Seigen Ono is a Japanese musician who has released several albums on Virgin's Venture label, among which "Music for Comme des Garçons". As a producer and an engineer, Seigen has been involved with the Lounge Lizards, Bill Laswell, R. Sakamoto, Herbie Hancock, etc. This album hovers between ambient music and minimalist jazz, and features John Zorn, Evan Lurie, and other figures from the New York scene. The last part of the album is devoted to "Berliner Nächt", a very hypnotic suite for 12-string guitar.
This one is a bit special. Last we heard from Seigen, he was introducing us to his very jazz-influenced take on Japanese New Age music. On the follow up to that epic debut, The Green Chinese Table, we find Seigen dividing his time up between recording sessions in Tokyo and New York City. It’s impossible to stress how that meeting of western and eastern minds really seasons the conditions that make this record sound like it does.
With his release of BAR DEL MATTATOIO, a challenging and irreverent fusion of jazz, classical, Tropicália, and experimental musics, SEIGEN ONO transports the listener to a place that is nearly tactile, sweaty, absolutely sensual, intellectually challenging, and maybe even a bit psychedelic, while maintaining a delicate humanity that is shadowed with melancholy. The music is bold, but never overbearing, humble without timidity, and presents an incredible trip through, what might seem a contradiction of musical terms, but is, instead, a cohesive, complex musical statement, bound together by a strong sense of rhythm and a wicked, if understated, sense of humor and good will. BAR DEL MATTATOIO is a bold and gorgeous work of music that, at times, shyly pretends to look in the other direction, but never loses focus.
This album dates all the way back to 1984. Despite that, I’ve only just got around to listening to it. It’s a pleasant enough collection of strings and jazz that caused quite a stir back in the day. During the early 1980s, this would have appeared in many stores under the New Age banner. I remember seeing it mentioned in many magazines of the day as an essential album for relaxation and so forth. In many way, it really was a different world back then.
This 8 CD box set of 128 tracks will blow your mind with a wide range of chill out music from various artists. It ranges from artists of the 70s such as Brian and Roger Eno, Mike Oldfield, Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Genesis, to world music from artists like Shelia Chandra, Govinda, Joi, Baaba Maal, to classical themes by Ennio Morricone, Tasmin Little, Michael Nyman and Barrington Pheloung, to New Age and Celtic music from Enigma, Matt Molloy, Mae McKenna, David Byrne, Sacred Spirit, Adiemus, Douglas Spotted Eagle, Yulara, Clear Sound Project, Penquin Cafe Orchestra plus many many more varieties of artists and music. This box set will satisfy everyones taste and mood for chillout music.
Masahide Sakuma is known as one of the best recording producers in the Japanese music society, and also as a composer/arranger for rock, pop, movie scores, commercial films, TV etc. He was a member of Japanese rock legend Yonin Bayashi and of the Plastics, he released 4 solo albums too. He played guitars, basses, keyboards and other instruments for many recording sessions and live on stage including at the biggest concert with GLAY for 200,000 people at Makuhari in 1999. As a producer, his career started in 1979 when producing P-MODEL's first album "In a model room".
Ibiza stands for the ocean, beaches, world-class DJs and - of course - the legendary Cafee del Mar. The latter is well known for the breathtaking sunset down by the bay of Cala des Moro. Josee Padilla, resident DJ at Cafe del Mar and the man behind the legendary compilation-series, is now working on "Ibiza Sundowner presented by Jose Padilla", in where he presents the very best of chill-out music on two CDs. Not only featuring artists such as Silent Poets with their "(There's Always) Meaning In The Tone" and Peter Broderick with his "Solace In Gala", but also with the exclusive track "Ocean Drum" from Jose Padillas' latest album.