12k/line tour - Ryoudenji Temple

What can I say, really. Ive been wanting to see Richard Chartier and Taylor Deupree play live for a very long time. Both number amongst the few artists whose new works I buy unheard.


And Ryouden-ji! what a wonderful venue for such music. From what I gathered talking to Richard, the son of the resident monk is a music lover, and the monk himself seems to wholeheartedly support his son's efforts to bring musical events to the temple. All up a pretty rare combination.

It was quite a hike from Chichibu - three trains, then bike. The event was supposed to start at 4, but I got there very early - about 2pm.

They were still setting up, so I headed up behind the temple to do some flute practice. It was lovely to hear the playful sound checks - It sunk in then that this was to be a pretty special gig. Someone was playing lovely patterns on a vibraphone, and I played along quietly on the shakuhachi for a while.

I finally met Richard Chartier, who ive talked to on email, and we chatted for ages. His music has always been a source of inspiration and an object of contemplation - quiet and subtle, even when at times confronting and intense. I made him a piece of jewellery a while back, and in return, he gave me a bunch of CDs of his (at the time) unreleased work. He's as lovely and as interesting in person as his music suggests.

His set was great - all the lights out - and the incidental sounds of the night - crickets, people talking, a PA announcement echoing through the streets - all blended in beautifully. When he started to play, the crowd was scattered, and lots of people were in the courtyard talking. by the time he finished, it was dead silent, and everyone was rapt.

Richard also introduced me to Taylor Deupree, another long time favourite artist, who I was surprised to find knew my name from all the email ive sent buying CD's from 12k and Line. He said it was always nice to put faces to the names and email address of the people that buy his work over time.



Also a very warm and relaxed guy, we chatted on and off during the night. He performed with Tetsuro Yasunaga, from Minamo, and together they made a gorgeous piece from sounds fed into their systems live through a mic. bells, some kind of squeezebox, thumb piano, harmonica, all blended together and reworked into something a lot more than just a collection of sounds.

The temple setting really seemed to bring something special out of all the artists. A much more appropriate venue for this kind of music and listening than a pitch-black painted smoky club with sticky floors and nowhere to sit.

For me, the big surprise of the evening were "Trico!" (pronounced Toh-Ree-Coh) - A duo of guy on double bass, and a woman who played accordion, toy piano, harmonium and also sang. Their whimsical warmth and brilliant musicianship gently knocked me off my feet. Very deeply moved.


Things wound up, and people slowly wandered off. I chatted to Richard and Taylor, thanked everyone for their performances, and then headed off on the bike to find a local park to camp in :)


Camping, suburban Tokyo style. I got up early next morning, and played on the trains for a while. Morning peak hour with my bike in its bike bag was interesting. but I got home, still on a huge high from the event that has continued on since.

And, riding back from where I camped near the temple, to the train station, i also found what is now my favourite manhole cover so far...