Ever since I stumbled upon the Yoshida Brothers music I have been blasting their tunes everywhere I go. Although it is an acquired taste, I find the transition to semi-traditional Japanese music easy. That’s probably due to the fact that I have been listening to the Black Mages for 2 months straight.
The Yoshida Brothers blend traditional Japanese folk music with modern styles including techno, hip hop, rock, blues, and more. I find the most gripping songs to be the traditional Japanese styles blended with a solid almost techno backbeat. I especially dig the song Kodo (Inside the Sun Remix). That whole song is a great soundtrack when driving through a busy city at night. Another track that gets my head bobbing is “Rising”, right at 1:45 the beat mixed with the jamming strings hits this solid groove that just makes me yell “yeah!”
I’m not going to make this a long post, but after reading this article you better log into iTunes and check out the Yoshida Brothers!
Professional Bio:
In their relatively short professional lives, the Yoshida Brothers have had quite an impact on the modern music landscape. The Hokkaido-born brothers Ryoichiro and Kenichi Yoshida have become recognized masters of their signature instrument, the tsugaru-shamisen. Originating in China in the 16th Century, the three-stringed instrument found its way to Japan through traveling folk musicians and became an integral element of Japanese classical music. The Yoshida Brothers have now taken the tsugaru-shamisen further than any other modern musician, practically reinventing its sound, leading to a musical style both firmly rooted in the traditions of the past and boldly looking forward to the future.