Shampoo Yuko Tomita

This anthology, which tries to sum up Isao Tomita's recordings for the Red Seal Label, actually managed to give a fairly complete panorama of his work. Tomita can be thought of as the precursor of ambient music - but unlike people who think that ambient is a sustained 23 minute sine wave, here music has Direction. Granted, most of the stuff is synthesized renditions of "impressionistic" classical works, but the imaginative use Isao makes of his array of synths (most of this stuff was recorded in the early 70's, so we're talking about modular synths mainly - long before computer programming was available). The sonic pallete fits perfectly, and he makes good use of repetitive arpeggiator sequences to get a pulse going - and then he works his magic, specially in the arranging department. A truly unique - and sadly underestimated - artist.

Perhaps Tomita at his most experimental, in which large sections of Prokofiev orchestral works are combined with loads of marvellous synthesizer effects.
Pioneering Japanese composer and synthesizer expert Isao Tomita bridged the gap between note-by-note classical/electronic LPs like Switched-On Bach and the more futuristic, user-friendly interfaces developed in the 1970s. After creating one of the first personal recording studios with an array of top synthesizer gear in the early '70s, Tomita applied his visions for space-age synthesizer music to his favorite modern composers - Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky, Maurice Ravel - though his recordings steered a course far beyond the sterile academics of Wendy Carlos and other synthesists.

Originally released in 2000, expanded version with Japanese traditional instruments, synthesizers and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Yoshiko Sakata's narration of the famous old Japanese tale, translated into modern Kyoto dialect.

One of the more satisfying classical/synthesizer debuts, Snowflakes Are Dancing works on its own terms as a piece of music. As well, the album succeeds as an interpretation of several Debussy compositions (including Clair de lune and Arabesque No. 1). Debussy's atmospheric compositions are naturals to receive the Tomita treatment and despite a few moments of interstellar cheesiness worthy of Star Hustler, Tomita's debut is an intriguing proto-synthesizer-pop record.

Equipped with a warehouse of component Moog equipment, four phase shifters, a Roland space echo unit, a sitar, and other period electronic gear, Tomita re-enters the Russian classical repertoire with his take on Stravinsky's Firebird Suite (1919 version). As unique as Tomita's idiom was (and still is), this transcription is rather conservative for him, not as startling nor as playful as those of Debussy and Mussorgsky on his first two RCA albums. The by-now-familiar drifting, spacy, phasey Tomita treatment works best on the slower numbers in the suite, like "The Round of the Princesses," the "Berceuse," and the disembodied majesty of the opening of the "Finale." But the "Dance of the Firebird" and "Infernal Dance" aren't nearly as dynamic or colorful as any of Stravinsky's orchestral versions…

This was the most controversial Tomita album, where he uses Holst's spectacular, mystical suite The Planets as a launching pad for what amounts to a simulated spaceship trip through the solar system. Hence the title The Tomita Planets, which did not deter the Holst estate from trying (unsuccessfully) to pull this recording off the market at the time. When Tomita sticks to what Holst wrote, he follows every turn and bend of the score, save for a big cut in the last part of Jupiter and an eviscerated Uranus that nearly disappears altogether. Moreover, the music - especially Venus - often does lend itself to an electronic space flight fantasy, with Tomita's arsenal of phase-shifting, flanging, pitch-bending, envelope following and reversing choral effects and more on full display…

Originally released in 2000, expanded version with Japanese traditional instruments, synthesizers and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Yoshiko Sakata's narration of the famous old Japanese tale, translated into modern Kyoto dialect.

Following the success of her "head-turning debut" with Orchid Classics in 2022, dynamic young violinist Coco Tomita returns with her new album "Echoes", reuniting with pianist Simon Callaghan in a reflective and intimate exploration of late 19th and 20th century repertoire. Coco first gained widespread recognition as winner of the 2020 BBC Young Musician Strings Category, an event which led to the recording of her debut album, "Origins", which garnered huge critical acclaim and was selected as one of Apple Music's Albums of the Month. She was named as 'One to watch' by Gramophone Magazine and 'Young Classical Star' by Classic FM, while elsewhere her rendition of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" rapidly amassed over 2 million streams as part of Apple Music's Classical Christmas campaign in December 2022.

Following the success of her "head-turning debut" with Orchid Classics in 2022, dynamic young violinist Coco Tomita returns with her new album "Echoes", reuniting with pianist Simon Callaghan in a reflective and intimate exploration of late 19th and 20th century repertoire. Coco first gained widespread recognition as winner of the 2020 BBC Young Musician Strings Category, an event which led to the recording of her debut album, "Origins", which garnered huge critical acclaim and was selected as one of Apple Music's Albums of the Month. She was named as 'One to watch' by Gramophone Magazine and 'Young Classical Star' by Classic FM, while elsewhere her rendition of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" rapidly amassed over 2 million streams as part of Apple Music's Classical Christmas campaign in December 2022.