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Ayano Uema’s recording of her 2nd album
While I couldn’t find a release date for utasaa Ayano Uema’s forthcoming (and untitled) sophomore album, we can rest assured that she’s busy recording for it and is posting her progress of it on her blog here, here, and here. If you haven’t already purchased it, Ayano’s (and two other awesome female utasaa, Mika Uchizato…
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Matsuda Kazutoshi no Teegee Rajio
Utasaa Kazutoshi “Kaazuu” Matsuda launched his own internet radio show, Matsuda Kazutoshi no Teegee Rajio, at the beginning of the month and now he’s added a much welcome m3u version (it launched with Real Player) for the last two shows (#3 and #4). Although it’s all in Japanese, it’s worth listening to as he introduces…
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Yasuo Yoshida’s ‘Jakai’ hits stores on March 23rd
Veteran utasaa (Okinawan folk musician) Yasuo Yoshida has a new album out today titled “Jakai.” Yasuo-sensei is one of the most I’m-happy-to-be-in-the-background-kind of musicians I’ve ever met so I’m quite eager to listen to the album. Many of you who follow shimauta and O-pop (Okinawan pop music) will probably be familiar with his wife, Yasuko…
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Music: Respect Record to release Seijin Noborikawa original album in January 2008
Respect Record has been the record label most associated with original album releases (as opposed to compilations or reissues of an artist’s earlier recordings) of artists from Okinawa that’s readily available outside of Okinawa on say iTunes or from my personal favorite online stores like CDJapan. The label’s release of Seijin Noborikawa’s fantastic “Spiritual Unity”…
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Community: Congratulations to Kenton Odo, June Nakama and Calvin Nakama
There’s a nice story by Steve Murray on Midweek.com (‘SHAMISEN’) on the accomplishments of three musicians from Hawaii who are “the first foreigners to earn a master’s certificate in the Okinawan shamisen.” Definitely worth a read. All three musicians will be performing in Hawaii on Tuesday, November 27 as part of the 14th annual TOBE!…
Karakui 