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Yoshida Brothers

Superstars in their native Japan, young Tsugaru-shamisen virtuosos Ryoichiro and Kenichi Yoshida -The Yoshida Brothers- have effected nothing short of a cultural revolution with a muscular reinvention of the ancient three-stringed instrument, giving it the fiery passion of a rock n roll guitar. Online world music portal World Music Central notes, Clad in formal, ceremonial attire of kimonos and hakama pants, but sporting the dyed light brown hair that is trendy among Japans savvy youth, the Brothers play the age-old Tsugaru-shamisenan instrument akin to a rustic three-stringed banjowith the fervor of Jimi Hendrix. Beyond the rock star status these Pacific Rim mavericks have achieved at home with their signature East-meets-West interpretation of a time-honored musical form, they are fast winning major international acclaim as well. By coaxing startlingly vivid sounds out of their timeless instruments, they have reinvigorated Tsugaru-shamisen for a new generation, incorporating elements of jazz, American folk, pop, Latin music, blues and more into their unique musical tapestry. Following the release of their self-titled U.S. debut album in 2003, Interview Magazine wrote, The duos approachhas less to do with upholding traditions than exploring new ones. And, in a 2005 New York Times review of the Brothers performance at GlobalFest, Jon Pareles said, their set, like a shredding heavy-metal solowas all about speed and twang. They played fast unisons that would have ruthlessly revealed any mistakes; they played solos that stayed close to the tunes and built pitiless crescendos. It was music of pure sinew. On the all-new III, their third U.S. album release on Domo Records, the charismatic duos fusion of the ancestral and the avant garde innovates further with thirteen tracks ranging from the stunningly shredding to the masterfully serene. The disc was produced by veteran American producer Tony Berg (Edie Brickell, Michael Penn, Charlie Sexton, Lisa Loeb, Nickel Creek, etc), who also plays multiple instruments, including steel string guitar and percussion, throughout. III adventurously expands on what Ryoichiro calls the Yoshida Brothers, dualistic exploration in music, both traditional and western. I believe that our world audiences will be expecting that in our future. I think incorporating western music attributes will further the popularizing of the Tsugaru Shamisen outside of Japan. Stand-out tracks include the Yoshida Brothers reinvention of Erghen Diado (a song featured on the Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choirs acclaimed 1990 CD Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares), featuring a muscular new arrangement complete with drums, bass and strings--from famed world musicologist Marcel Cellier (Zamfir). A potently hypnotic and psychedelic take on Brian Enos By This River is the only song featuring vocals, fluidly delivered by former from Remy Zero frontman Cinjin Tate, whose brother Shelby mans the keyboards. Many other ace guests add to the albums complex texture, including Mitchell Froom, who co-wrote and plays keys on the robust Hit Song, and Oscar Castro Neves, whose guitar virtuosity enriches the cinematically scored and aptly titled Passion. The Yoshida Brothers work magic completely on their own with a minimalist and beautiful version of John Lennon & Yoko Onos Oh My Love. Ryoichiro says that Berg, thought the Japanese-like melody would work with the Shamisen, while Kenichi adds, Tony selected this track with the same sensibilities he had in mind with By This River. There are no cultural references here. Either way, one can imagine the songs composers being moved by the Brothers delicate, elegant economy in interpreting it. The roots of the Yoshida Brothers music are found in an historic, five centuries old genre first developed by in a snowy, rural region of northern Japan by itinerant street buskers, who earned spare change playing melodies and rhythms reflecting their tough lot in life. The words Tsugaru Shamisen denote both the ancient folk idiom and the primitive, banjo/lute-like instrument on which its played. The Tsugaru is the largest of the three principal types of shamisen, giving it the fullest sound. As modernity and western influences swept Japans young people over time, this spare and evocative art form fell out of favor. Its recent hugely popular revivaland the subsequent renewal of interest in other traditional forms, including Kabuki theater and Tanka, classic Japanese verse--is due in large part to the Yoshida Brothers surge in popularity. Ryoichiro and Kenichi have been practicing the art of Tsugaru-shamisen since age 5 when, in their northern Hokkaido home, their father first fashioned them crude instruments made from wooden bowls. They went on to win top awards in many prestigious National Tsugaru-Shamisen Competitions, and their first album in Japan, 1999s Ibuki, has sold over 100,000 copies. Considering that historically, shamisen albums sell in the 5,000 units range at best, it was a truly auspicious debut. Since then, the Yoshida Brothers have scored three more hit albums in Japan: 2000s Move, 2002s Soulful, and 2003s Frontier. In North America, Yoshida Brothers (2003) and Yoshida Brothers II (2004) have brought their mesmerizing and energetic, epically historic yet intrinsically modern and visionary sound to a new world of fans. One of their early songs, Sprouting, was recently used in the promotional campaign for the film Memoirs Of A Geisha. With the 21st centurys unprecedented pan-cultural exchange of art and ideas, there is a global sensibility seeking transformative musical experiences, setting the stage perfectly for the Yoshida Brothers upcoming international tour and their cross-culturally pioneering album III, the making of which, says Kenichi, broadened our musical sensibilities. I have a renewed appreciation of the Shamisen when I step out of Japan, adds Ryoichiro. It is still a rather rare instrument in foreign countries and we would like to be pioneers in spreading the Shamisen sound. Still in their early 20's, Ryoichiro and Kenichi, also known as the Yoshida Brothers, are the newest sensation in traditional Japanese World Music, achieving pin-up status with an ever-growing legion of fans. The brothers play a Tsugaru-Shamisen, a three-stringed instrument resembling the banjo and with a style originating from northern Japan with intricate and fast picking. With the exception of their instruments, they are anything but traditional. With spiked, dyed brown hair and animated performances thrashing their instruments like rock guitarists, many have stated that they are a significant force in a new music revolution. "Every day we challenge the possibilities", says Kenichi, "we creat our own story... by improvisation".

