REFLECTION (2021)

Buy my CD on Bandcamp!

Japanese music for meditation

These days, I often find myself turning to Hélène Seiyu’s new CD, Reflection. It’s beautiful to listen to in order, as a whole–or, you can choose a single piece and let it repeat endlessly, as meditation. 
Seven of Hélène’s compositions are anchored by two traditional pieces, Neri Sashi and Higo Sashi, all played in a resonant setting on large instruments. Her own compositions sound both freely improvisatory and firmly rooted in the tradition; only a shakuhachi player could write these pieces. I love Hélène’s playing; every sound and every pause come from deep in the heart. We all need this kind of music now.
Elizabeth Brown, shakuhachi performer & composer

You can listen to this CD here

More information about the tracks here.

AFRICAN MEMORIES (2020)

What is Africa to me?

You can find my CD on the following platforms (and much more)

Spotify
iTunes
Amazon Music
Deezer

and information about the compositions here.

Some Reviews (December 2020)

Congratulation new CD! Nice performance. Special technique performance is wonderful! (Fukuda Teruhisa, Japan)

Indien ik jouw composities zou moeten omschrijven met 3 woorden kies ik voor: Speciaal, Geniaal, Fenomenaal. (Amourie Vanden Eyden, Belgium)

Your individual inner research work has a great meaning for all those who sincerely search through a seemingly abstract musical expression their origins and their authentic being now in life. Gorée – your most painful but for me most touching track – is not only a historical fact, it is the consciousness of who we can be. (Stefano Bufalini., Italy)

It’s great music! (Obama Akihito, Japan)

 Het raakt mij hoe je jouw Afrikaanse roots en history met de mooie diepte van de Shakuhachi sound verbindt. (Anke Schäfer, The Netherlands)

Tambin. The most refreshing new work for shakuhachi that I have heard. Love the surprising brilliance of the top octave work and the overall compositional balance and the late entrance of voice. Congrats. (Anne Norman, Australia)

I love Baobab! Your singing is fantastic, your timing is wonderful, and every sound you use feels integral to the piece… the air, the popping, and the delicate high notes. the ending is perfect. (Elizabeth Brown, USA)

A l’écoute du CD, chacun peut y trouver ce qu’il est… Passé, présent, futur, j’y trouve un équilibre, une unité, une conscience… (Lilipat, France)

Some of my favourite shakuhachi pieces that I’ve heard in a long time (Sean Riley, Canada)

C’est un bien bel objet musical qui me fait voyager à travers ton univers via le shakuhachi. Un croisement de musique qui vérifie que le son n’a pas de frontière et transporte avec lui tous les messages émotionnels que l’on ressent à l’écoute des trois créations que tu m’offres. (Jean-Sébastien Roux, France)

Mooie nummers, inspirerend en heel afwisselend. (Magteld Zeitler, The Netherlands)