Cross-cultural pioneers and young Tsugaru-shamisen
virtuosos Ryoichiro and Kenichi Yoshida-The Yoshida Brothers - have
re-interpreted a traditional music style for the new generation.
Superstars in their native Japan, the brothers are masters of the
traditional Japanese Tsugaru-shamisen,
an ancient three-stringed banjo/lute-like instrument that is plucked
with a triangular pick resulting in a percussive twang. Their energetic
and muscular interpretation of the shamisen has revealed the wide expressive potential of the instrument and attracted an international audience.
Playing
since the age of five in their Northern Hokkaido home, the brothers
went on to win many prestigious Tsugaru-shamisen competitions, then
releasing subsequent recordings. Donning traditional Japanese
dress-kimonos and hakama pants-but sporting the dyed hair that is
trendy among Japanese youth, they infuse modernity into their music
with Western musical influences such as pop, jazz, blues, Latin and
more. The Yoshida Brothers performances are known for their fast and
percussive shamisen style, trading riffs at lightning speed, and as World Music Central writes, “the Brothers play the age-old Tsugaru-shamisen
with the fervor of Jimi Hendrix.” Their unique fusion of traditional
Japanese music and modern Western influences have already earned them
worldwide attention-their music is the theme of the Nintendo Wii
commercials- and continues to thrill audiences everywhere.
Tickets on sale NOW from Cedar Ticketline (612-338-2674 ext 2), Ticketweb, and Cedar outlets.
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