Calendar 2010 - Yoshida Brothers - US Tour

August 1-14
Yoshida Brothers
US Tour

08/01 Washington DC
08/03 New York, NY
08/05 Boston, MA
08/07 Chicago, IL
08/10 San Francisco, CA
08/11 San Francisco, CA
08/12 San Francisco, CA
08/14 Los Angeles, CA

More info TBA

Source: Domo Music Group

Calendar - Yoshida Brothers - Otakon 2010

July 30th
Yoshida Brothers
Otakon - Baltimore, MD

Source: Otakon

Omodaka, Yoshida Brothers and Pistol Valve on Al Jazeera TV

In another very rare news post, I bring you word of the extremely cool show called Playlist from Al Jazeera TV. In the clip above, you can see (in English!) profiles on Omodaka, Yoshida Brothers and Pistol Valve.

You can check out Part 2 with even more bands after the jump.

Someone really needs to get something like this togehter for America. Gee...I wonder who would be crazy enough to do that...

Thanks to Rody from denshiongaku.com for sending in the tip!

Album Review: Yoshida Brothers - Prism

If you ever wondered if there was still a place for traditional folk music in our modern culture, you need look no further than the Yoshida Brothers.

The two young men have been playing the tsugau-shamisen for most of their lives. Over the years, they've released several albums, incorporating their chosen instrument into just about ever genre you can image. If you needed any more proof of their modern flair, they have also provided music for the Nintendo Wii commercials.

The duo's newest album Prism was just released by Domo Music Group, heralding the band's arrival on American soil.

You can read my full review over on Japanator.

Yoshida Brothers

Calling the music of the Yoshida Brothers (Ryoichiro and Kenichi) "new age" would be selling it short, as would "world music" or any other sort of touchy-feely genre. Sure, it has many of the hallmarks of the otherwise vapid offerings the usual fare has to offer, like a focus on one instrument with very specific ethnic and cultural roots. In this case it's the three stringed shamisen. They are much more than a one trick pony, and their intense playing style sets them slightly apart from the usual light-handed folk scene.

While they do in fact play several tunes that would easily find a home in the patchouli scented section of your local music shop, the fact is that for every straight-up folk tune they play, there is another song that totally breaks out of those narrow confines. They often mix up the shamisen's percussive twang with a full band playing either down-tempo dance tunes or all out rock or even blues. Part of this may be due to their relatively young age. They started playing as children and have only recently broken thirty. On their most recent album Prism they even cover a Radiohead song. Whatever the case, their sound is decidedly modern, something those otherwise dismissive of music so obviously Japanese could listen to without worry.

That's not to say they are some sort of revolutionary force. They do ride a very user-friendly road, playing up the instrument's long folk history for all it's worth. They are first and foremost a traditional/folk duo. Much of their music is soothing and nostalgic, with only a few songs ramping up the tempo enough to get the toes tapping. Yet it's a formula that works. The duo has had much success over the years, providing music for a Wii commercial and even touring around the world. They are currently set to tour the US and Canada with no signs of slowing down.

BUY YOSHIDA BROTHERS RELEASES AT AMAZON and CDJAPAN

Rising




Official Site
MySpace

Albums:
Ibuki - 1999
Move - 2000
Soulful - 2002
Frontier - 2003
Yoshida Brothers - 2003
Renaissance - 2004
Yoshida Brothers II - 2004
Yoshida Brothers III - 2006
Hishou - 2007
Best of Yoshida Brothers - Tsugaru Shamisen - 2008
Prism - 2009

Kodo


Live


Live

May 09 Calendar - Yoshida Brothers - US/Canada Tour

May 8-23
Yoshida Brothers
US and Canada Tour

5/8 LA, CA @ El Rey Theatre
5/9 San Diego, CA @ Anthology
5/12 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/13 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/14 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/15 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/16 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/19 Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theatre
5/20 Seattle, WA @ Triple Door, 2 shows: 7PM (All Ages) / 9:30PM (21+)
5/22 Victoria, BC (CANADA) @ Alix Goolden Performance Hall
5/23 Vancouver, BC (CANADA) @ Vogue Theatre

Source: Domo.com

May Calendar - Yoshida Brothers - US/Canada Tour

May 14-31
Yoshida Borthers

5/14 El Rey Theatre (Los Angeles, CA)
5/16 Yoshi’s San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
5/17 Yoshi’s San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
5/20 Aladdin Theater (Portland, OR)
5/21 Triple Door (Seattle, WA)
5/23 Alix Goolden Performance Hall (Victoria, BC)
5/24 Vancouver Playhouse (Vancouver, BC)
5/25 Enwave Theatre Harbourfront Centre (Toronto, ON)
5/28 HighLine Ballroom (New York, NY)
5/30 Gary and Laura Maurer Concert Hall (Chicago, IL)
5/31 The Cedar (Minneapolis, MN)

Source: J-Revolution