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Sven Kacirek: Songs from Okinawa - VINYL LPTitle: Songs from Okinawa Artist: Sven Kacirek Label: Pingipung Product Type: VINYL LP UPC: 880319731617 Genre: Rock Release Date: 2015 11 27 Number of Discs: 1 On Songs from Okinawa, Sven Kacirek searches for traces of a unique, traditional music of the famous Pacific islands in the south of Japan. He has recorded various musicians amateurs as well as local celebrities and subsequently added his trademark instruments marimba, xylophone, and piano.
Title: Songs from OkinawaArtist: Sven Kacirek
Label: Pingipung
Product Type: VINYL LP
UPC: 880319731617
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 2015-11-27
Number of Discs: 1
On Songs from Okinawa, Sven Kacirek searches for traces of a unique, traditional music of the famous Pacific islands in the south of Japan. He has recorded various musicians -- amateurs as well as local celebrities -- and subsequently added his trademark instruments marimba, xylophone, and piano. The result is an incomparable album of timeless beauty and elegance. The South Japanese archipelago of Okinawa has seen quite a turbulent past. Anciently attached to the Chinese kingdom and then torn between Japan and America in the context of World War II, their complex history has resulted in an exceptionally rich musical tradition through the centuries. With the influence of American culture during the US army occupation of the islands, the Okinawans started mixing traditional songs with Western music styles. In Japan Okinawan music is now considered a genre of its own. "I'm fascinated by the sublime simplicity and precision of Okinawan Music, from the orchestration to the phrasing of the singing voice," says Kacirek. This album offers intimate insights into both Kacirek's art of composition and the outstanding sonic heritage of instrumental and vocal techniques in Okinawa. In its gentle style, with asymmetrical chord progressions and highly dynamic volume proportions, Songs from Okinawa challenges listening habits and develops its strength in the gaps and pauses. "My goal was to add something new to traditional Japanese music without banishing the ghosts of the old songs," says Kacirek. It is an artistic approach similar to his 2011 album The Kenya Sessions (PING 020CD), on which he juxtaposed musicians whom he had met and recorded in villages in Kenya with his own drumming and composition. The main difference is that this time Kacirek has completely maintained the basic arrangements of the recorded songs, which were performed by Mr Tonohara, Tadashi Haraguchi, Tetsuhiro Daiku, Mina Mermoud, Shigeo Arakaki, Keiko Kina, Hiroji Yokome, Mrs. Uesedo, and Sadako Yokome. With Songs from Okinawa Kacirek returns to the Pingipung label after releases on famous imprints like Honest Jon's, Bureau B, and Naïve. The comprehensive liner notes give further information about the musical culture of Okinawa, the recording sessions, and the lyrics of the songs. Kacirek's busy touring schedule has included performances with Nils Frahm, Ogoya Nengo, and Hauschka; this release comes in advance of concerts with musicians from Okinawa as well as an event with Shabaka Hutchings (Sons of Kemet) and a European tour with John McEntire (Tortoise) and Stefan Schneider.
Tracks:
1.1 01. Work Song (Unknown Title) (Feat. Mr Tonohara)
1.2 02. Hatoma Bushi ??? (Feat. Tadashi Haraguchi)
1.3 03. Tsundara Bushi ?????? (Feat. Tetsuhiro Daiku)
1.4 04. Yonaguni No Mayagwa ?????? (Feat. Mina Mermoud)
1.5 05. Urafune Yunta ????? (Feat. Shigeo Arakaki)
1.6 06. Nagareru Mamani ?????? (Feat. Keiko Kina)
1.7 07. Tsuku Nu Kaisha ?????(Feat. Tetsuhiro Daiku)
1.8 08. Uronsun No Jiraba ????????? (Feat. Mr Tonohara)
1.9 09. Koi No Hana ??? (Feat. Keiko Kina)
1.10 10. Kun Nu Ura Bushi ????? (Feat. Hiroji Yokome)
1.11 11. Prayer Song (Unknown Title) (Feat. Mrs. Uesedo)
1.12 12. Densa Bushi ???? (Feat. Sadako Yokome)
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4.2 ★★★★★
Based on 24 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Beautiful story
Format: Kindle
Loved this book and the way it was written. Written words are a beautiful thing. Highly recommend this book to all
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Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2026
★★★★★ 4
Heartwarming & real!
