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Review:
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Music is becoming all mixed up
these days. Genres that once had rigid borders
are flowing into each other. It certainly seems
like that as I sit and sort through promo
releases I get, but that's probably just my
perspective. Then again, I was aware of Nu Metal
(the abomination spawned of rap and grunge) when
it happened, I just didn t like it.
I mention this because there is a general
blurring of the lines happening with classical
music (current classical it's not like Bach is
suddenly in a different genre), New Age, mellow
jazz, and ambient music. These genres all share
a lot of similarity in the sense of a general
unhurriedness, a meditative approach to time,
slowness, gently ebbing. This blurring seems
completely natural as all of these mellow tones
and artists cross-pollinate.
Leon Todd Johnson has worked int his space for a
while, recording as airport people (again with
the damned lack of capitalization!) since at
least 2020. This is apparently his first work
under his own name. No matter: updating his
BandCamp has updated the records of his past so
it is available.
we kei sei jaku is just under 20
minutes worth of music that is wrapped around
samples of an interview with someone named Mine
Somi Kubose who is explaining concepts behind a
Japanese tea ceremony.
Each of the four tunes starts with her stating
what the terms mean, specifically harmony,
respect, purity, and tranquility respecitvely,
and then she expounds on the concept a little. I
don t think we hear the entire interview, just
parts of it.
Around the interview snippets Johnson weaves
some sparse tunes with piano, bass, percussion,
and nature samples. None of the tunes are dense,
and none of them move at a pace more than
languid. The whole release is a nice, peaceful
experience.
All of the tunes are interesting, but I
especially like the rhythmicality of jaku
and the way that the samples of bird noises
punctuate moments of speaking or piano in sei.
But the whole thing is lovely. Mr. Johnson has
created an engaging work.
In a way, this release reminds me of Brian
Harnetty's work using samples of Thomas Merton.
Perhaps it the vocal samples and the way the
music sort of wraps the voice is a protective
layer, but I think they are both doing similar
things here. Another touch point is the piano
work of Geroge Winston, who is an obvious
influence of what Johnson is doing.
Fascinating, interesting, and relaxing. This
short work is a perfect example of the fusion
point of ambient, jazz, new age, and
neoclassical music.
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