For example, if we agreed with Ki&Ki to make a Bachido review, they would add an annotation to their video saying “Please see the Bachido Review for our new CD! [link here]” which pops up on their video itself.
Ooo, I like it! It’s so win-win.
Karl, I’m not sure, but I think it’s the language barrier which keep famous players from hanging out here. Of course, that doesn’t answer why Mike Penny doesn’t grace us with his presence more often.
I was thinking really big though! I mean there is a possibility somewhere in the universe that Agatsuma would want to endorse Bachido in some way. My prejudices tell me he’s not the kind of guy who would be active on the forums 
As for Mike Penny - After watching his videos I think he may have ascended to some far out place where they don’t speak English.
Hello, as I see a very important talk here, I dare to intervene. It definitely is a language barrier. As Bachido main language is English and for average Japanese it looks gibberish.
As for myself, it is such a big accident that I come to be a Shamisen lover and has been an earnest English learner for a long time.
So I think I am a special talkative one in English by accident, but for ordinary educated even if one is very intelligent, it is language barrier.
Here, I am happy to talk as a go between kind but always feel my power is the smallest.
I got a happy reply from Kiki before OBon festival. They say they have realized Bachido is really a big community. And also so happy to see their CD introduction here and grateful to Kevin and Bachido for the support.
Also say they are planning to make a CD order format for people abroad on their homepage.
Every time I email Kiki, they never failed to give me a polite and sincere reply!
I got a happy reply from Kiki before OBon festival. They say they have realized Bachido is really a big community. And also so happy to see their CD introduction here and grateful to Kevin and Bachido for the support.
Also say they are planning to make a CD order format for people abroad on their homepage.
Every time I email Kiki, they never failed to give me a polite and sincere reply!
Thanks for keeping the connection with them Kyoko! I think it benefits the community a lot to see that the good players that people find on YouTube are interested in the community. It makes it look so much more legit!
It also opens up for a potential guest appearance at the Hokkaido festival. Right Kyle? 
That would be great if Ki &ki could join he Hokkaido event. I think Jack Matsumoto should also be invited! Btw , Found an old clip of teru teru …
…From their CD.
2.TeruTeru (translated from Kiki album)
TeruTeru comes from another way to read 輝&輝(Kiki). We are often asked “Are you TeruTeru?” by Japanese audience.
No! But it seemed to be fun to arrange and compose to our shamisen song.
We hope you can image that a frog is jumping happily or colorful umbrella is turning round and round joyfully! Wish you were getting
A rainbow in your heart(^o^). By Kiki.
(TeruTeru bouzu, in Japan, when we strongly hope it will be a fine day tomorrow, a doll,TeruTeru bouzu, is made for a sunny day. Usually you are going to have a picnic or something tomorrow.
--------------explained by Kyoko)
It also opens up for a potential guest appearance at the Hokkaido festival. Right Kyle?
Ooh!! Grand idea!! 
Definitely! They certainly have some fame here at Bachido. 
I think it would also be educational to invite Hanawa Chie.
You know what I’m sayin’, Kevin?
Haha, I know what you’re saying because yesterday I noticed that Mike Penny mentioned on YouTube that he wants to marry her
She has a great tone as well. Definately a player I’d like to see/hear IRL.
For those of you reading this who are not familiar with her, here’s a short clip with the legendary Hanawa Chie, of whom Kyle, Karl and Mike Penny are speaking of…yeah! I would say let’s Definately invite her to any future bachido event in Japan (Hokkaido ?)
And I’d say that’s the best clip I’ve seen of her. There is something special about some players’ ichi no ito strikes.
Now I wonder, is it sort of frowned upon with shamisen players that always use a strap?
One thing I very much like about her playing is the way she changes modes in her improvs. This is the second clip I’ve seen where she’s done that and it rocks.
Is it my imagination, or is her right hand technique unusual, kinda wild? I mean things like that floating index finger, for instance.
Now I wonder, is it sort of frowned upon with shamisen players that always use a strap?
Perhaps if a nagauta player used one, but in the tsugaru world, I don’t think it’s given a second thought. (I mean, there’s no shame in it)
One thing I very much like about her playing is the way she changes modes in her improvs.
Yeah, I notice that as well. (I could be wrong, but isn’t there a cool clip of her playing jazz with an oud player?). Also, I like that she’s easy on the eyes.
Chet,
You got me curious about this floating index thing. Did you mean the observation that her index seems to “hang off” of the bachi?
Hmmm, in that case it’s actually totally natural. The trick many traditionally trained players adopt is to grip the bachi between the pinky and ring finger. The thumb is then used to guide the direction of the bachi. Consequently the middle and index fingers are almost 100% useless and are simply curved in Round the bachi.If you watch different players you may notice that each person has adopted their own approach . Some curl the index inward to get it out of the way and others like miss Hanawa just let it hang.
Either way it doesn’t matter too much since the main thing is to grip and strike with the other fingers/thumb. Most likely it’s completely unconscious on her part.
Ohhhhh. Thanks, Kevin. I think that means maybe I need to alter my grip? I may not be relaxing my index finger enough, particularly when playing sukui.
Kyle, I hope there is such a video (shamisen/oud jazz). I’d love to find that. And “easy on the eyes” is always appreciated, eh?
Yes this is pretty interesting! I read your observation yesterday with the hanging index finger and I was thinking “but that’s what I use to get power when performing sukui”. However, I quickly noticed that when playing with a hanging index finger it didn’t really matter as long as the other fingers were positioned well. Seems like I have unconciously become better at playing Sukui without the index finger, by earlier getting better due to that same finger. This is crazy.
Since we’re on the topic of female players here, I thought I’d ask if anyone has ever heard of Tenbi? I actually have never heard of her so I’d be interested in hearing if anyone else here has? Just found this vid (and a few others) alittle while ago randomly. She’s quite lovely and seems to be pro level, which is why I was surprised to have never heard of her. Anyone know the story? Was she a one hit wonder that no one seems to know about anymore? Or am I just embarrassingly out of the loop in terms of new modern players?
Always cool to hear new shamisen music! I have no idea who it is, but what I can say is that it sounds like the music that was popular in the late 80’s/early 90’s so that might be why this artist hasn’t become that popular, if she isn’t.
She is quite new to me, too. (naturally almost everything is new to me in traditional Japanese music) I found a music house site which she belongs to and according to that homepage ---- her name is Fukui Tenbi — maybe a name as shamisen artist. She began to play as a student of 福居典大 . She won the second prize at national Tsugarushamisen Taikai in 2000&2001. Since then she has been active playing in and out of Japan. She produced her first album in 2006.
It is interesting to see her profile always begin with how tall, 172centimeter, rather tall as a Japanese woman.
You can visit the page www.moz.co.jp/music house MOZ
Sorry it is all in Japanese language.
Btw, her younger brother is also a good shami player 福居一大, somewhere I saw his name. The site says he won the first prize at that Taikai in 2000.