Nice album by Minyo singer, on which she performs some of her best repetoire such as 'Honjo Oiwake' and 'Akita Nikata Bushi' as well as standard minyo fare such as 'Hokkai Bon Uta' and 'Tsugaru Aiya Bushi'.

Minyo singer who is based in Yamagata. This album features various minyo songs from northen Japan, the Tohoku area and Hokkaido.

Shigeru Suzuki learned the Soma Minyo of Fukushima in Tohuku from its greatest singers. This album showcases the heart of soma minyo, with other minyo songs from northen Japan.

Imaizumi is considered to be one of the best minyo singers of Yamagata prefecture of northen Japan. This album was recorded in Yamagata, and contains the atmosphere of northern style minyo from the Tohoku region, where winters are cold, the nature is wild and it's folk songs legendary.

Another musician celebrating her 10 year anniversay as a professional musician. Umekichi has carved out a niche for herself as a modern day geisha, reviving the old popular music of Japan during the Edo period [1603-1867] before Westernization and the atmospheric Japanese popular music of the 1940s and 50s. Modern and traditional, sophisticated and raw, happy and sad, the complex world of Umekichi shines through on this album that includes seven songs she's recorded for the first time, a club version of a classic song, French pop songs and even a German tune. Superb.

Six track mini album from one of the best Japanese vocalists around. Traditional minyo folk songs usually sung by women, given a new interpretation and contemporary twist.

Aya Kagayama is a new star minyo singer and kokyu (Chinese style violin) player from Kanazawa city in Ishikawa prefecture. On this album she sings nine minyo classics from the Hokuriku area and one song written by her father who is also a minyo singer and her teacher.

Kazumi is a minyo singer from Hokkaido. She has won virtually every minyo competition going in Hokkaido, and at a young age was featured on Haruomi Hosono's album Omni Sight Seeing in 1988. She has performed in Uzbekistan, USA, Australia and at the Llangollen International Music Festival in Wales in 2004. Mix of minyo and some modern influences, although mostly traditional.

Kyomin's are three young minyo singers and musicians. Akiko Omodaka, sings plays the shamisen, sanshin and taiko, Masanori Tsubaki plays tsugaru shamisen and sings vocals and hayashi (backing vocals) while Souki Matsuura dances plays taiko and sings hayashi. This is their first mini-album on which they mix different styles and instruments in a fairly unusual way to introduce various types of minyo.

Koume Akasaka, born in 1906 in Fukuoka, was a legendary Japanese singer of minyo, or folk songs. She trained and learnt her art as a geisha, made her recording debut in 1929 and reached her height of popularity in the 1940s. 20 tracks including her biggest hit Kuroda Bushi released in 1942. She died in 1992.

2 CD collection of some of the most loved minyo songs sung by some of the most famous singers.

Aside to being known for singing enka, Hibari Misora was also a wonderful singer of minyo or folk songs. This fantastic CD of 20 tracks features those minyo classics, some performed in quite a traditional style, others with a latin or orchestral backing. Tracks include Chakkiri Bushi, Itsuki no Komoriuta, Yakkotai, Kiso Bushi, Joban Tanko Bushi and Sado Okesa.

2 CD, 26 track compilation of Michiya Mihashi, one of Japan's greatest post-war male singers. He started off singing minyo before becoming one of the top enka singers in the 1950s. This CD features his greatest hits, mainly in the old style enka style, but with strong minyo elements. Fantastic. Tracks include Onna Sendo Uta, Ringo Mura Kara, Aishu Resha, Aikai Yuhi no Kokyo and Jogashima no Ame.

Collection of sophisticated Zokkyoku from the Edo period often sung at Yose (small halls mainly used for rakugo, ryokyoku and other similar entertainments) and by geisha.

Second volume of Edo era (1603-1867) popular tunes sung by the self-styled modern day geisha. Shamisen, plus keyboards, percussion and other instruments in an excellent mix of old and new and the brilliant vocals of Umekichi.

