Open Reel Ensemble

Photo by Yuya Furukawa

Photo by Sumi Takeshi

Photo by Tajima Kazunali

Photo by Mao Yamamoto

Open Reel Ensemble ［performance / composition / remix / workshop］

オープンリール式テープレコーダー複数台を楽器として演奏するグループ/バンド。リールやテープに直接手を触れながら演奏を繰り広げ、その場でテープに録音した音や声を用いてアンサンブルを組み立てる。その不思議な音色と楽曲性は高く評価され、ISSEY MIYAKEのパリ・コレクションの音楽を3季連続担当。ライブパフォーマンスへの評価も高く、海外ではSonar (Barcelona, Spain)、Ars Electronica (Linz, Austria)にも出演している。2012年に坂本龍一氏のレーベルcommmonsより1stアルバム『Open Reel Ensemble』をリリース、2013年には約20人20台による派生プロジェクトOpen Reel Orchestraを実現させた。CD/DVDによるリリースをはじめ、「取扱説明書」とも呼べる書籍+DVD『回典 ~En-Cyclepedia~』も刊行。2015年には”声”にフォーカスした最新作『Vocal Code』を発売した。その後、メンバー2名が卒業、2016年より3人編成での新体制となって更なる表現の可能性を探求し活動を続けている。

A group/band that uses multiple reel-to-reel tape machines as instruments in their performances. The music was performed by placing their hands directly on the reels and tapes. The ensemble was constructed by using the sounds and voices recorded onto the tape right on the spot. Their intriguing tone and composition won high acclaim and the ensemble landed the musical director of ISSEY MIYAKE’s shows at the Paris Fashion Week three seasons in a row. Their live performances enjoy critical acclaim as well; as for overseas, they have performed at Sonar (in Barcelona, Spain) and Ars Electronica (in Linz, Austria) to name a few.
In 2012, the Open Reel Ensemble made their album debut with Open Reel Ensemble from commmons, a label led by Ryuichi Sakamoto. They went on to make Open Reel Orchestra, a spin-off project of about twenty musicians and twenty tape recorders, a reality in 2013. Besides releases on CD and DVD, they have also published Kaiten: En-Cyclepedia, a book-and-DVD package that can be considered the “instruction manual” of the ensemble. Their latest album Vocal Code, a work focusing on “human voice”, was released in 2015. Since then, two members parted ways and the ensemble became a trio from 2016. Under this new formation, the trio continues to explore further potential of expression through their activities.

Members :
和田永│Ei Wada (2009-)
吉田悠│Haruka Yoshida (2009-) ▶︎Twitter
吉田匡│Masaru Yoshida (2009-) ▶︎Twitter

Former Members :
佐藤公俊│Kimitoshi Sato (2009 - 2015) ▶︎Twitter
難波卓己│Takumi Namba (2009 - 2015) ▶︎Twitter

Official Web Site : https://openreelensemble.com
Official Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/OpenReelEnsembleBraunTubeJazzBand/
Official Twitter : https://twitter.com/ore_theofficial

Interviews :
『Open Reel Ensemble Interview』(SHIFT.jp)
『パラレルワールドの創出』(RA.jp)
『回典 : オープンリールが照らし出す過去・現在・未来』(fatale.honeyee.com) 2013.5.1
『Open Reel Ensemble - 磁気と回転のエキゾチカ』(eleking.jp) 2015.9.28