CHANCHIKI (JAPAN)
A Radical New Take on Japanese Local Folk
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Generally available, now booking 2008/9
Line-up
6 musicians plus engineer and 1 or 2 staff, total 8 or 9.
Chanchiki ostensibly play minyo- or Japanese local folk songs. However, minyo has probably never before sounded this vibrant, this fresh, this...alive. Under the guidance of multi-instrumentalist Tsutom Tanaka, their take on minyo is a wild mix of traditional Japanese sounds and rhythms with rock, jazz, Latin, African, and other elements. Their music is dominated by the sound of the shamisen (lute) Japanese taiko and various other percussion (including the metalic chachinki instrument used in chindon, from which the group takes its name) hayashi backing chanting, great female vocals from Makiko Ikeda and fue (flute) shakuachi (bamboo flute) from Koushi Tsukuda which are all at the core of minyo. These are augmented by electric bass, guitar, more percussion, tuba and other brass instruments. The songs originate from all over Japan from the tsugaru shamisen style from the north, to the south in Okinawa.
Available worldwide, time period and samples available upon request.