Format: Kindle
Life can be so difficult ...this story is about learning that we all make mistakes
along the way, doing the best we can. Its about learning to forgive ourselves. Beautiful.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2026
★★★★★ 5
many feelings
Format: Kindle
I didn’t know what this book was about when I first started reading.. one thing I felt at the beginning was…amazement? I love writing letters, something I don’t do often, I recently bought this beautiful fountain pen, I wanted to start small, writing greeting cards to family and friends, birthday cards, thank yous, etc. what I didn’t expect is the emotional toll this book had on me, and other members of my family who read the book for our book club. The subject matters, death of a child, husband dying of cancer, the significance of May 29th, all impacted our family, and so, as I read this book, I had to put it down several times because I had to cry, compose myself, think of regrets I have, and remember.
How amazing it is that Sybil was able to write all about the death of her child to her dead child. I always say that writing it down on paper releases your burden in your head…it is true, I think writing letters, even the ones she didn’t send helped her quiet her head, at least for a while. I truly love this book. I have been borrowing books from Libby to read for our book club for a very long time, there have been books that I fell in love with, and always thought if I want to read them again I’ll just borrow them again, this book is the first one that I want to own physically to put on my shelf and know that I have it to read over and over again when I want to reflect and then quiet my head. ( This is the longest review I’ve written about a book I’ve read, I hope it makes sense).
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Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Successful Epistolary Novel
Format: Kindle
When we first meet Sybil Van Antwerp, age 73, she is retired from law and spends a lot of time writing letters and emails. She also reads a lot and is interested in what her correspondents are reading. She has children and grandchildren, but she lives alone in Annapolis, Maryland, and doesn’t see her family very often. During the course of reading her correspondence, we very gradually learn about Sybil—her history and her present troubles. She is a complicated character and several times in reading The Correspondent I paused to ask myself what I thought of Sybil—did I like her? What about her kept me from the immediate response a reader usually has about the main character of a book? Even at the end of the book, I am still ambivalent about Sybil, but I certainly understand her much better.
Sybil, herself, and the book have so many layers. There is true depth to the story. My book club took deep dives into it over a period of three weeks, and I don’t think we have sampled all the topics represented in this book. It is a wonderful novel for stimulating meaningful discussion.
Neurodivergence is not called out or named, but it comes to mind in thinking about Harry, a child who is the son of a judge, a former colleague of Sybil. The boy doesn’t quite fit in socially with his peers, but he is brilliant. Sybil makes the perfect “pen pal” for Harry because they have some of the same characteristics. As a child she was punished for “insolence and rudeness,” but her parents were just trying to mold her into a polite young lady as expected by society. She was blunt and didn’t have many friends.
There are so many other issues worthy of discussion, but they would most certainly bring up spoilers. I won’t do that to you. Readers should have the opportunity to see the story gradually emerge from the letters, including a continuing one that the reader doesn’t know to whom Sybil is writing. Sybil sets the word “stone” for secrets, and there are stones in this book making it a puzzle, a mystery of sorts—for the reader.
As a reviewer, I tend to go quickly from one book to the next as soon as I have composed and published my thoughts. Characters in various books can even blend together. This is not the case with The Correspondent. The characters in this book, especially Sybil, have stayed with me and come to mind frequently as I go through my day. Virginia Evans has created a fictional world with impact. Just as Sybil needed time (years in her case) to process the events of her life, the reader will need time to process them and their effects on Sybil as well.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Run and buy this book! Must read!
Format: Hardcover, Format: Hardcover
Great book! Must read for most people! I have bought several as gifts and so many have told me this book is life-changing and I agree! I will continue to buy this book for family and friends as needed.
Easy to read. Interesting, funny. Great insight and guide to help you navigate life and choose happiness for YOU!
Arrived well packaged in perfect condition. Great price. Fast delivery. I hope Amazon continues to keep this in stock!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2026