Clive Bell Albums (4)
'Mystery Lights & Nightflower'
Release Date 6/10/2005
Tracks 14
Label Metier Jazz
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What The Critics Say
The title of this album (Kurokami) refers to a traditional classical Japanese composition with that name (also the second song on the CD), meaning black hair (referring to the beautiful long dark hair of Japanese ladies). Clive Bell plays the shakuhachi while Rié Yanagisawa plays the koto, the shamisen, and sings. This CD offers us traditional and modern pieces, the arrangement of a known folk song, as well as a shakuhachi improvisation by Bell. The two modern pieces, "Haru No Umi" and "Aki No Shirabe," were written by Michio Miyagi. Japanese music has a very slow pace, peaceful and, as some might say, deeply meditative. Both Bell and Yanagisawa convey admirably this meditative profundity with charm and grace. ~ Bruno Deschênes, All Music Guide
'Art of Japanese Koto & Bamboo Flute'
Release Date 7/25/1995
Tracks 7
Label Gateway Records
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'Shakuhachi: The Japanese Flute'
Release Date 5/2/1994
Tracks 9
Label Arc
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What The Critics Say
Clive Bell is a well-known British shakuhachi player as well as a multi-instrumentalist. He studied the shakuhachi in Japan with Kohachiro Miyata, one of today's greatest Japanese shakuhachi masters. He also plays with Japanese koto player Rie Yanagisawa. Bell proposes here a solo CD for the shakuhachi, mixing well-known solo shakuhachi pieces from the honkyoku repertoire (i.e., the repertoire of the Zen Buddhist monks) with folk songs, as well as one of his own compositions. Bell shows an excellent mastery of this difficult instrument. ~ Bruno Deschênes, All Music Guide
