Hello, my name is Anthony and I’m new at Bachido. I was wondering who are some of the most influential musicians in shamisen. Anyone who’s style produced a notable change in the music at the time or simply anyone who is one of the classical greats. I’m wanting to get as wide a range of style and music and really surge myself into shamisen music to start my journey. Also I’m not interested in learning any of the theater techniques. Thank you.
Hullo Anthony,
That’s a tough question because it’s so immensely broad. I don’t have a big enough genre background to talk about innovators or big names in genres outside tsugaru and min’yo (hopefully someone can chime in). So here’s some highlights.
Tsugaru as we think about it now owes a large debt to Takahashi Chikuzan and Shirakawa Gunpachiro for popularizing the sound we associate with it back in the 50s’.
More recently, we’ve seen some family duos (Nitta Oyako, Yoshida Kyoudai) producing effective call and response pieces that I personally adore.
Kevin Kmetz (who you may see pop up from time to time on the forums) and has taken various interesting approaches to the instrument.
More personally, one of my personal favorites is the group Soubugen. Hisao Suginaka plays a wide range of styles.
Takahashi Chikuzan’s successor is also great
And Abeya is pretty neat too!
(I’m also a sucker for non-traditional applications)
Kyle Abott and Mike Penny have both posted videos utilizing the instrument in western folk music.
(So good)
(Sooo goood)
Chris, I was intrigued by the raga-style of Isao Siginaka. But, in the Group, was there also a sitar and a bansuri?
Everyone Christopher mentioned is absolutely AMAZING. Some other players I love are Hanawa Chie, Ninagawa Beni (Of Wagakki Band fame, they’re amazing as a whole too), the duo KiKi (Kanami and Hikari) and Asano Sho.
Chris, I was intrigued by the raga-style of Isao Siginaka. But, in the Group, was there also a sitar and a bansuri?
Sakura,
That’s a tanpura, it’s played by Yuko Sarya. She’s the other member of Soubugen.
In the video I linked, they’re collaborating with Tokko Nakamura, Flaco Barral and Carlos Guerra.
Tokko Nakamura is singing.
Flaco Barral is playing guitar.
Carlos Guerra is playing the bansuri.
I actually found this group while looking up Flaco Barral’s flamenco work.
Thank you all so much! This will surly set me on the road of the shamisen.
And what type of shamisen was Isao playing?
Anyway, I have to listen the songs again and again and again and again!
Could you also share Chie’s stuff and also Kanami/Hikari
Thank yo soooooooo much!
The itomaki make me think that was a nagauta shamisen, but I’m not certain. Here’s some of KiKis and Chies stuff!
Kiki: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fSyhVRDArdk
Hanawa Chie: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HqFCgm-ybaI
Enjoy!
Edit: Patrick is probably right, I’m not very well versed in nagauta shamisen to know very well.
I would say a minyo for Hisao.
Hey all,
Judging by the hatomune, azuma sawari, and length of skin on the sides, I’m inclined to say Suginaka is using a chuuzao and probably a min’yo.
It could technically class as a jiuta if the body is big enough, however.
Anywho:
He also performs Tsugaru
A great player who has studied with Chikuzan and is currently one of the top dogs of the heartland (lives and performs in Tsugaru ) is Yamagami Susumu. Unfortunately his fame seems to hit it’s outter boundary at the border of Tsugaru making him practically unknown to the worldwide fan base of Tsuagru Shamisen. I’m about to put my daughter to bed so I don’t have time at the moment to look for links to post here but maybe I’ll come back to this as soon as I hear my little girl start snoring. Anyway gotta go.
Please do it, Kevin!
ironically all I could find is a video clip I took many years ago.
Oh my god, his fingering is amazing.
I need to see him perform live.
In the meanwhile, Anthony, have you found more interesting stuff? I hope we helped you