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Date:         Sun, 24 Jan 1993 12:57:35 EST
From:         Sonia Kovitz <skovitz@MAGNUS.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU>
Subject:      Tripping Out in Masuda-Land

Listening to Mike Masuda's compilation of his own music is like opening up a
magic trunk in a fairy tale.  In the blink of an eye an enthralling kingdom
stretches out in all four directions.  Voices (in various electronic
alterations but I like Mike's unadorned voice best), guitar, bass, infinite
varieties of percussion, all mixed with equal parts feeling, mastery, and a
panoply of x-the-unknown synth effects.  Here is a MAJOR talent, a beautiful
soul blossoming like a flower, or actually like a whole wild and glorious
garden.  Mike's tape reminds me of a quote (that I only half-remember and will
have to track down) by Rabindranath Tagore: "The world spoke to me in...? and
my soul responded in music."  Mike, to say that you are AMAZING is the
understatement of the year.

Some stuff is hilarious: "The Gigolo's Tale" ("no one gets laid in San Jose"),
the funkorific groove-throb of "Wimp Rap" ("I'm a scrawny little man with a
little mind.... Uncle Sam rejected my wussy ways").  Some is poignantly elegant
pop: "Silhouette," "Heartbreak and the Nosy Boy," "Innocent Dreams," and also
some bouncy pop with a hot raunchy riff: "Janell."

Among my favorites are the extraordinarily beautiful extended meditative/
contemplative/eastern jams: "Tibetan Highlands" (bone-soul-shaking drone),
"Gabriel's Nightmare" (an extremely engaging picaresque/psychic/musical/
mystery/travel narrative), "A Raga for Sarina" (lush and gorgeous), "Twilight
Zephyr Moon" (many-layered mind-blowing solar-plexus-opening suspension of
time), "Kilimanjaro" (spacious, quiet, expansive, hypnotic; sounds like tuned
drums; I loved the lyrical and restrained yet insistent bass throb; I think you
posted that this one was for me; if so you sure hit the mark), "Andean
Diversion" (resonant and bewitching Peruvian pipes), and "excerpt from
composition with Electric Mbira" (authentic and moving).

"Fly Away" had wonderful lyrics and dramatic situatiaon, but I didn't like the
electronically distorted voice on this one.

"The Old Man and the Poppy Fields"--your singing is perfect on this one!

Loved that rockabilly guitar on "Shake a Leg"---ooweee.

One of the most utterly distinctive and FASCINATING songs is "A Personal
Psalm."  I can't even fully grasp the rich play of musical references here, but
I swear that's an Elizabethan drumming pulse holding down the bottom while a
gradual gathering, a glorious assemblage of harmony, speaks a parable in many
voices.  Mike, this is truly INSPIRED.

****************************STANDING OVATION*******************************

Hey, I found out that my order for Praxis' _Transmutation_ with the ineffable
Buckethead just came in, so I'll be listening soon.  STand by (later this
week... have to recover from the impact of Mike the Magnificent) for a review.

Also hope to say a few things about Amy Denio after I listen to _Spagga!_ which
I ordered under the evil and pernicious influence of the mysterious woj, plus I
received a consolation copy of _Never Too Old To Pop a Hole_ (the other one
self-destructed), so I get to hear SIDE B (wow) and even re-play SIDE A (hot
damn).  Mike The Bloomdofferous-Dido, you posted a rave of Amy's settings of
poems by somebody but don't say where this thing is available; would like to
follow up.

Finally, the Little Inquisitor sent me Grace Slick and Great
Society because I've been trying to immerse myself in psychedelia these
days... I think that's the direction my guitar-playing is moving in.  Her voice
doesn't quite have the mastery yet of Jeff-Airplane but it's fascinating
nevertheless... So far I've heard part of _Conspicuous Only In Its Absence" and
next will hear "How It Was."

Some of this is pop, some even COUNTRY (Grace is amazing), but what I'm most
taken with is her brother Darby on guitar (another brother, Jerry, is on
drums).  Not that Darby is a legend in his own time or anything, but
just that this is such raw, honest playing.  It inspires me.  Anybody have any
other ideas for things I HAVE to listen to so I can become a psychedelic fiend
30 years too late?

Sonia
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