Question for Japanese-speaking Kenso fans

[wideopenears]

Listening to the first album a lot these days....and I feel like I'm missing a dimension of this album, esp. the tune "Kagome" which is the wacky thing with lots of Japanese speaking, singing, crazy shouting and sound effects, etc. I am sure there's something more going on than what I am understanding......some sort of inscrutable Noh play or something...

Can anyone shed light on this wackiness?

[wideopenears]

No takers, then?

[ashratom]

Interesting as I too have been listening to the first album (I'm starting a Kenso retrospective for my UTR blog).

I won't be able to answer your question direct, as I don't speak Japanese, but your supposition is probably right. There was quite a bit of that sound coming from Japan in the 1970s. JA Caesar being one prominent name. Here's what I wrote regarding that track: "As well, the long piece here, the 15+ minute 'Kagome' demonstrates Kenso's appreciation for Japan's own early 1970s psychedelic past - a sound remnant of acts as diverse as Toshiaki Yokota, Food Brain, Far Out, and in particular George Hirota." The latter can be heard on a very obscure album known as "Sahasurara".

I think the first album is oft overlooked by Kenso fans - it offers quite a bit for the adventurous listener.

[wideopenears]

Thanks for the post, and that's interesting stuff.

[nnknsh]

Kagome is an improvisation number based on words from the Japanese nursery song "KagomeKagome".
The original words are rather enigmatic, and can be interpreted in many ways, but are impossible to get "true" meaning from.
Every Japanese will notice these words, and knows that these words don't have particular meaning / does not make sense.

Tom, I am very much confident that Kenso never intended to follow those early 70s Japanese artists,from the simple fact that these artists (with the possible exception of Food Brain, which was somewhat known in the older generation) were still totally unknown even to the most die-hard Japanese Prog collectors then, so Shimizu & co would likely never heard of such names (with the possible exception of Food Brain). While Shimizu knew some of the obscure prog imports (I remember him mentioning Asia Minor during a gig in early 80s) he was never a real collector type of guy that looked for old obscure oop titles.

The seeming similarity came as pure coincidence, from the similar method of combining improvisation with Japanese traditional motif in the rock context.
Using Japanese motif within the context of western music was a common method for a Japanese musician to make "Japanified Western music" be it modern classical, movie sound tracks, Jazz, Rock / Prog.

[ashratom]

Thanks Nobuhisa for the insight. Of course, you're probably right on all accounts, since you were there! Though I never realized how obscure those records were in Japan - at least back then in the late 70s. It makes sense that they would draw a similar music conclusion as their early 70s brethren did.

Very interesting you mentioned Asia Minor (I also referenced them in my full review), because I did suspect they were aware of these Euro imports based on what I knew about the Japanese collecting scene (my own exposure to that scene started in the late 80s, so a few years later). I also mentioned that I figured Kenso would be aware of Rousseau, Gotic, Ibio, and Dice - all bands that were imported (or purchased on business trips) by Japanese collectors.

I didn't share the whole review - just the section with Kagome. It'll probably be a few weeks before I'm done with the retrospective. I'll update it though with your insights here.

[interbellum]

For more insight in the roots of the members of Kenso it's interesting to watch the second disk of the DVD-set "Kenso's Guide To Making Progressive Rock Music". This quote comes from a review:

The scene in which the gentlemen go through their record-collection is a feast for the lovers of vinyl. One after another the covers are being showed from Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, ELP, Trace, Area, Gentle Giant, Tangerine Dream and Focus, at which they draw a lot from childhood memories and views on the many master-pieces. The Krautrock is also being discussed, which is also the case with the incredible influence of the LP’s from UK on Kenso, a band which also falls outside the scope of progressive rock.