Monday, January 22, 2007

Takehisa Kosugi:Catch wave ,LP ,1974, JAPAN(NWW LIST!)


European version on Iskra label (300 copies)

TAKEHISA KOSUGI creates mixed-media sound performances and installations, making use of daily materials and electronic technology, realizing the multiplicity of sounds in space.
Born in Tokyo in 1938, he studied musicology at the Tokyo University of Arts, graduating in 1962. During this period he began multi-instrumental improvisation. In 1960 he co-founded the "Group Ongaku" in Tokyo, a group to play anti-musical DADA-istic performances against conventional creativities. His event pieces, introduced by Fluxus in the early 60s, received recognition in Europe with Fluxus members in New York. In 1969 he co-founded "Taj Mahal Travellers," a group of collective improvisation, playing in various locations with intermedia presentations. In 1970 he participated in Expo '70 in Osaka, with commissioned works for environmental sound events for the Festival Plaza. From 1971 to 1972, he made a travelling event with the Taj Mahal Travellers, voyaging via England, Europe and the Near East to the Taj Mahal in India. The event included participation in Utopia and Visions in Stockholm, ICES '72 in London, recordings for Radio Bremen and BBC TV, and many other performances.
Kosugi has been a resident composer/performer with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company since 1977. Commissioned works for the Company include S.E. Wave/E.W. Song (1976), Interspersion (1979), Cycles (1981), Spacings (1984), Assemblage (1986), Rhapsody (1987), and Spectra (1989). He has been music director of the company since 1995.
Kosugi has received grants from The JDR 3rd Fund in 1966 and 1977, a DAAD fellowship grant to reside in Berlin in 1981, and John Cage Award for Music from Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts in 1994.
He has performed in many international festivals including the Festival d'Automne in Paris (1978/79); the Festival at La Sainte-Baume (1978/79/80); the Holland Festival (1979); Opening Concert in Rome (1980); Workshop Freie Musik in Berlin (1984); Pro Musica Nova in Bremen (1984); Almeida International Festival of Contemporary Music in London (1986); Welt Musik Tage `87 in Cologne (1987); Experimentelle Musik in München (1986/88); Inventionen in Berlin (1986/89/92) and Biennale d'art contemporain in Lyon (1993).
Kosugi's sound installations have been presented in various exhibitions and festivals including Für Augen und Ohren in Berlin (1980); Ecouter par les yeux in Paris (1980); Soundings at Purchase, New York (1981); New Music America Festival in Washington (1983); Im Toten Winken in Hamburg (1984); Klanginstallationen in Bremen (1987); Kunst als Grenzbeschreitung: John Cage und die Moderne in München (1991); Iventionen in Berlin (1992); and Musik Tage in Donaueschingen (1993).

8 comments:

musicgnome said...

Okay, first things first. Holy [blankin'] [blank]!!!!!

This is one of the finest listings of music I have ever witnessed, on any blog, ever, ever ever.

A friend recommended I check this out a couple days ago AND I am completely blown away. Many artist are familiar to me, but many others are long sought after items, which my ears have perked up to listen, but have sadly not been able to....until now.

Case in point, this Kosugi item has been on a wishlist for soooo long I will almost feel odd putting an asterisk next to it (code for: available to listen, but still do not have in the collection).

I'm babbling. SO, Let me just say thanks!!!!

TK said...

THANK YOU!
DAMN STRAIGHT!

Anonymous said...

I love this blog too - you have some serious stuff here for anybody wanting to think outside the box. Julian Cope recommended this album in Japrocksampler, and I'm really happy to give it a listen, if it's anything like Tony Conrad and Faust...

Pajamas (like Bahamas) said...

wow, thank you so much.
you guys are the best.

love
pas

weepinwillow said...

This is great, and I know I'm late to this particular party, but is there any way to post the Catch Wave 97 follow up Kosugi released?

Mutant Sounds is still my all time favorite! Thanks again.

ww

weepinwillow said...

http://rapidshare.com/files/227908290/Catch-Wave_97.rar.html

filling my own request. Awesome updated version of this piece from 1997.

Anonymous said...

Oh man, weepinwillow, do you think you could re-up that catch wave 97? I'm likely going down the road of the fujidisc import, but it would be amazing to hear that.

weepinwillow said...

http://rapidshare.com/files/409182182/Catch-Wave_97.rar.html

re-upped