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Tutorial: Changing sanshin strings
Our second video tutorial! Yay! Today we go through changing those well-worn strings on your sanshin with brand new, curly-curly ones. Be sure to check out our growing (with two!) Video Page for more. 😉
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YouTube: Tink Tink’s ‘Hoshi no Sekai’
It’s always interesting to see new (well, relatively new) O-pop music and in this case it’s the song “Hoshi no Sekai” from the Rinken Teruya-produced duo tink tink. The song was released during the duo’s stint with the mega-hit label Avex (they’ve since returned home to Rinken Records with their latest album “Shiroi Natsu”). Apart…
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Cocco’s ‘Jugon no Mieru Oka’ links to Okinawa
Being a big fan of Cocco’s art and music, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the tun-tun-ten of a sanshin in her latest single “Jugon no Mieru Oka.” Although that alone is pretty cool in itself, Cocco goes on to sing (at 4:51) lyrics from “Ittaa Anmaa Maakaiga”, an Okinawan warabi uta (children’s song). While…
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Singer Kozue Chinen posts kunkunshi of her song ‘Imenshori Iijima’
In a very cool move, Okinawa minyou singer Kozue Chinen posted kunkunshi (musical notation) of her composition “Imenshori Iijima” on her blog along with the lyrics which are a tribute to her hometown. “Imenshori” means welcome in Iijima (Iejima) dialect and she also links to a YouTube clip of her performing the song.
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Video: Nada Sou Sou around the world
In Japanese: Rimi Natsukawa’s hit version In Hawaiian: Kealiʻi Reichel’s beautiful “Ka Nohona Pili Kai” (iTunes Store link) In English: Hayley Westerna (available as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of the singer’s album “Treasure”)
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YouTube: U-DOU & PLATY
I first heard about U-DOU & PLATY a while ago but never really gave them a look until they were featured on NHK’s wonderful English-language music program J-MELO (its current VJ is J-pop singer melody.). Their music is a champloo (mix) of Okinawan folk music and J-reggae (dancehall) and I if may add, quite infectious.…
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Tokyograph: hiro gets first stage role in “Mozart!”
hiro gets first stage role in “Mozart!”: “A production of the musical ‘Mozart!’ will run from November 19 to December 2 at Tokyo’s Imperial Garden Theater. It stars a double cast of Yoshio Inoue and singer-songwriter Akinori Nakagawa as Mozart, while singer and former SPEED member hiro plays the role of his wife Constanze. This…
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Music: ‘Sanshin punk rock band’ Yamato
Yamato is a three-piece band from mainland Japan who are labeling themselves as a “sanshin punk rock band.” Lead vocalist, Hitoshi Tawaratsumida from Kagoshima Prefecture, plays sanshin and guitar (albeit not at the same time 😛 ) for the trio. The band’s second album, “Tabi no waraji no tsume wo kiru” (11/7/07 release), will feature…
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Music: Kariyushi58 to release their 1st full album
Mark your calendars, Kariyushi58, a three-piece band from Okinawa, will release their first full album “Soro soro, kariyushi” on October 23, 2007. The 13-track album, featuring the hit singles “Anmaa” and “Te to Te”, will be an indie music release from LD&K Records. Check out the group’s PVs on YouTube. [Via bounce.com.]
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TV: Manami Higa’s ‘Dondo Bare’ finishes strong
It got off to a weak start but how you finish is what’s important, right? NHK’s 76th Asadora (if you’re keeping track, “Churasan” was the 64th), “Dondo Bare” starring Manami Higa, finished its run on September 29 with a strong finish at 23.2% for the final episode — contrast that with the 14.9% for the…
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