Bluegrass in Japan • Little Cabin Home on the Hill • Casey Driessen & Taro Inoue [OTHERLANDS: Japan]

This recording is the 19th in a new multi-episode project by Casey Driessen titled - OTHERLANDS: A Global Music Exploration.
LOCATION: Miyama, Japan
DATE: Mar. 7, 2020
CREDITS
Song: Little Cabin Home on the Hill (Lester Flatt & Bill Monroe)
Music Arranged by: Casey Driessen & Taro Inoue
Mandolin: Taro Inoue
Fiddle, Audio & Video: Casey Driessen
Additional Music: Haru Kaze (outro, with Yukky on vocals)
Special Thanks: Yukky
EQUIPMENT
The following Shure microphones were used in the making of this collaboration. If you’re interested in learning more and/or purchasing one, please use the links below. This helps to support the music I make. Thank you.
Shure KSM44 [large diaphragm condenser] (amzn.to/2OMSAR9)
Shure KSM141 [small diaphragm condenser] (amzn.to/3bjbQ1U)
Shure BETA 181 [fig-8] (amzn.to/2S47FQf)
Shure MV88+ [stereo video mic] (amzn.to/3bftnZ5)
Shure A75M [universal mic mount] (amzn.to/2tzylyR)
Shure A53M [shock stopper] (amzn.to/2Ox3hqx)
ABOUT THE COLLABORATION
Eight years ago, I made my first (and up until now, my only) trip to Japan, touring the country as a trio with Canadian guitarist Jordan McConnell and Japanese mandolinist Taro Inoue. We had a great synergy and upon my return this spring of 2020, I made sure to catch up with Taro.
Folks not familiar with bluegrass might be surprised to learn that Japan has a very healthy bluegrass scene. The late banjo player, Sab Inoue, of Japan's pioneering band Bluegrass 45, was Taro's father, and Taro also attended the ETSU bluegrass program. He's steeped in the tradition but also branches out, working with DJs recently.
*For more on Taro's projects & music, please visit his Facebook Page ( / taro.inoue.54 )
Checking in on each others lives, I learned that he abandoned the cramped and bustling lifestyle of Tokyo and relocated to the countryside of Kyoto Prefecture, near the village of Miyama. Referencing a classic bluegrass song, he calls the place his "little cabin home on the hill."
I could feel echos of western North Carolina, mountains and all. Taro’s little cabin is up a hillside of tall and incredibly straight cedar trees, has electric, a natural spring for water, and a wood burning stove. He's got a great record collection and the walls are full of instruments. It's pretty much the type of place I hope to have out in Madison County, North Carolina someday.
As for what we would play? The answer was clear-the bluegrass standard "Little Cabin Home on the Hill." It's a great song with a distinct verse and chorus that are fun to improvise on, and the chorus can even be split into two different sections, as if there are three parts total. And since we wouldn't be singing it, there was great freedom of interpretation in groove and form in the moment.
And the moment is where Taro lives. We rehearsed a couple of form ideas, and decided to see what happens. We played three takes and they all had distinct personalities thanks to Taro. He kicked each one off with a groove different from the others and I reacted. This is the third take.
If you’d like to read more about our collaboration, please visit:
www.caseydriess...
To follow along the OTHERLANDS project, please visit:
OTHERLANDS Webpage (www.CaseyDriess...)
Instagram ( / caseydriessen ,
Facebook ( / caseydriessen ,
or this UA-cam channel.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
OTHERLANDS: A Global Music Exploration follows GRAMMY-nominated 5-string American fiddler Casey Driessen as he travels with his family to various countries across the globe to meet with local acoustic-based musicians with roots in their own traditions. Musical exchanges and travels are documented via audio, video and photography elements with collected materials released over the course of the project via his website and social media outlets and official musical releases likely to come at the end of travels.
OTHERLANDS is an independently designed and produced project that is self-contained with a small collection of audio and video equipment. All engineering and recording, including any post-production, can be set up, operated, and completed by Casey wherever on the globe he happens to be.
For more information and to follow the project, please visit - www.CaseyDriess....

[@toadsprout]

🤘

[@vicentepintadoiborra6959]

great duo

[@CaseyDriessenMusic]

Thanks for listening!

[@QuinWithOneN]

This is my favorite video from OTHERLANDS so far!!!! Fantastic.

[@CaseyDriessenMusic]

Thanks Quin!

[@ryanthebuilder9012]

Wow! exciting music, so tasteful!

[@CaseyDriessenMusic]

Thanks for having a listen, are you a musician?

[@fiddlefolk]

Awesome arrangement!

[@breizlilive]

whaou !

[@corriedunn]

My new favorite version of this song!! Wow!

[@CaseyDriessenMusic]

Thank you, Corrie. Playing with Taro is really fun and spontaneous.

[@AlexBrownMusic]

This is incredible! Makes me want to practice (or quit)!

[@CaseyDriessenMusic]

Practice!!!!!

[@KazTag0220]

Glad you made it to Japan!

[@CaseyDriessenMusic]

Us too! And we miss it already :-(

[@KazTag0220]

@@CaseyDriessenMusic
Come again please!

[@siggesaltens2663]

ILL MOVE TO THE HILLS OF JAPAN

[@CaseyDriessenMusic]

Let's go!

[@GrantCustomBanjos]

Finger licking good 👍