahashi Yuji

CD2

  1. Sagari Ha no Kyoku (Song of the Falling Leaves)
    Kinko Style Honkyoku
  2. Tsuki no Kyoku (Song of the Moon)
    Kinko Style Honkyoku
  3. Byoh–for Shakuhachi Solo
    Hirose Ryohei

 

Breathplay

Christopher Yohmei Blasdel & Byron Au Yong
700261228112. B0010V5F4E
Copyright 2007 Byron Au Yong.
All Rights Reserved.

  1. Water Whispers
  2. San’ya
  3. Elephant
  4. BreathPlay
  5. Cricket
  6. Mist

Collaborative CD with Seattle-based composer Byron AuYong. Shakuhachi with water, voice, er-hu (Chinese fiddle), piano and an assortment of Asian percussion in a recording that pushes past the traditional and avant-garde to music both ancient and contemporary.


Bamboo Voice – Human Flute

Shakuhachi: Christopher Yohmei Blasdel
Far East Island Records Co., Ltd
Copyright 2001 Christopher Yohmei Blasdel.
All Rights Reserved.

  1. Tamuke
  2. Uguisu (The Nightengale)
  3. Koujou no Tsuki (The Moon over the Ruined Castle)
  4. Defune (Departing Boat)
  5. Hama Chidori (BeachPlovers)
  6. Kaze (Who Has Seen the Wind)
  7. Mari to Tonosama (The Lord and the Ball)
  8. Five Pieces Set to the Poems of Kaneko Misuzu
  9. Osaka no Komoriuta (Osaka Lullaby)
  10. Yamato Komoriuta (Yamato Lullaby)
  11. Calligraphy for Voice and Bamboo
  12. Samuyo Mukashi Banashi (Storytelling on a Winter’s Night)
  13. Song of Atitlan

Heart of Bamboo

Shakuhachi: Christopher Yohmei Blasdel
Copper Canyon Press (a few copies left)
Copyright 1999 Christopher Yohmei Blasdel.
All Rights Reserved.

 

 

  1. Heart Of Bamboo
  2. Waka from Only Companion
  3. Song of the Dream Garden
  4. Shunga
  5. After Han Yu
  6. Talking to Myself
  7. True Illumination
  8. A Lover’s Quarrel
  9. Midsummer
  10. Four Letters to Hayden Carruth

 

Zen Reveries

Zen Reveries
Shakuhachi: Christopher Yohmei Blasdel
Moonbridge – MBR 1023 (1996) Sold Out
Copyright 1996 Christopher Yohmei Blasdel.
All Rights Reserved.

 

  1. Another Kind of Dream
  2. Gendai Choshi
  3. Pale Lights
  4. Morning Becomes Electric
  5. Replay
  6. Zen Mondoh

All compositions by Christopher Yohmei and UEHARA Kazuo, except
* Gendai Choshi by Christopher Yohmei Christopher Yohmei Blasdel: Shakuhachi, Kazuo Uehara: Synthesizer


 

Voices from Afar

Christopher Yohmei Blasdel
Teichiku Records TECY 28030 (1986), Sold Out
Copyright 1988 Christopher Yohmei Blasdel.
All Rights Reserved.

 

 

  1. Yearnings, shakuhachi solo
    Composed by Christopher Yohmei
  2. Dorian Dance, for shakuhachi and twenty-stringed koto
    Composed by Christopher Yohmei
  3. The Gates of Heaven and Earth, for shakuhachi and double bass
    Composed by Christopher Yohmei and YOSHIZAWA Motoharu
  4. Storytelling on a Winter’s Night, for shakuhachi and soprano
    Composed by TAKEUCHI Akihiko
  5. The Shadow of the Rose, for shakuhachi and oud
    Composed by Christopher Yohmei and Hamza el DIN
  6. Worthless Shakuhachi–Five Songs from the Kanginshû, for shakuhachi, soprano, narrative and shamisen
    Composed by Christopher Yohmei
  7. Tears of Heaven, for shakuhachi and piano
    Composed by Michael REIMANN

Night of the Garuda

Christopher Yohmei Blasdel
Teichiku Records TECY 28030 (1986), Sold Out
Copyright 1986 Christopher Yohmei Blasdel.
All Rights Reserved.

 

 

    1. Night of The Garuda improvisation for shakuhachi and ryuuteki
      Composed by Christopher Yohmei and SHIBA Sukeyasu
    2. Tsuki, for shakuhachi and sho
      Composed by MASSUMOTO Kikuko
    3. The Song of Atitlan, for shakuhachi and soprano
      Composed by Christopher Yohmei
    4. Hi-fu-mi Hachigaeshi Shirabe
      Kinko style honkyoku
    5. Mama no Kawa, for shamisen and shakuhachi
      Composed by KIKUOKA Kengyô