Born in Indonesia, a resident of Japan for twenty years and a convert to Judaism,
the title song of this album represents the confluence of the many musical cultural and spiritual streams flowing through
my life.
Me
"Looking back on my life, there are so many people I wish to thank: If I have accomplished anything it is because
of what my family, friends and teachers have taught me."
Bengawan Solo (River of Solo)
The famous Bengawan
Solo, the longest river in Java, stretches 540 kilometers through the center of the island, sustaining the thriving agricultural
communities along its banks. Like the great rivers of the world, the Danube, the Don and the Ganges, Bengawan Solo flows through
the physical and spiritual heart of the land; and this song is the musical lifeline to my homeland.
Kyoushuu II
"When I hear this
Japanese traditional folk song, my heart fills with the memories of my life in Japan." From Toyama Prefecture in Japan's
heartland, this song features the "kokiriko," a bamboo woodblock instrument found only in this region of the country.
Halicha Le Kesariya (Stroll Along Caesarea Strand)
Penned by Hanah Semesh, a young girl who sacrificed her life in World War II to
save her family, it expresses the eternal Jewish yearning for peace. In it I feel my own soul's yearning to bond with
the Jewish faith and spirit.
"I have tried to present
the music of my homeland and my adopted country and cultures through the kaleidoscope of Ethnic Fusion. Bengawan Solo, Kyoushuu
and Halicha Le Kesariya, an intensely Jewish song, are the touchstones of my personal musical vision."
Children of the World
This song is dedicated to my own and all children everywhere. Through it I hope to inspire children to trust their
hopes and dreams, and understand their power to change the future and the world. It is also a message to adults to value the
children in their lives.
