Not Your Grandfather's Music: Tsugaru Shamisen Blurs the Lines Between "Folk," "Traditional," and "Pop"

Abstract

Not Your Grandfather's Music:Tsugaru Shamisen Blurs the Lines Between "Folk," "Traditional," and "Pop"1 Michael S. Peluse This paper explores the ways in which Tsugaru shamisen musicians combine innovative techniques with a reverence for the past, producing music that constantly shifts between the categories of "folk," "traditional," and "pop." I will demonstrate these qualities by examining the recordings, live performances, and images of some of Tsugaro shamisen's biggest stars—the Yoshida Brothers and Agatsuma Hiromitsu—in the context of Tsugaro shamisen's rich history, the music's previous booms, and its growing international exposure. Introduction: Unconventional Shamisen In the early evening haze at the end of May 2001 I made my way out of the JR train I had taken to the west side of Tokyo and followed a river of people through a tunnel and up a large staircase. I was about to experience the music of the Yoshida Brothers (a.k.a. Yoshida Kyôdai): the most popular musicians playing Tsugaru shamisen,2 a lively, improvisatory instrumental music using a type of three-stringed fretless lute with a 450-year history in Japan. At concert time the brothers, both in their early twenties, walked onstage amid thunderous applause from the all-ages audience in the packed 700-seat auditorium. Dressed in kimono and wide, pleated hakama pants, only the brothers' spiked, dyed-brown hair hinted that something unconventional was happening. They began their first piece, playing in unison and striking the strings of their instruments with percussive force. Unlike most shamisen players, the brothers were physically expressive—shaking their heads and moving their upper bodies to the beat. Contrary to the restraint of most audiences of Japanese traditional music, the crowd burst into applause during flashy moments in the solos. Throughout the concert the brothers engaged the audience with energetic banter, eliciting enthusiastic laughter and applause. At one point the brothers left the stage and walked into the audience. After talking about their instruments they asked a young woman to join them on stage and play the cajon (Peruvian box drum). She accompanied them as they played "O Susannah," complete with the sounds of a cowbell and clapping. The performance [End Page 57] was a glimpse into the world of today's Tsugaru shamisen—far removed from the music's origins in the mid-nineteenth century among a group of itinerant blind beggars in the harsh climate of northern Japan. I have been following the recent popularity of Tsugaru shamisen, trying to understand why young musicians like the Yoshida Brothers have become stars since the late 1990s. The answer lies within a complex blend of a carefully crafted and attractive image, a musical style incorporating improvisation and experimentation,musicians with strong backgrounds and proven track records in Tsugaru shamisen performance, and a growing interest among young Japanese in the traditional arts. In this article I explore the ways in which Tsugaru shamisen musicians combine innovative techniques with a reverence for the past, producing music that constantly shifts between categories like "folk," "traditional," and "pop." I will demonstrate these qualities by examining the recordings, live performances, and images of two of Tsugaru shamisen's biggest stars—the Yoshida Brothers and Agatsuma Hiromitsu—in the context of Tsugaru shamisen's rich history, the music's previous "booms" or surges in popularity, the current state of Japanese traditional arts, and growing international exposure for Tsugaru shamisen. At the turn of the twenty-first century, elements of traditional Japanese culture are gaining a new following among young people. Japanese traditional arts are in the midst of a revival, buoyed by support from the music industry. Singer Hajime Chitose's single "Wadatsumi no Ki," employing traditional vocal techniques from the Amami Islands of southern Japan, reached number 14 on the singles chart in 2002, selling over 120,000 copies (McClure 2002). Hiyama Umekichi, a geisha-style folk singer and storyteller, has seen an influx of younger fans at concerts since the August 2001 release of her debut CD (Kawashima 2001). And the Yoshida Brothers and Agatsuma Hiromitsu have both won "Album of the Year" awards in the traditional Japanese music category at the Japan Gold Disc Awards, following recording contracts...

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