Those who can appreciate Watazumi-doso style hocciku, may i suggest
listening also too Atsuya Okuda "the sound of zen" a great living hocciku
player. tj
> From: Alcvin Ramos <ramos@dccnet.com>
> Reply-To: Shakuhachi@communication.ucsd.edu
> Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2004 20:35:52 -0700
> To: Shakuhachi@communication.ucsd.edu
> Subject: Re: [Shaku] Watazumi
>
> When I first heard Watazumi-doso on a CD about 10 years ago, I did not
> like his sound at all. Perhaps it was very low quality recording of
> that album put out by Legacy International: The Art of the Japanese
> Bamboo Flute. Actually half that album is not even Watazumi-do playing!
> Anyways, as my shakuhachi studies deepened I began to appreciate the
> beauty of Watazumi-do's playing and sound more and more. Finding better
> recordings of his music also helped. Then hearing all the strange and
> funny stories from various people who have met him personally and
> reading about him from spurious articles made me contemplate the deeper
> meaning of playing shakuhachi (for me). Thinking about him, I feel a
> deep sympathy for him, as he went greatly against the grain of Japanese
> society, and must have suffered a great deal from societal pressures to
> conform. I don't know...
>
> What I do know is that he has had a profound impact on me and my
> shakuhachi life. Although now dead, I feel he still teaches.
>
> al
>
>
>
> On Saturday, August 7, 2004, at 07:32 PM, Justin . wrote:
>
>> Hi Ron,
>> Thanks very much for your reply. Yes I have listened
>> to 3 of his albums. And I did kind of like them. But
>> the more I play, the way I listen changes. That`s not
>> just for Watazumi but all the shakuhachi that I listen
>> to. But I still think I`m not hearning what people
>> might admire so much about Watazumi. Let`s say my
>> friend who is a jazz trumpet player. It`s really nice
>> to listen to jazz with him, because he loves it so
>> much. And the way he listens, or the slight comments
>> he makes, really enhance my enjoyment and feeling for
>> the music. Know what I mean? Like he opens a gateway.
>> So that`s why I was asking all you shakuhachi people
>> about Watazumi. And for a whiel, no-one gave their
>> views - I thought you were all more interested in
>> whether it is called a "shak" or not (Watazumi would
>> be laughing no doubt!!), but finally you have shared
>> with me your views, so thank you Ron. Certainly I can
>> hear he is wild. And I do like that. There is one
>> album I heard with much minyo on it. And that it just
>> totally wild. Not shakuhachi I think. Maybe he is
>> playing hitoygiri or something? But so so wild and so
>> much control!
>> Okay, best wishes
>> Justin
>>
>>
>> --- Ronald Nelson <ron@komuso.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------
>> Hi Justin,
>>
>> I think it is best to judge for yourself by listening
>> to one of his CDs.
>>
>> The reasons I find him interesting are mostly that he
>> was a very dynamic
>> and wild and accomplished player, that he taught the
>> great player
>> Yokoyama Katsuya, that he claims to have had no
>> teachers, that his
>> Zen music tradition is different from most what most
>> people are selling,
>> that his recordings are very rare and hard to find.
>> To me he was kind
>> of a crazy monk and expressed that in his music with
>> rawness, energy,
>> dynamics, and unique interpretations. I don't know
>> another player with
>> such mystique and energy.
>>
>> Ron
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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