Song Description

Chikubu This track features Japanese instruments and scales, owing to the fact I was living there when I wrote and recorded it. It is an atmospheric piece, floating in the beginning and end, and in the main section featuring a pulsing, ¾ time signature and instruments that make short statements that give way to others instruments in a style I have heard Weather Report use. The "verse" represents Sadness and uses an E Phrygian mode (anybody know what that is?) played on a shakukachi flute. This is followed by a "chorus", making the case for Joy using an A-Major Pentatonic scale played on a Japanese koto. The middle section features a Japanese-style violin playing softly over a wash of beautiful harmonics and gently tinkling bells. We end up back at the "chorus" part with all playing in joyous abandon. The finale is a lovely etheric A-Major drone with birds singing in the trees and a great bell from some distant Zen monastery gently pealing in the background.