Ikue Mori

Ikue Mori's One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tzadik, 2000) is a wonderful and multi-faceted modern chamber suite similar in nature to her film music, as opposed to, say, her work in Death Ambient. The work is named for Mori's inspiration in composing this music, a woodblock print series by Yoshitoshi, the last master of Japanese Ukiyoe. The pieces ranges from a section reminiscent of John Zorn's cartoon music, called "Monkey Music Moon," to the interim piece heard during "Like a Reflection in the Moon" to the disturbed and repetitive "Cloth-Beating Moon." Mori performs on her drum machines, joined by pianist and organist Anthony Coleman, violinist Eyvind Kang, cellist Erik Friedlander, bassist Kato Hideki, and the vocals (acrobatics, speaking, and singing) of Theo Bleckmann. ~ Joslyn Layne, All Music Guide