Author Archive: Tashme Productions

Collaboration Update # 2

KAYLA

filmed is the eastbound sky, a journey taken between my first and last conversation with dawn.

this week, dawn and i spoke about many things, including opera, masks, calvin and hobbes, mochi making and living with grandparents. while we offer occasional exchanges through whatsapp, our conversations over zoom are like a re-charge. not only are they an opportunity to connect but they make me delighted to continue getting to know this individual on the other side of the screen. 

thus far, we continue to talk about trying new mediums. although we have yet to settle on a concrete theme for our digital dream, we’ve discussed incorporating sound and movement. this video is not part of our production but participating in this project has encouraged me to feel more open about experimenting with expression. in part, it summarizes many things we’ve come across together and the things i’ve thought about over these last two weeks. 

in this video, you’ll hear me strumming the 13th fret on the high e string of an electric guitar. it’s from a song i think about sometimes (can you see the pattern with my updates?) layered beneath this track is likely lake ontario lapping onto the shores of prince edward county. i found this recording on my audio recorder and although i can’t trace the date, it would’ve been from last fall. 

and finally, the words i emit with a slight electronic undertone (recording issues) are a few words that came up in our conversation on feb. 13. 

filmed is the eastbound sky, a journey taken between my first and last conversation with dawn. ☁️✨ 

DAWN

Flute Kojo no tsuki

Collaboration Update #2

TEIYA

I’m listening to “Otsuki-sama”, an old recording Noriko-san has from her collection, and then one she recently made on her shamisen in her home studio.

Teiya's home studio with keyboard, monitor and mic set up.

The microphone wasn’t working very well for her so I hear the twang of the shamisen loud and clear, but her voice cuts in and out, like the crescent moon in this song.

月の初めの　三日月さまは

tsukino hajimeno mika tsukisamawa

Crescent moon at the beginning of each month

まゆににたとよ　姉さまの

mayuni nitatoyo ane samano

looks like my older sister’s eyebrow,

We are passing back musical offerings right now, but I’m only noticing today that the archive recording is a third higher than the other one she made for me… Will this be difficult for her to play, now that I’m singing higher? I don’t mind either key, except for when I go to record and listen back closely to each take, do I start to scrutinize and second-guess my offering this week. I can’t seem to find an opera-enough quality, nor a Japanese-enough quality. I feel completely left in a transition(-less) land, a neither-here-nor-their land that seems to get me nowhere except maybe deeper in the dark and deeper down a million worm holes than have dead ends or no end.

Teiya's home studio with mic and audio looper

Do you know earthworms don’t have eyes? Only receptors that tell them whether its light or dark, whether they’re above ground or below… right now, I can only perceive the darkness. It’s funny that this song is about our great, beautiful moon, lighting up the sky.

“Moon-Goddess… how old are you?” お月さまいくつ

Otsukisama- Teiya Kasahara

I feel old and at the same time very young. The same overwhelming feeling of everything, all at once, trying to do everything, all at once, when really the moon just needs to rise again tonight in whatever state it is in, crescent, full, gibbous or new. It is still there, returning, night after night, in whatever state. “Trust the process, Teiya. Just return, night after night.”

NORIKO

Otsuki-Honksan #1-
Living close to the border can be a ruckus these days. Especially when the full moon is rising. Here is to the eternal moon, Otsukisama, traditional shamisen music. #yumedigitalproject
Otsuki-Honksan #2- NoroNori
Living close to the border can be a ruckus these days. Especially when the full moon is rising. Here is to the eternal moon, Otsukisama, traditional shamisen music. #yumedigitalproject
P.S.
Musume Dojoji
Musume Dojoji
Sukeroku- Kabuki character
Sukeroku

Collaboration Update #2

WILL

Hitoshi has been uploading new music, so I listen whenever I log on… his music provides the
soundscapes for my imagination to roam freely. Here’s a sample:

music credit:Hitoshi Sugiyama

I put the music from here to this timelapse sketch that I recorded.

Audio Art: Hitoshi Sugiyama Visual Art: Will Shintani

The drawing itself is inspired by Hitoshi’s Gozu Mezu name. These Oni characters are seen here guarding the gates of hell.

Drawing of Gozu and Mezu, guarding the gates of hell
Will Shintani “Gates of Hell”

HITOSHI

I edited Will’s time-lapse movie to synchronize with music. It was difficult and time consuming but once I got some tips, I started to enjoy editing the video!

Audio Art: Hitoshi Sugiyama. Visual Art: Will Shintani

Collaboration Update #2

BACO

“sweet brine” Baco Ohama

JON

Hi Baco,

thanks for the photo of your preserved carrots and wasabi in the mason jar, I’m very
excited for your pickling experiments. I love this sort of investigation as a way into other
ideas…I revel in the detours, the risk taking, the meanders. Your description prompted the attached intervention with a found connect the dots game. Celebrating the indirect,
unorthodox, elliptical, often backwards routes we sometimes take when we do what we do.

Connect-the-dots Pickling Jar