ペルーの音楽

A Peruvian combo dressed in ponchos and displaying some nifty footwork are a fixture at Kanayama Station in Nagoya on weekends. This performance was cut short by the arrival of the Japanese police with one young clip-board toting officer, politely tapping his feet to the beat and waiting for a break in the music before moving in to have a quiet word.


We left at this stage but when we returned about 5 hours later the guys were still going strong. I will try to find out exactly what the law is regarding buskers in Japan. If you know, please leave a comment below.


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Au Revoir Simone is a three-girl band from Brooklyn, New York, who make electroncia/indie music. They came to Tokyo again on September 15, not to sing, but to DJ and meet the fans at the agnes b shop in Minami Aoyama.

Au Revoir Simone are Erika Forster (vocals/keyboard), Annie Hart (vocals/keyboard) and Heather D'Angelo (vocals/drum machine/keyboard), but, as they were not performing their music at this event, all we got to see were their very cool, eclectic choice in music, and their charming, party-on personalities.

There was a support act before they came on, of which you can see a little in the above YouTube vid - a bit too "supportive" in our opinion, as they performed for so long that there wasn't a huge amount of time left over for Au Revoir Simone.

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地歌

Jiuta Concert: Thursday 8 January, 2009

Jiuta - (jee-oo-tah) literally "earth songs" - are traditional Japanese songs sung to the accompaniment of the shamisen. Jiuta were first heard in the early 17th century at private households and the entertainment districts around Kyoto and Osaka. Handed down by blind male musicians, this music rapidly flourished among the rising urban and literate classes during the Edo period. The fine timbre and subtle lyricism of jiuta have been cultivated since then, creating an intimate relationship between the performers and the audience. One is able to imagine how this music was appreciated amongst the people of the time from ukiyoe woodblock prints.



Fujii Akiko, one of the foremost performers of jiuta, is the daughter of the renowned Ningen-Kokuh, or "Living National Treasure," the late Fujii Kunie. Her family has passed on this historically influential and artistic music which has survived over 400 years, and their highly artistic singing style clearly embodies the world of jiuta. Her haunting voice has achieved acclaim both in Japan and abroad. She has received awards from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Japan Traditional Cultures Foundation and the Pola Foundation.



This concert is the 2nd opportunity to enjoy a varied selection of jiuta. It is accompanied by the traditional dance "Jiuta-Mai", the intricate plucking of the koto, the resonant vibration of the shamisen, and the meditative tone of the fue (flute) and the tsuzumi (hand drum). To hear their sensuous complexity with the beauty of the singing is to experience the romantic art of voice as it was heard in old Edo (the old name for Tokyo).

The Japan Traditional Cultures Foundation is trying to introduce jiuta to the international community in Tokyo and abroad. Oshogatsu (New Year) is one of the best times to come into contact with Japanese traditional culture. Music fans and kimono lovers should not miss the chance to meet this outstanding artist at Tokyo's Aoyama Round Theatre.

All are welcome. Experience for yourself an old and beautiful Japanese musical tradition.

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フジロックフェスティバル'08

The line up for this year's Fuji Rock Festival July 25-27th includes My Bloody Valentine, Underworld (again!), Primal Scream, Bootsy Collins, Ian Brown, Lee 'Scratch' Perry and Asian Dub Foundation.

The video is Underworld at Fuji Rock 1999.



This year's festival - the 11th so far - has an environmental theme.

Tickets are 39,800 for the three days or 16,800 for one day.

Access

JR Echigo Yuzawa Station is the nearest shinkansen station (90 mins from Tokyo Station)
A free shuttle bus service runs for all ticket holders between the station and the festival site.



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