TOMO - vielle-electronica CS

The first time i stumbled on a hurdy-gurdy was as a little boy on a holiday during  a 'bal populaire' in a small village in Brittany (France).  Later on i discovered the term hurdy-gurdy from a Donovan track which returned in my adolescent years as a Butthole Surfers track. But somehow the instrument kept returning in my life. Lise Barkas being a good example, and obviously the whirlwind France.  Mining deeper i bumped into the traditional play of for instance Claude Flagel.

And the story goes on when the digital world brought me to Japan into TOMO's planet which not only made me jump up, but brought all these lifelong impressions together. 

I listened to it softly: amazed by so much intimacy, intrigued by the deep (sub)tones.  I listened to it loudly: excited by the 'punkiness' in the build up of the tracks.  Super proud now able to present 'vielle-electronica' to the world.  

Japanese hurdy-gurdy player TOMO does us humbly bow for so much beauty. A timeless documented masterpiece . Drenched in folk traditions worldwide with hints to Brittany (French region), converging subtle details of Japan and other parts of the world with experimental touches just creating a mindful experience.  Take the journey with us. - Knotwilg Records

For fans of: Claude Flagel, La Tene, Lise Barkas, Begayer, France, Jim O'Rourke, Tony Conrad

TOMO's bio:

The hurdy gurdy player.

Born in Tokyo in 1972, TOMO moved to small-town in Missouri at the age of 17 where he discovered early blues, country, bluegrass, ragtime, and learning guitar picking styles.

After several years of developing his eclectic and personal style in the US, he returned to Tokyo and embarked on a series of solo and collaborative performances in local venues.

Since he attempted to play the guitar with numbers of open tuning in his early years, his interest in folk tradition and tuning systems spread to other stringed instruments including his main instrument, hurdy gurdy.

While his style came to be influenced as much by middle eastern, Indian folk music and medieval music as these early American folk traditions, his live performances were also a platform for developing the experimental and minimalist/psychedelic approach in his work.

In respect for the tradition, he explores the alternative style of hurdy gurdy, and creates his original compositions for the instrument.