Search - Riley Lee, Satsuki Odamura :: Picture Dreams

Pristine serenity, seemingly untouched by the modern world!

Brianna Neal | USA | 10/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are only two instruments played on this album: the shakuhachi, an end-blown, bamboo flute, and the koto, a 13-stringed Japanese zither, a combination popular in Japan since the mid-17th century. And it's easy to understand why; the two were made for each other. Whether by variations in breath or touch, both instruments are graced by a nuanced flexibility of intonation--that wavery sound within individual notes that, to Western ears, may seem slightly out of tune, but which actually imbues each tone with a subtle character all its own. Both instruments are also capable of expressing a wide range of moods, from bright and piercing to lyrical and liquid. Shakuhachi master Riley Lee and koto virtuoso Satsuki Odamura are also perfectly matched, alternately gliding and tumbling their way through this collection of duets, playing off each other's embellishments and silences like seasoned jazz improvisers. The result is at once relaxing and stimulating, and at all times utterly transporting! Try also Riley Lee's other albums, such as the retrospective compilation "Postcards From Bundanon," and also "Quiet Heart / Spirit Wind" by Richard Warner and the Native American flute recordings of R. Carlos Nakai.

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Seven pieces for relax or introspection

Rhys Buckingham | Nelson New Zealand | 06/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD of shakuhachi and koto duets by Riley Lee and Satsuki Odamura paints sound-pictures or introspective dreams in an intriguing and rather beautiful way. Sometimes the phrases are simple and slow then suddenly there are bursts of energy as the instruments dance in ecstasy and passion.There are some similaries here with the music of German musician Stephan Micus, so if you are a fan of this artist you should not be disappointed with Picture Dreams. Riley Lee, a dai shihan (grand master) of the shakuhachi, brings out all the magic of this instrument to our ears. And perfectly complementing Lee's performance, Odamura portrays a phenomenal mastery with the koto. Overall, a fine effort of relaxing yet sometimes challenging music, portraying a masterful interplay between two very different intruments."