The first in a six-CD set containing all the music in the medieval lineage of shakuhachi meditational melody known as 'honkyoku'. This is the first time that such a complete set of this music has ever been recorded. Riley's playing is exceptional.

Further volumes are TP102, 118, 138, 151, 167, 168.

Formed by Mara Kiek in the early 90's, this choir has mastered the Bulgarian choral singing style. Here they perform with gusto and precision. The music will knock your socks off!

A set of amazing improvisations on this unlikely instrument. The recording was made in a water storage reservoir that serves inner Sydney. It was opened for the first time in its 100 years for repairs, and revealed a cathedral-like space ideal for recording. It rained heavily before the recording and continuous water dripping is a feature of the sound. (Ideal for cooling off in hot weather).

This is Odamura's first CD. Since arriving in Australia less than a decade ago she has introduced the koto into contemporary performance here, and she is now in great demand. Her playing is dramatic and engaging, successfully integrating traditional and modern techniques. For this CD she has gathered around her some of the musicians in Australia most fascinated by the meeting of East and West in music.

Mark Richards (violin)
Sally Corry (violin, viola)
Jóseph Kajcsa (cimbalom, voice)
Béla Mészáros (viola, flute, lute, zither, voice)
Craig Scott (bass)
Gemma Turner (voice, drum)
András Rácz (violin)

If you like Hungarian and Rumanian folk music and dance, this is your CD!

The music here originated as the dance music for the eponymous show for Meryl Tankard's Australian Dance Theatre. Mara and Llew Kiek are the performers and arrangers of this (mostly) traditional Bulgarian music.

PLEASE NOTE: This CD is currently out of stock. We can supply FLAC and MP3 files with PDFs of the booklet. Please contact us for details at tallpoppies@iinet.net.au

Volume 2 of a six CD set of the complete lineage of the medieval Japanese meditational music known as 'honkyoku'. This CD was recorded in the reverberation room of the National Acoustics Laboratory.

PLEASE NOTE: This CD is currently out of stock. We can supply FLAC and MP3 files with PDFs of the booklet. Please contact us for details at tallpoppies@iinet.net.au

This monumental 6-CD set is now half way! Riley Lee was the first non-Japanese musician to become a grand master in shakuhachi. In this series of CDs he presents the complete lineage of the orally-transmitted 12th century Japanese meditation melodies known as 'honkyoku'. This is, quite simply, music for the soul.

Riley Lee: shakuhachi

The fifth in the series of seven CDs containing the complete lineage of 13th century Japanese 'honkyoku', or meditation pieces, played by Riley Lee, who was the first non-Japanese to attain grand mastery of the instrument. Sumptuosly recorded in the Australian National Acoustics Laboratory, this is the first time anyone has recorded such a complete overview of this music, and it is quite beautiful and calming.

The works on this CD have been chosen to highlight the performers and composers whose work has been recorded and released by Tall Poppies over the last four years. In many ways this choice has been a personal one, but I have also tried to sample the many series of CDs that Tall Poppies has initiated over the last ten years.

These ongoing series of recordings include:

• Australian chamber music series featuring individual composers. This sampler gives you a taste of the music of Elena Kats-Chernin, Ross Edwards, Peter Sculthorpe, Anne Boyd and Arthur Benjamin. Also in the catalogue are CDs featuring chamber music by Carl Vine, Nigel Westlake, Nigel Butterley, Richard Meale, Andrew Ford, Andrew Schultz, John Lemmoné, Georges Lentz, and Margaret Sutherland.
• The Bach series commemorating his death in 1750. Both CDs are represented here.
• Schubert's unfinished piano music, completed and performed by Ian Munro.
• Riley's Lee's mammoth 6 CD set of honkyoku, five of which were recorded in just two afternoons! It's the first time that a whole lineage of these Japanese medieval melodies for shakuhachi has been recorded for posterity.
• Roy Howat's complete Debussy piano music, to eventually occupy four CDs. Howat's is an idiosyncratic view of this music, very much based on literal interpretations of the scores.
• Peter Sculthorpe's complete String Quartets performed by the Goldner String Quartet
• Australian film music, by Carl Vine and Nigel Westlake.

Riley Lee continues his survey of the Japanese meditation melodies, or honkyoku, for shakuhachi. These were recorded in the sumptuous acoustic of the Australian National Acoustics Laboratory reverberation room. Riley sounds like he's floating! This CD includes Riley Lee playing both parts of the famous duet "Nesting of the Cranes".

Riley Lee completes his survey of the Japanese meditation melodies, or honkyoku, for shakuhachi. These were recorded in the sumptuous acoustic of the Australian National Acoustics Laboratory reverberation room. Riley sounds like he's floating!