ten ten has just completed recording a new 6 song EP to be released on Bandcamp in September. The mini-album (EP) called OIRO NAOSHI features all new original songs with many guest artists.
We gratefully acknowledge the support of Ontario Arts Council.
Literally, o-iro-naoshi means “changing colours”. It refers to a Japanese wedding tradition. A bride will trade her all white kimono for a colorful one to signify that the bride transforms into the colour of her husband’s household and becomes a part of his family.
During the most recent lockdown of the pandemic, to prevent myself from going stir-crazy, I set myself a public challenge. I would write one shamisen song a day for 100 days. The songs were simple and unadorned. Some were catchy. Others were silly.
The process brought me back to my childhood when I would create simple melodies with nonsense words. Instead of formally composing a piece, I would play around, exploring, allowing the melody and rhythm to find themselves. Each day, I would upload the raw, black and white videos to Instagram.
After completing my challenge, I wasn’t quite ready to let the songs go. Many of them still danced about inside my head. And so I wondered what it would be like to add some colours to my simple, monochrome ditties.
With this in mind, I contacted various talented musicians, asking them to contribute their own flourishes and colours to the arrangements, giving them greater depth, allowing them to blossom. It was inspiring to watch these songs evolve as each artist added their unique touches in a harmonious marriage of differing styles and sensibilities. I hope you will also enjoy the fruits of their labour.