Books

Acid Mothers Temple and The Melting Paraiso UFO.  Alternative works by two groups, but not offensive.  Nice fusions of normal instruments like piano and electronic effects (rhythmic static).  Western influence is apparent, both classical and avant garde.  It's Moby-gone-hyperstudio.  (2001?)

Joji Hirota:  The Gate.  Perhaps my favorite of the works I've heard so far, Hirota's work is powerfully infused with traditional Japanese elements but contemporary and original, a mix of alternative and classical, on a scale with Andreas Vollenweider.  (1999)

Yuka Honda:  Memories Are My Only Witness.  Solo work of the Yoshimi and Yuka duo, the works are appreciably alternative with elements of traditional Japanese melody or harmony.  (2002)

Japanese Avant-Garde.  A collection of recent works by a variety of artists.  The pieces are mostly vile, obnoxious twists of noise, virtually indistinguishable from Western electronica.  Like most postmodern works, it tests the limits of what we might call music.  (2002)

Jean-Pierre Rampal: Japanese Folk Melodies.  A hideous CD in that most every element of music which might be Japanese has been undermined: Rampal's flute, terrific for Western light classics, is hardly styled like the bamboo; koto and other background instruments are replaced with clichéd string arrangements that appear to be newly-composed, not part of the original folk melodies.  Nice background music for house dusting, but not Japanese.  And this was highly recommended!  (1980)        

Ruins 1986-1992.  Wow. Loud obnoxious stuff, designed imperatively to offend the ears.  I suppose the group's name describes the art.  (2001)

Toru Takemitsu:  Film Scores.   On a quest for classical Japanese music, Takemitsu's work stands out.  He has written several scores for films you may know, but I especially like his soundtrack to the film Woman in the Dunes.  The works are haunting, with whiffs of motif rather than melody.  Traditional Western instrumentation occasioned with Japanese elements.  (1997)

Toru Takemitsu: Quotation of a Dream. A Takemitsu solo work, these works are similar to the film scores, but more forgettable.  If you've heard Vangelis or Kitaro, this album appears to want to be them, but I'm not sure why.  (1998)

Tataku:  Best of Kodo II-1994-1999.  After seeing the Kodo drummers in Spring 2003, I couldn't not want more!  I don't think any CD can do justice to the live performance, but there is enough to entertain.  Most of the work is a variety of drums which cast a sound unlike most percussion we hear today, almost atmospheric, but much of the music involves bamboo flute and other instruments.  Most fun, the performers drop musical jokes into the improvisations from time to time.  Both original and traditional rhythms abound.  (2002) 

Akio Yashiro:  Piano Concerto--Sympathy.  Review to follow.

Yoshimi & Yuka:  Flower With No Color  Lighter alternative/electronica work by vocal duo, subtly rooted in traditional Japan.  (2003)