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“Deep Beauty”


Interview with the Multi-player Yoh Ohyama



By Sergio Vilar


To begin Yoh, we would like to know the history of Asturias...
Yes, in 1987 I (Multi-player Yoh Ohyama) created the original demonstration tape by multi track recording.
I formed the project  Asturias for live gig and recording.
1988 Asturias rereased 1st album “Circle in the Forest” from King Record Cryme Label.
1990 “Brilliant Streams” and 1993 “Cryptogam Illusion” were released.
Haruhiko Tsuda, Akira Hanamoto (ex. Shingetsu) and some guests played for these albums.
Asturias are instrumental unit which have a lyrical & dramatic melody (called "Japanese Mike Oldfield").
It's really original mixture progressive sound by rock band and acoustic instruments.
But their activities were stopped after 3rd album released. And 10 years passed...
2004 Asturias revived as acoustic ensemble unit  Acoustic Asturias.
4th album “Bird Eyes View” was released and they played some gigs. Their music got high evaluation.

Asturias' line up : Yoshihiro Kawagoe (Piano), Misa Kitatsuji (Violin), Kaori Tsutsui (Clarinet) and Yoh Ohyama (Gat Guitar)
This formation suggests clasical quartet sound. But their sound is very Exciting! Dramatic! Powerfull!... And of course, very beautiful, too.
Please experience "New acoustic sound"!
Hereafter we'd like to active in parallel "Acoustic Asturias" and "Electric Asturias".
Please attention our works.

What does it motivate you to create your music? What things do you fascinate and do you  inspire?
I often visualize a natural scene when I write music. I'm inspired by a literary work and so on, too.

Could you define the music of Asturias? What do you want to transmit?
I had listened to a lot of progressive music since I was young. That is a treasure in my life.
I always want to make the music that is not in others, like the predecessors who made new music. But, it is very difficult.

Asturias’ features
1) Instrumental music with the melody constructed properly. Not a difficult aim, it understands easily as much as possible. There isn’t almost improvisation and isn’t avant-garde.
2) Mysterious, serious, cool and beautiful atmosphere. And there are dramatic movements.
3) About musical instrument, feature of piano sequence, grow together classical instrument and electric sound.

Anyway, I would like to give the people the impression that it could get with progressive music at golden age. It is not only for progressive maniac but also for more general listener.

  

How would you describe the progression of the group along these last years?
1) About recording, Multi-track recording style by Yoh Ohyama and some guests.
2) In 1988 live formation (rock band style).
3) And 10 years passed... In 2004 Asturias revived as acoustic ensemble unit  Acoustic Asturias.

This formation suggests classical quartet sound. We are active by recording and live performance. Hereafter we'd like to active in parallel "Acoustic Asturias" and "Multi-track Asturias".

Would you say that with the step of the time something is in Asturias that remains unalterable?
I didn't change fundamentally, but I came to make it devoted more for the composition.
After it became acoustic style, I came to stick to classical live play.

Do we speak of the present of Asturias, how will the next disk be?
I’m planning to release 2 albums during 2005 years. One of them is the second album of  Acoustic Asturias, and another one is multi-track recording style after the blank in 11 years.

What details can you be ahead? Do you have tentative date of edition?
We are going to take part in BajaProg 2005!
And "Bird Eyes View" / Acoustic Asturias will be released by Musea Records soon.

Do you believe that there is a change of musical focus between the new generation of Japanese progressive musicians and those belonging to the previous generation?
I think there are many symphonic rock style bands in the previous generation. But, there are many jazz rock style bands in the new generation. I hope to increase the bands that have melodic and full of originality, like Kenso.

Do you think that the public is today much more open to this type of musical proposals?  
Yes! In Japan, The public was not open to other music(open to only pops songs). But recently, instrumental music becomes popular with healing music and game music. And feels a response with Asturias.

Can you imagine a world without music? For you, how would a place be this way?
I think that is "can", but I dont hope it. Because creating music is hard very much. So I want to live in the nature freely, once in a while.

That was all Yoh. Would you like to add something to conclude the interview?
I want to ask everyone. How about progressive music of the country except for Japan of Asia?  Though I don't receive information at all.


        

http://www.tripmusic.net/asturias/

Nucleus interview: 27/01/05

 

Nucleus  nucleus@iwinds.com.ar