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07:15 PM December 16

Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour 2009

Yoshida Brothers are BACK !

Please check their tour schedule at www.domo.com/yoshidabrothers

Yoshida Brothers new album, PRISM, will be released on 4/28/2009 !

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May 12, 08:41 PM

PRISM is #5 at iTunes Store World Top 100 Album

Breaking News!

Yoshida Brothers new album, PRISM, has released on iTunes Store
and #5 at iTunes Store World Top 100 Albums.

Go to iTunes Store
Now, Yoshida Brothers is at Twitter

http://twitter.com/yoshidabrothers
May 11, 07:30 PM

Yoshida Brothers Tour was Kicked Off!!

Yoshida Brothers just started West Coast Tour 2009!!
So far, they performed in Los Angeles and San Diego, and will perform at Yoshi's San Francisco for 5 days from tomorrow.
They will go up north to Vancouver!

【Upcoming Shows】
May 12, 2009 - San Francisco, CA (US) @ Yoshi's SF - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets

May 13, 2009 - San Francisco, CA (US) @ Yoshi's SF - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets

May 14, 2009 - San Francisco, CA (US) @ Yoshi's SF - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets

May 15, 2009 - San Francisco, CA (US) @ Yoshi's SF - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets

May 16, 2009 - San Francisco, CA (US) @ Yoshi's SF - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets

May 19, 2009 - Portland, OR (US) @ Aladdin Theater - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets

May 20, 2009 - Seattle, WA (US) @ The Triple Door - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets

May 20, 2009 - Seattle, WA (US) @ The Triple Door - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets

May 22, 2009 - Victoria, BC (CA) @ Alix Goolden Performance Hall - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets

May 23, 2009 - Vancouver, BC (CA) @ Vogue Theatre - Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour - Buy Tickets
May 05, 12:58 PM

PRISM is chosen This Week's Best Album by Alarm Magazne

Yoshida Brothers new album "PRISM" is released today (5/5/2009),
and it is chosen "This week's best album" by Alarm Magazine!!!

Reviewed by Scott Morrow, Alarm Magazine

Best known in the US for their accompaniment to Nintendo Wii commercials, these shamisen-wielding brothers present an active homage to traditional Japanese music. Much more so than previous releases, Prism is greatly infused with other styles, tapping rock, folk, neoclassical, film scores, and more in collaboration with great guest musicians.

The disc opens with a bouncing rendition of “The National Anthem” by Radiohead, setting an energetic tone for an album that gracefully bobs and weaves. If you’re looking for a great introduction to the brothers’ catalog, pick this up.

Click here to read continue...

Click here to listen new tracks
Apr 29, 11:42 PM

Yoshida Brothers US and Japanese media

Yoshida Brothers Live and New album information at following medias.

U.S. Media

Imprint Talk http://imprinttalk.com
Akibanana http://www.akibanana.com
ALARM http://www.alarmpress.com
Jetwit.com http://jetwit.com

Canadian Media

Canadian Nikkei http://www.canadiannikkei.ca
Explor Asian http://www.explorasian.org
Straight.com http://www.straight.com

Japanese Media

San Diego YuYu in San Diego, CA
SoySource in Seattle, WA
Weekly LALALA in Los Angeles, CA
Apr 27, 05:01 PM

Yoshida Brothers is featured on TV

Yoshida Brothers will be featured on J-POP TV on 5/2/2009 in Victoria, Canada. If you live in British Columbia, please check the TV Program.

Here is the schedule of the program.

Don't Miss it!

