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Venue in Japan: courtesy of Restaurant JAM in Chiba, Japan, since Global ISDN 97.
Producer/engineer: Masami Kikuchi, since Global ISDN 95
Photographer/report writer: Hiroyuki G. Mishima
Assitant engineer: Omi Kikuchi
PA arrangements: Masakazu Noguchi, owner of Restaurant JAM
CODEC: Zydacron Z250 & BONDING ZC206
Music perfomance were transmitted through PA system at Restaurant JAM.
Rrrrr, Rrrrrr, Rrrrrr...
Video call started a little later than was scheduled, in the room of Restaurant JAM. Then video image appeared to show the other end of the video conference.
"Hello, can you see me?" A woman for MCI spoke out of the speaker. "MEE-YEI-TERU-YO!"(Yeah, I can see you!) A Japanese word came out of me without a thought that my Japanese would never be understood, watching the monitor enthusiastically.Yes, the other end now we are facing IS America! Beyond the ocean, this image and sound is directly reaching to us!
The relayed live is no longer amazing or interesting nowadays when you see the TV, but the image and sound I am experiencing is NOT the one out of TV, and it's not the scene that should be well arranged for the audience on TV. We are participating in this event beyond the ocean.
A circuit of the intimte telephone lines (ISDN). Simply and fairly easily set machines on both sides of the ocean. Yet clear and smooth image accompanied by the clean and live sound and noise. We cannot experience such an environment with the mass-media equipment. It's very raw, fresh, touchy and "privately" live.
When the Koto performance started, noice from the other end was diminished, and the audience was all concentrating on the tune with the traditional Japanese instrument of Koto (harp). We see it, feel it, and share it. We were also immersed in the traditional acoustic tune, that we can scarcely enjoy even in Japan.
The last note was subdued, and at the same time, large applause came out of the audience at both ends. Both audience was sharing the same enthusiasm and satisfaction over this set of small telecommunications cables.
Michiyo Yagi, the Koto player, spoke with the audience at the Santa Clara site, and coincidentally met with a musician, well acquainted with the Knitting Factory in New York, where she will make a performance in coming October. It's not just a broadcasting, but really "tele-communications".
To experience and appreciate a new style of communication is always enthusiasm, and this time we have felt a large possibility to enhance the enthusiasm to over the globe, through the two-day online live performances.
(original text in Japanese, and translated in English by Masami Kikuchi)
