Originating
from the shamisen, a three-stringed lute introduced to Japan from
China, Tsugaru shamisen emerged in the Tsugaru region of Aomori Prefecture
in Northern Japan as a form of folk music in the late 1800s.
The Tsugaru shamisen genre is said to have been born out of the
depths of emotion felt by a boy who had lost his mother at birth,
his sight at eight, and his father at ten. During the bitterly cold
winters, the young boy spent his days crafting new tunes on his
shamisen. As a means of survival, he took to the streets with his
music, gradually training other blind youths who were attracted
by its vitality. Over time, these blind wandering minstrels developed
a unique repertoire of songs and style of playing, which was unlike
traditional shamisen.
Slightly larger than the shamisen, the instrument’s distinctive
feature is its unique percussive qualities producing powerful, ‘bluesy’
sounds. Using a bachi or plectrum the performer will "bang"
the body of the instrument, creating a broad range of expression,
from delicate to pounding rhythms. Tsugaru shamisen music is often
likened to Jazz; a highly refined technique is required for speedy
playing, and with no written music, performances are improvised,
allowing musicians to express their own style and creativity.
Tsugaru shamisen virtuoso Michihiro
Sato (Satomichi Yamada) is considered one of the finest
players of the instrument. A student of renowned Tsugaru shamisen
master Chisato Yamada, Sato won the National Tsugaru Shamisen Contest
two years running, in 1982 and 1983 - a feat yet to be matched.
A highly skilled musician, Sato has spent the last two decades exploring
the possibilities of the Tsugaru shamisen through solo performances
and collaborations with local and international artists from a wide
range of genres. He is the leader of the current generation of Tsugaru
shamisen performers who are bringing this instrument to an ever-increasing
number of Japanese fans.
Performing with Sato will be his son Michiyoshi
Sato on Tsugaru shamisen, Shozan
Tanabe on shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute), Sachiko
Kaiho on koto (Japanese harp) and Masaki
Yoshimi on tabla. All highly esteemed performers in
their own right, these five performers will combine skill, passion
and their improvisational abilities to create a beautiful harmony
of sounds. Come and see why the Tsugaru shamisen is currently enjoying
a resurgence as a popular instrument in modern-day Japan.
