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Oki Kano.
 Oki
Kano is bound to once again be one of the main drawcards at
this years WOMADelaide. Kano, already a frequent visitor to
Australia, will once again be coming back to perform, and to
continue his love affair with Australia, and ours with him.
"I love to travel", Kano begins. "I'm a big supporter of taking
music outside the boundaries of where it began, and to experience
new things." It seems that this years' Womad festival is all
about new experiences, for audience and artists alike. Many
of the 2004 artists coming to Adelaide play a brand of music
not always heard in the outside world. And some play instruments
that most people in the Western World know nothing of. Kano
is no exception. Kano plays an old ancient Japanese instrument
called the tonkori. He is one of only a handful of exponents
in the world, and has done his research into this beautiful
five-stringed instrument. "There are no real players of the
instrument around. It basically was an old instrument, passed
down throughout my little community in Ainu, in northern Japan.
So what I've done is research it, and go back into the old books
and old school things, and found out about the tonkori as much
as possible."
Kano has basically taught himself the finer points of playing the tonkori. With new teacher of the instrument alive today, it has been his research that has seen him excel at mastering the instrument. "No one has taught me really. Although you could say that the books has taught me. I've learnt the old music through writings passed down over time really."
One of the main focuses of Kano's music his the element of nature in his playing. That's what drives the sound, and that's what he plays about. "The music and the elements of nature go hand in hand. The trees, birds, animal life and the weather, they all play a big part in my music." Naturally, the Womad site in the Botanic Park provides a perfect setting for Kano's sweet, stirring music. "Playing Womad will be fantastic. I have played in Australia before and have always found the crowd to be receptive and good hearted, and ready to get in touch with themselves and the music, and nature."
Another aspect of Kano's life that he feels most satisfying, is not only his love of all things indigenous, but his support for those many indigenous cultures. Coming from an area of Japan that many say technology and the modern world forgot, Kano knows what it is like coming from a minority background and struggling in life because of that. "Where I grew up, in Ainu, there are less than 200 people there. In fact I still live there today. It is a very enclosed community of people that still celebrates the old ways, and the old culture. I am happy there, because being in that environment helps me get better as a musician, and keeps me in check of where I've come from as a person."
Kano lists his sources of inspiration as a mixture of modern and old time music. He has influences ranging from Brazilian to Celtic music to the likes of Bob Marley and Augustus Pablo. "I find I can learn much from today's music, modern music. There is a crossover of ideas and a celebration of music in general. There shouldn't be boundaries, ever in music."
Chris Niehus
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Oki Kano features at this year's WOMADelaide Festival.
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