Yoshida Brothers is going to perform in Canada following date.
5/22/2009 Alix Goolden Performance Hall 907 Pandora, Victoria, BC V8V 3P4 For More Info
5/23/2009 Vogue Theatre 918 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L2 For More Info
J-POP TV, Nikkei TV / OMNI

Shaw Cable: CH8 / Vancouver, CH10 / Victoria, Nanaimo Air: CH42 / Vancouver, CH29 / Victoria Satellite: CH254 / ExpressVu SAT: 2pm - 3pm / PST, 5pm-6pm / EST MON: 6am - 7am / PST, 9am-10am / EST TUE: 1pm - 2pm / PST, 4pm - 5pm / EST
Apr 24, 12:31 PM

Yoshida Brothers Tour Info at Unrated Magazine and San Diego YuYu

Yoshida Brothers Tour and album release information appears on following media.

Please check them out !

Unrated Magazine NYC http://unratednyc.com/

San Diego YuYu http://www.sandiegoyuyu.com
Apr 16, 03:48 PM

Yoshida Brothers TV CM

If you live in Southern California, you will see this Yoshida Brothers CM at Channel 18. UTB channel

If you don't live Southern California, you can still see the CM at YouTube. Please check this out.

Yoshida Brothers is going to play 12 shows in 7 cities !
Apr 10, 08:29 PM

Yoshida Brothers new album "PRISM"

Thank you so much for waiting looooong time!

YES, Yoshida Brothers new album is available now.

You can get it @ domo online store before official release date (5/5/2009)! They will play news songs in this coming tour!

Check their sample tracks at Yoshida Brothers' Official Website.

www.domo.com/yoshidabrothers

The Yoshida Brothers, Japan's young masters of the ancient tsugaru-shamisen, are back with a new album, Prism

The Yoshida Brothers, Japan's young masters of the ancient tsugaru-shamisen, are back with a new album, Prism. The aptly-named release reflects their long-standing commitment to traditional Japanese folk music, refracted through modern musical sensibilities, incorporating elements of pop, rock, and world music sounds.

On Prism, the Yoshida Brothers have collaborated with some notable talents, such as Southern California singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop, who wrote the Celtic-tinged "One Long River" and David Baerwald, the singer-songwriter who provided the whimsical track "Mr. Nagano's Foolish Proposal." And "Summer Day" marks a collaboration with keyboardist and producer Mitchell Froom (writer of the Yoshida Brothers' "Hit Song") with additional songwriting contributions from drummer Matt Chamberlain (Tori Amos, Edie Brickell) and Phantom Planet vocalist Alex Greenwald.

These album stand-outs fit comfortably alongside more traditional examples of Japanese folk like "Hu Jin" and "Aiya," plus the Brothers' inspired cover of "The National Anthem" from Radiohead's Kid A. The album's final track, "End of the World," was featured on the soundtrack to the Mark Wahlberg/Joaquin Phoenix film, We Own the Night, further enhancing the Yoshida Brothers' profile in America.

In their relatively short professional lives, the Yoshida Brothers have had quite an impact on the modern music landscape. The Hokkaido-born brothers Ryoichiro and Kenichi Yoshida have become recognized masters of their signature instrument, the tsugaru-shamisen. Originating in China in the 16th Century, the three-stringed instrument found its way to Japan through traveling folk musicians and became an integral element of Japanese classical music. The Yoshida Brothers have now taken the tsugaru-shamisen further than any other modern musician, practically reinventing its sound, leading to a musical style both firmly rooted in the traditions of the past and boldly looking forward to the future.

In another recording and marriage of modern and traditional sounds, Prism is evidence that the Yoshida Brothers continue to push boundaries in their pursuit of musical exploration, constantly redefining the sound of the shamisen and how it can be fused into new, unique soundscapes.
Apr 08, 01:05 PM

Yoshida Brothers report from Japan

Yoshida Brothers is touring in Japan now,
and they are extremely busy.
They don't even have time to go back home...

Here is some off shot from Ryoichiro and Kenichi.

Ryoichiro went to a Hair-salon to cut and change his hair color.

Kenichi went to Asakusa to maintenance his pick.
He found that the cherry blossoms were in full bloom now!
Mar 25, 02:15 PM

Yoshida Brothers West Coast Tour 2009

Yoshida Brothers is coming back to the U.S.!!!
Yoshida Brothers new album, "PRISM", will release on 4/28/2009.
Their website has been renewed and tour information uploaded.
Please check their tour info and go to their live !

Yoshida Brothers Official Website www.domo.com/yoshidabrothers

5/8 (FRI) LA, CA @ El Rey Theatre
5/9 (SAT) San Diego, CA @ Anthology
5/12 (TUE) SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/13 (WED) SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/14 (THU) SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/15 (FRI) SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/16 (SAT) SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/19 (WED) Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theatre
5/20 (WED) Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
5/22 (FRI) Victoria, BC (CANADA) Alix Goolden Performance Hall
5/23 (SAT) Vancouver, BC (CANADA)Vogue Theatre

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