On this album, the wonderful 'geisha' singer Umekichi sings and plays shamisen on some of the Japan's best known children's and lyrical songs. Traditional songs in modern arrangements. 1. Osaru no Kagoya 2. Tohryanse 3. Haru no Ogawa 4. Shojoji no Tanuki Bayashi 5. Jugoya Otsuki-san 6. Donguri Koro Koro 7. Takibi 8. Mikan no Hana Saku Oka 9. Nyan Nyan Odori 10. Aka Tombo 11. Akai Kutsu 12. Nanatsu no Ko 13. Oborozukiyo 14. Amefuri Otsuki San 15. Natsu no Omoide 16. Hanayome Ningyo 17. Yuyake Koyake

The very wonderful female nagauta, traditional 'geisha' style singer Umekichi releases an interesting 6 track mini album. The main song, Kurashki Bushi was written in 1936 but disappeared until it was discovered on an old 78 eight years ago. Seeing as Umekichi is from the ancient town of Kurashiki, she was asked to sing this rare song, and she duly obliged, also singing other Kurashiki songs, Kurashiki Kouta and Kurashiki Ondo, plus Daikan Bayashi.

In recent years female singer Umekichi has become pretty popular in Japan and has even made some in-roads overseas for her plaintive nagauta singing and shamisen playing. She is marketed overseas as a geisha, which in her style is quite accurate although she didn't receive formal geisha training. She was born in the beautiful city of Kurashiki that has one of the best preserved old quarters in Japan. She grew up learning ballet and classical piano, but found her future vocation after witnessing the Azuma Odori concert, held once a year by geishas. She learnt shamisen and went on to study at a traditional Japanese music school. She has since become known for combining traditional Japanese music and songs, with a modern twist. She performs mostly Edo era folk tunes, the pop music of the time before western influence. The stereotypical image of Japan when men were samurai and women were geisha. This new album has thirteen Edo era songs combined with modern influences. 1.Ozashiki Rock 2. Ah Sorenanoni 3.Tokyo Boogie Woogie 4.Tonko Bushi 5. Melon no Kimochi 6.Cakkiri Bushi 7.Tenryu Kudareba 8.Shamisen Boogie Woogie 9.Ozashiki Kouta 10.Ura no Setoya 11.Ume wa Saitaka 12.Yoneyama Jinku 13.Dodoitsu

Entertaining CD from wonderful female singer Umekichi. She sings 'hayariuta' (popular songs) from the early Showa period- 1930s. Shamisen and Japanese percussion plus some western instruments. Rhythmical, upbeat, joyful set of twelve tracks, including three karaoke tracks if you're up for singing yourself. Well know tunes include Ohedo Shusse Kouta, Kirigirisu, Kiso Bushi, Sado Okesa, Hakata Dontaku, Kyushu Tankou Bushi and Dodoitsu. Quintessentially Japanese traditional sounding music with a modern twist.

Umekichi is a wonderful female singer and shamisen player, singing songs which were popular a hundred years or more ago. Umekichi sounds like a geisha might have done in the eras when Japan first opened up to the west. The songs on this CD are all tunes from the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) periods.

Superb album of traditional folk tunes ( minyo, hayashi, and kouta) that includes Umekichi's version of 'Tokyo Ondo'. Recommended album from a wonderful singer.

Superb female 'yose' singer, a sort of entertainment venue for 'rakugo' or 'kodan' both humourous storytelling traditions. On this album Umekichi sings minyo (local traditional folk) and hayashi (festival songs) including the superb "Shamisen Boogie Woogie". Worth checking out. 12 tracks.

Anthology of the Japanese popular songs from the 12th century. Momoyama revives these un-noted songs with her own compositions, linking the 12th century to the modern age, using synthesizers and her own voice. Excellent blend of ancient and modern.

Shamisen and female vocals, playing 'hauta' and 'kouta', popular songs of the edo period, (1600-1867).Excellent.