Biggest Tip! Quoting the digger, curator, connoisseur, writer and legend Chee Shimizu liner notes, this is the ultimate ambient music! A performance of the single-note percussion instrument called the “Choirchimes.” It is performed by twelve users of the Yamato Kogen Taiyo-no-ie, a support facility for the disabled in Yamazoe Village, Nara Prefecture. Fresh, clear tones played randomly by the twelve artists eventually appears as a holistic musical piece. Never has there been such innocent, pure, and beautiful music that penetrates deep into the listeners’ subconscious. It is the ultimate ambient music.
This project was initiated by Percussion Player Yohei Yamaura, who was also the Art Director of the facility, in hopes to commemorate the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster that occurred in March of 2011. The instrument they used was “Choirchimes,” that they had been using at the facility. The Choirchimes make a beautiful sounds just by swinging it downwards. The impromptu performance by the twelve artists was designed by selecting chimes that were on a relaxing musical scale, and by taking into consideration the unique characters of the artists. The artists were given the direction to “play the instrument as they wished at their own timing, without worrying about how others were playing.” They were also asked to “feel and enjoy each moment, surrendering to the sounds the members and themselves played.” Having this mutual understanding among the members allowed them to play in a space of safety.
Knowing they will be accepted just as they are, they created a deep and vast musical space that was original, relaxing, and spiritual all at the same time. After a few months of rehearsal to become familiarized with the Choirchimes, the members got together at a musical hall within the facility on October 8th. They all intuitively chose the Choirchime on the spot and started performing sound by sound. The direction was held back to a minimum, and the strong sounds, weak sounds, long pauses and short pauses all came together as beautiful and one-and-only musical piece. The innocent sounds and melody that they let out penetrates deep into everyone’s hearts, and the musical hall became a spiritual and divine place as they recorded. It was a miraculous impromptu recording, and it could only have been realized by the twelve members that performed.
The piece was originally sold at the facility as a CD-R, but ten years after the recording, the project was revived in hopes to heal the people of the world who are facing many pressing issues, especially with the COVID-19 virus, and the release of a CD and LP has been decided. High-quality Japanese pressing was vital in the release of the LP, and Tuff Vinyl, a company which has established an original production line in Japan was selected to work with Crosspoint (lead by Juzu a.k.a. Moochy), and 17853 Records (lead by Chee Shimizu). This is a collaboration of the three entities and is the second project of this triple-name release.
