Audio
- Crossroads
- Dancing in the North Wind
- Paennorae Soran bushi
- Rowing under the Moonlight
- Sunayama
Shunsuke Kimura x Etsuro Ono
The virtuoso players Shunsuke Kimura and Etsuro Ono are powerful innovators of the Tsugaru-shamisen and shinobue. They have taken this dynamic semi-improvised style from northern Japan (Tohoku region) in new contemporary directions, presenting both traditional pieces and new material which fuses original folk sound with the soul and blues rhythms of the West.
Formed in 2009, the duo became quickly popular and has performed in Korea, Turkey, and Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo, Malaysia. In March 2011 they performed as part of Hibiki-Festival at Kings Place, London, and RASA, Utrecht. In July 2011 they performed at WOMAD Charlton Park, UK and FMM in Sines, Portugal. In October 2011, They were selected as an official WOMEX showcase artist chosen out of over 750 groups from all over the world. In 2012, they are invited to major festivals and venues including Forde Folk Music Festival(Norway), Warsaw Cross Culture Festival(Poland), Masala Festival (Germany), Glatt& Verkehrt(Austria), and Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome(Italy).
They are frequently featured on media including BBC3 radio.
Find more about the Duo
WOMAD BBC3 Radio Track Session 31 07 11 by Muartsproduction
About Tsugaru Shamisen
Tsugaru-shamisen was originally played by wandering blind artists who performed in front of people’s houses for their living, especially in the Tsugaru region of Northern Japan. By the middle of the 19th century, Tsugaru-shamisen was used simply to provide background music for folk singers. It later came to be appreciated gradually as a solo or ensemble instrument. As a solo instrument, the Tsugaru-shamisen requires very accomplished technique for speedy playing, a refined sense of dynamic rhythm and creativity for improvisation, like jazz. Nowadays, the dynamic, powerful but soulful and sensitive sound of Tsugaru-shamisen fascinates many people in Japan, and it has become popular again with the younger generation.
Shunsuke Kimura has travelled to every corner of Japan assimilating the various melodies, rhythms and styles of folk and traditional festival music. He has worked these into his own compositions for music theatre, dance, and image productions. His most recent commissioned work as music director include: 12th Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2010, official opening event for Japanese Year in Turkey 2010, Kageki – Another Silk Road, a Korean-Japanese co-produced theatre project , and “Kagura Bolero” for the World Environmental Film Festival at the Aichi Expo in 2005. In 2006, Kimura was commissioned to write music and lyrics for “Amaterasu”, a theatre project directed by the star Kabuki actor Bando Tamasaburo for the 25th anniversary of Kodo. In 2006, he also composed music for a contemporary kabuki dance show, “Ouna”, featuring Hanayagi Tsurusuga, a noted kabuki dancer. Kimura lectures at University of Tokyo and Kyoto University.
Etsuro Ono was raised in Akita, North East Japan, a famous region for folk music. Later he moved to Tsugaru, just north of Akita, to study with the famed shamisen master Chisato Yamada. He was soon a prize-winner at the renowned national Tsugaru-shamisen competition in Hirosaki. He has been a core member of the famous folklore theatre company Warabiza. Together their passionate performances of Tsugaru-shamisen have won them the top award at the Japanese Traditional Music Competition, and critical acclaim on their tours to the USA, Italy, Malaysia and Korea.Now, aside from his performances with Shunsuke Kimura, he is a member of Hanzo, a progressive ensemble featuring shamisen, shakukachi bamboo flute and taiko drums. He now lives in Miyagi prefecture with his family.
