Tadao Sawai (1937-1997) was one of the greatest ever koto players and composers. Combining grace and ease with power and percussive hitting of the strings. On this album the man himself plays some of his best known tunes, with the support of his wife, Kazue Sawai. 1. Sanka - Sawai Kazue (koto) 2. Sunae - Sawai Kazue (koto 1), Sawai Tadao (koto 2) 3. Hyakkafu- Sawai Tadao (koto), Sawai Kazue 4. Tori no Yo ni - Sawai Tadao (koto) 5. Sakura Sakura -Sawai Tadao (koto) 6. Kojo no Tsuki - Sawai Tadao (koto) 7. Kagero - Sawai Kazue (koto 1), Sawai Tadao (koto 2) 8. Mukyudo - Sawai Tadao (koto) 9. Hensokyoku - Sawai Tadao (koto) 10. Rinbu - Rondo - Sawai Tadao (koto)

Hiroko Baba (born 1949) studied koto under Tadao Sawai and also plays shamisen. She has performed around the world, teaches a number of students and belongs to various groups. This is her solo album. 1. Yureru Aki 2. Kareno-jo 3. Momo wa Tsukushi 4. Mama no Kawa 5. Yuki


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Hiroko Baba, born in 1949, began studying koto and shamisen from a young age and studied under Tadao Sawai. On this album she plays koto and sangen. 1. Ginga 2. Haru Sandai 3. Kurokami, Aki no Koto no Ha, Chidori no Kyoku

Kuniyoshi Sugawara is a fine shakuhachi player who has toured around the world, won numerous awards and is one of the most important contemporary composers. On this album he plays five compositions written by Tadao Sawai, Kineya and Miki Minoru. Fantastic shakuhachi playing accompanied by Hideaki Kuribayashi, Hiroko Baba and others on koto. 1. Jogen no Kyoku 2. Meikyo 3. Shikyoku no. 1 4. Kangen Hissho 5. Aki no Kyoku


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Born in 1961 Shozan Tanabe studied under Hozan Yamamoto from the Tozan school of shakuhachi. He has developed into one of Japan's leading shakuhachi players, recipient of a number of awards and has performed around the world including Carnegie Hall in New York and for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. This is his best album, solo shakuhachi and some koto accompaniment from Hideaki Kuribayashi. 1. Shizuka Naru Toki 2. So 3. Nyorai Shizune 4. Joseki 5. Ukon Tsurubami 6. Tsuki 7. Otonai.

As well as being one of the greatest ever players of traditional material for shakuhachi, Hozan Yamamoto has been one of the world's great collaborators performing with Ravi Shankar, Gary Peacock, playing jazz, Latin and other types of music. On this album he went to Spain to record with the cream of Spanish jazz musicians such as Chano Dominguez, Javier Paxarino and Tino di Geraldo. Some tracks have a flamenco edge. 1. Babelia 2. Otono 3. Thianammen 4. Balada De Un Camino 5. Palpitacion 6. Alicia 7. Solea Blues 8. Two Flying 9. Tristeza Sobre Las Estrellas 10. Nana 11. Tarantos De Estepona 12. Amigos


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Long before the current boom in Tsugaru Shamisen, Michihiro Sato was pushing the boundaries with his Tsugaru Shamisen Gakudan (orchestra) consisting of Shozan Tanabe (shakuhachi) Jyoji Sawada (bass) Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (drums and percussion) Shigeri Kitsu (taiko) Kaori Kitsu (taiko) with Kazuhisa Uchihashi on electric guitar and various effects. Groundbreaking release of a new Tsugaru Shamisen music. 1. Sakura Fubuki 2. Shinnai Osore-Bushi 3. Natsu Yoi Matsuri 4. Mukashi Mukashi 5. Yuhi No Tsugaru-Shamisen 6. Shamisen Polka 7. John Kara-Genki

Brilliant album of some of koto's classic masterpieces performed by Kazue Sawai on top form. 1. Rokudan 2. Midare (with Tadao Sawai, koto) 3. Zangetsu (with Tadao Sawai voice and sangen) 4. Godanguinuta (with Hideaki Kuribayashi, bass koto) 5. Akikaze no Kyoku (Kazue Sawai, voice and koto)


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Kuniyoshi Sugawara is one of Japan's finest shakuchi players, who has studied under different teachers. He has become known for his versatility for performing styles from traditional to jazz. This is an album of mostly contemporary material including a composition, Kotoba no Yoru, written by a composer of mainly Arabic music (Jun Chikuma) and the only work, Renzan, written by Tadao Sawai that does not contain either koto or shamisen. Features Sugawara's wife Shoko Izumiyama on koto and other koto players. 1. Ugetsufu 2. Kaei 3. Kotoba no Yoru 4. Renzan 5. Kata Ashi Torii no Eizo 6. Nihon Minyo Kumikyoku # 1.

Excellent CD of mostly contemporary compositions for shakuhachi and koto. Includes Emu - Hideaki Kuribayashi (koto) Kuniyoshi Sugawara (shakuhachi) Aika - Kayoko Nakagawa (17 stringed koto) Rinsho Yonemura (shakuhachi), Hoshin - Shingo Ikegami (koto) Seizan Matsuda (shakuhachi) Ame- Yuko Noguchi (koto) Seizan Matsuda (shakuhachi) Kaze no Uta - Yoko Nishi (koto), Kuniyoshi Sugawara (shakuhachi), plus 3 other tracks.


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Excellent CD of koto classic tunes. 1. Tori no Youni - Yoki Nishi (koto) 2. Haru Sandai (Wakakusa) Yoki Nishi (koto) 3. Haru Sandai (Kagerou) Yoki Nishi (koto) 4. Haru Sandai (Hana Fubuki) Yoki Nishi (koto) 5. Sanka - Masayo Ishidaru (koto) 6. Kozue - Shingo Ikegami, Kazuhiro Izeki, Curt Patterson (koto) 7. Omoide no Utagoe - Curt Patterson (koto) 8. Kirei - Takao Tanaka (koto) 9. Midare - Kazuhiro Izeki (koto)

Hideaki Kuribayashi is another product of the Tadao Sawai schoool of koto players. He is a top performer and composer of contemporary music for traditional instruments. 1. Keyaki 2. Kou Aoku 3. Ume e 4. Kaze, Watari 5. Isu 6. Fukai Mori no


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