Music from the Song Film: Omoiyari

by Kishi Bashi

Overview

In 2019, Kishi Bashi (Kaoru Ishibashi) released an album of poignant orchestral folk songs called Omoiyari, a Japanese word related to the concept of compassion and empathy through active practice. The songs came advertised as having been written for and/or inspired by a documentary he was working on about his own journey of self-discovery as the child of Japanese immigrants while learning about the U.S.'s WWII-era Japanese American internment camps, and cautioning against contemporary anti-immigrant political rhetoric. That film, Omoiyari: A Song Film by Kishi Bashi, finally had its world premiere in 2022, with a broader release and accompanying soundtrack album following in late 2023. With over 70 minutes of original recordings, Music from the Song Film: Omoiyari contains different versions of many of the songs from the 2019 album alongside new ones, an acoustic version of tour favorite "Manchester," and score material composed by Ishibashi. The new songs include the plaintive "Red, White, and Blue," an acoustic lament featuring guitar, piano, cello, violin, and a brittle-voiced Ishibashi, and standout track "For Every Voice That Never Sang" featuring cellist Emily Hope Price, a more fully produced track with Kishi Bashi's trademark violin loops, multi-layered vocals, and keen bittersweetness. While most of the music here is expectedly heavyhearted or at least pensive, a few lighter moments include a third original song, "A Safe Place for Animals," a children's tune featuring his daughter, Sola Ishibashi; and a section of jazz manouche, including score track "1853: Commodore Perry and His Black Ships" and a brief swing sample of Bach's Concerto for Two Violins. Also included are several so-titled improvisational clips and appearances by the Nu Deco Ensemble, who seamlessly flesh out the composer's affecting chamber compositions on a dozen of the soundtrack album's 33 music cues. ~ Marcy Donelson

Product Details

Release Date:	11/17/2023
Label:	Joyful Noise
UPC:	0602309898632
Rank:	35589

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kishi Bashi   Primary Artist,Piano,Violin
Claire Campbell   Vocals (Background)
Mike Savino   Bass,Banjo,Vocals,Voices
Emily Hope Price   Cello,Vocals
JoJo Glidewell   Organ
Andrea Demarcus   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Nick Ogawa   Cello
Ryan Oslance   Drums,Percussion
Alexander Ambartsumian   Violin
Sara J. Ursrey   Vocals (Background)
Dave Kirslis   Organ,Guitar,Vocals,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Greg Hankins   Piano
Caroline Dorr   Violin
Elitsa Atanasova   Viola
Rachel Fischer   Violin
Sahada Buckley   Violin
Seonkyu Kim   Viola
Yaesol Kang   Violin
Nu Deco Ensemble   Orchestra
J.P. Brien   Violin

Technical Credits

Kramer   Mastering
Patrick Dillett   Mixing
Karl Hofstetter   Producer
Carl Saff   Mastering
Emily Hope Price   Engineer
Tyler Watkins   Mixing,Engineer,Mastering
Drew Vandenberg   Mixing
Kishi Bashi   Producer
K Ishibashi   Mixing,Engineer,Sleeve Notes
Cody Engstrom   Mixing,Engineer
Andy Bardon   Back Cover,Photography
Heather Lynn Aquino   Artwork,Cover Art
Lois Yoshida   Calligraphy