Go Stomu Yamash'ta

Some Of My Favourite Moments From This Amazing Percussionist

By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred Published about a year ago • 3 min read

"Floating Music" by Stomu Yamash'ta and Come To The Edge

Introduction

As a teenager, I saw the cover of "Floating Music" by Stomu Yamash'ta and Come To The Edge and had to buy it immediately, just because it was so beautiful. I really did not know what to expect.

There is an interview here

So I will share a few from the Stomu Yamash'ta albums in my collection and there are quite a few, but this playlist will just scratch the surface.

I do hope that you go out and check his work out after you have listened to a few of these pieces.

"Keep In Lane" from "Floating Music" with Come To The Edge

I was sure I had read a description of this trying to have instruments playing at different speeds alongside each other, but reading my vinyl copy I cannot find that description but this, taken from an Amazon review describes it well.

A kind of montage of impressions of different vehicles speeding along a multi-lane highway. Thunderous percussion and vocal chants, overtaken by swifter, clean and brilliant horns, in turn giving way to mellifluous vibes, and back again.

"Memory Of Hiroshima" From "The Man Who Fell To Earth" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

One of six contributions to this album that featured David Bowie in the lead role. "Poker Dice" and "One Way" are also the opening and closing pieces on the "Floating Music". album.

This sombrely and eerily majestic piece is taken from the Red Buddha Theatre's "Man From The East" album

"Mountain Pass" from "Man From The East" with Red Buddha Theatre

An atmospheric and almost classical piece, very calming.

"Stone Mountain" from "The Purple"

These are dissonant sounds, although not too challenging, like being in a cave where water dips down stone columns into pools on the stone floor.

"Prison Song" From "Percussion"

This soundscape is "composed" by Hans Werner Henze who says this about Yamash'ta in the album insert:

The idea of music being visible can hardly be more convincingly perceived than in the playing of this musician. To begin with, sound, for Yamash'ta, is not an abstraction, but a mental and physical necessity. He is unable to execute musical textures per se: music to him means words, messages, calls, and self-affirmation, as though he were saying: Listen! I am still alive! Still alive!

Aggression and defence are in his work. He knows everything about silence; that is why he unchains these acoustic outrages. He sniper-fires into the darkness of besieged cities, stops, waiting for an answer, shoots again. He remembers the ceremonial gestures of his ancestors' music as signals for anxieties and threats. His ears investigate both minerals and tissues. He is not bothered by conservative conceptions whatsoever.

His researches lead him to surpass his domains: Kabuki, rock, the classic timpani, and the achievements of the music of the late sixties. He is at the exit, on the way to another beauty and to different music-making. His is a commentary on the Revolution, department Utopia.

Hans Werner Henze

"You and Me" from "Go Too" by Yamash'ta/Winwood/ Shrieve

With electronics by Klause Schulze and orchestration by Paul Buckmaster formerly of The Third Ear Band another wonderful piece.

"Crossing The Line" from "Go" by Yamash'ta/Winwood/ Shrieve

"Go" is probably my favourite album which involves Yamash'ta as it was a veritable supergroup featuring Stevie Winwood (Blind Faith/Traffic), Michael Shrieve (Santana) as well as Klause Schulze, Jess Roden, Linda Lewis and Al DiMeola.

All the songs bar one ("Winner/Loser" by Stevie Winwood) are composed by Yamash'ta.

The album was followed by "Go Too" and "Go Live". Together these are a wonderful record of the project. The complete Go Sessions can be picked up on CD on Discogs.