Composer Jeffrey Stolet has just finished a new work for bass/baritone Nicholas Isherwood and Kyma: Manda no Sahou. Manda is the name of a character played by actor Riki Takeuchi in a series of Japanese films. Despite the fact that he is a mafioso and a loan shark, Manda lives by his own ethical code, championing the little guy and letting the real Yakuza (bad guys) have it.
Stolet uses lines from the films to evoke a cool Clint-Eastwood-meets-Buddha type vibe over menacing, Kyma-granulated samples of Isherwood singing his basest of bass notes. The premier is set for February 16 2011 at CCRMA (Stanford) after which Isherwood will incorporate the piece into his European concert tour.