(first aired April 4, 2023)
It’s a time of transition in the Pacific Northwest, from the season of stillness to glimpses of light and warmth. Celebrated through the ages, whether through the revival of Osiris, the rise of the Aten, the passion of the Christ, or the Hareland Ley feasts of the goddess Ēostre
On this week’s Convergence Zone, we honor these transitions with music for death and rebirth — and we also honor the music of Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died on March 28, 2023 at the age of 71
10:30pm PDT 4/4/23 – 90.7 KSER | Independent Public Radio
| Artist | Song | Album | Label | Show Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dreamstate Logic | Andromeda Terminal | Starbound | Brand new music from Seattle! project by Colby Sixx | |
| Dennis Russell Davies dir. Stuttgart Orchestra | Act I: Prelude: Refrain, Verses 1-3 | Philip Glass; Akhnaten | CBS Masterworks | 1984 premiere of Philip Glass opera |
| David Bowie | Lazarus | Blackstar | ISO Records | Final album released two days before Bowie’s death |
| Lycia | A Failure | In Flickers | Projekt | Darkwave from 2018 |
| Small Black | Tampa | Cheap Dreams | 100% Electronica | wistful chillwave found-footage vibes |
| Future Islands | Born In a War | As Long as You Are | 4AD | Synthpop from 2020 |
| Georgia | Running Up That Hill | Seeking Thrills (The Ultimate Thrills Edition) | Domino | Covering Kate Bush |
| Pure Bathing Culture | Black Starling | Night Pass | Portland new agey-dream-pop | |
| Ryuichi Sakamoto | fullmoon | async | Milan | partially recorded in Bastyr University Chapel |
| Ryuichi Sakamoto | 20220302 sarabande | 12 | Milan | January 2023 release |
| Ryuichi Sakamoto | 20220304 | 12 | Milan | sketches for piano and electronics |
| end segment one | ||||
| Craig Padilla & Marvin Allen | Onwards and Upwards | Weathering the Storm | Spotted Peccary | New! guitar & synth homage to Kosmiche Musik |
| Ryuichi Sakamoto | 20220302 | 12 | Milan | sketches for piano and electronics |
| Ryuichi Sakamoto | 20210310 | 12 | Milan | January 2023 release |
| Electric Youth | Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence | A Tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto – To the Moon and Back | Milan | Toronto synthpop ‘remodel’ of Ryuichi Sakamoto |
| Terminus Void | Discovery | Origins Unknown | Seattle synthesist J. Ronald Smith | |
| Peter Gabriel | In Doubt A Different Drum | Passion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ | Real World | i/o: The Tour Seattle October 8 |
| Arushi Jain | I Feel Incomplete Without Sound | With & Without | GHUNGHRU | Opening for Suzanne Ciani Seattle May 20 |
| Suso Saiz | …Un Hombre Oscuro | Odisea | Music From Memory | On tour with Age of Reflections |
| Locsil | Equivalent 7 | Equivalents | Kranky | Vancouver artist Scott Morgan, featuring samples from work created for Glenn Gould retrospective w/ Sakamoto-san |
I was already contemplating death and resurrection as I produced this week’s episode of Convergence Zone – and then my friend Nick texted me the sad news that Ryuichi Sakamoto had passed away.
Sakamoto-san’s impact — from his time in Yellow Magic Orchestra, his work in film scores and acting, and his prolific creations as an ambient and neoclassical artist — is impossible to do justice in words, at least as few as I can summon here. But I can try and share some of his recent pieces, including one produced in part during his time recording as Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA.
His final album, “12”, dropped in January, consisting of solo sketches that Sakamoto-san recorded in his home over the past few years on piano and electronic instruments. In several, you can hear him breathe as he begins to play.
Hearing Ryuichi Sakamoto breathe and create — on a quiet and cool early Sunday, on the day I was stunned by his death — was painful and exquisite. I am so grateful for what he left us all.