The Sun Sets On A Maestro

I read some sad news on the Internet today. One of my musical heroes has just died.

But I bet there won't be the publicity that David Bowie and Prince received when they passed on; even though this particular musician is just as important with his compositions and influence on electronic music.

I don't know how many people have heard of the Japanese synth player Isao Tomita, and his reworking of various classical pieces of music? I don't think he is as famous as Vangelis and Jean Michel Jarre are, although he certainly should be.

I first came across him in the late 1970s, when one of my brothers put the Snowflakes Are Dancing album on the turntable. I've always liked synth music, but Tomita's renditions of the tunes were something else. Easily recognisable, but with a space tinge to them. He amusingly called his many synths, his Plasma Orchestra.

Although you may not know his name, you would undoubtedly have come across his music in films and TV programmes. The most well known would be Carl Sagan's Cosmos from the 1980s.

There was a great sunset tonight. Something no doubt Tomita would have enjoyed seeing and may have given him inspiration for another piece of music.

I have many of his albums, but they aren't that easy to come by. So I thought I would share a piece of his music, to demonstrate how great he was, sat among all his Moogs etc.

Are Friends Electric?

Here's one of my arty shots that I like to create every so often; as the mood takes me, or think the scene would make a good one.

This one for instance. The keyboard player from the Disco Prophets. I decided to focus in on the keyboard itself, rather than the musician. Partly because I find it more interesting, and partly because it was quite a crowded stage and I counldn't get a clear view of him.

Also I like keyboards and synths. Not that I can play one. I did try once and could just about play the theme tune to Wallace & Gromit; but very slowly. I do enjoy the sounds that they make. Some keyboard wizards that I like are Vangelis, Rick Wakeman, Jean Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream. Kraftwerk are OK too, but prefer the more melodic stuff from their German counterparts.

To hear what I mean, here's a one of TD's shorter melodies; as a lot of their tunes cover one side of an album. This one is from the crime movie Thief, which starred James Caan.