Platy & Chihiro

The singer Chihiro Kamiya, originally from Tsuken island off the east coast of Okinawa, has developed into one of the very best performers of Okinawan music and is equally at home with both traditional and original songs. Her last album Utayui was my album of the year in 2021.

Back in 2006 she joined Okinawan reggae and hip-hop pair U-Dou & Platy on a recording of Misako Koja’s much celebrated ‘Warabi Gami’. The song appeared on U-Dou & Platy’s album Buss Up. The album also contained the duo’s updated version of ‘Haisai Ojisan’ and their own humorously observant ‘Uchinanchu in Tokyo’.

U-Dou & Platy finally called it a day after more than two decades of making music to go on to solo work, and Platy is getting together again with Chihiro, this time for a live show at Tenbusu Hall in Naha that should be well worth catching. I’m not sure exactly what to expect from Platy but Chihiro is such a brightly talented and open-minded artist that any collaboration she is involved with promises to be exciting.

In fact, this is just the latest in a series of concerts at Tenbusu Hall where the venue has been staging regular Okinawan music and performing arts events on Thursday evenings at very affordable prices. Tenbusu Hall is part of the Tenbusu culture and information centre on Kokusai-dori in the heart of Naha’s entertainment district.

Platy & Chihiro’s live show is on Thursday 16^th March starting at 19:00. Tickets are priced at only 1,500 yen with discounts for school students.   

http://www.tenbusukan.jp

Koza Uta Ashibi

I don’t often preview upcoming concerts these days but this one just has to be mentioned. Koza Uta Ashibi is a live music event coming to Okinawa next month and is produced by Campus Records. It is notable for its very enticing line-up of Ryukyu singers and musicians.

The concert takes place in the afternoon (it starts at 14:00) at Okinawa Shimin Sho-Gekijo Ashibina on Sunday 6th November. Advance tickets are very reasonably priced at 2,000 yen and are available from Campus Records and other venues.

Among those appearing are the veteran Seishin Taba whose double album retrospective was reviewed here this year, and Kazutoshi Matsuda who is one of the outstanding musicians on the Okinawan scene. Emiko Shimabukuro, who recorded as part of Unaigumi a few years ago, will also perform.

Another to look out for is Yaese singer Narise Arakaki whose debut album was one of my favourites of the year in 2020. Others include the duo Akamami, and the group Champloo Geinodan with well-known singer and sanshin player Hajime Nakasone.

Camp Talganie Soundscape

A Soundscape Okinawa pre-event took place yesterday in the grounds and building of Camp Talganie, a small museum of contemporary art in a picturesque setting in Komesu, Itoman.

The venue is within walking distance of my home, and I took these photos yesterday. The relaxed and enjoyable pre-event was well attended by audience and participants alike on a very warm and sunny afternoon:

This pre-event was for the main Soundscape Okinawa. Last year’s Soundscape was also previewed on the Power of Okinawa blog and the next one will be held at the same ancient Ryukyu site of Itokazu Castle in Tamagusuku, Nanjo. The website information states:

“Soundscape Okinawa adds a layer of sound to the scenic beauty of a traditional Gusuku site… A mixture of concert and ‘exhibition of sounds’, musicians create a soundscape that is ‘in tune’ with a location of stunning beauty, while providing the audience with a new kind of experience in which the amalgamation of landscape and soundscape construct a different notion of environment.”

The Soundscape Okinawa main event will be on the 20^th and 21^st November. Further details in English, including a video of what to expect, are to be found here:

https://soundscape.okinawa/english

Soundscape Okinawa

Soundscape Okinawa is an unusual and adventurous production featuring music and sounds at the ancient Ryukyu site of Itokazu Castle in Tamagusuku, Nanjo, in the south-east of Okinawa. The event takes place on the 5^th and 6^th December from 13:00 until 17:00 each day with the entrance open at 12:00.

Around ten musicians will be taking part and the one most familiar to Power of Okinawa readers is singer and sanshin player Mutsumi Aragaki. However, a wide variety of disparate sounds will be represented and among other musicians will be Jujumo (vocal and guitar), Remi Uehara (cello), Yumi Kano (crystal bowl), and Mutsuko Taira (marimba).

It is planned to present a mixture of concert and ‘exhibition of sounds’ inspired by the location. The Soundscape Okinawa website adds: “Musicians are distributed around the wide area of the gusuku, each creating a distinct sound conceived from a dialogue with their surroundings and their peer musicians. The audience moves freely through a scenery of sounds and spatial situations while constantly assembling and reassembling the sound to create their very own soundscape.”

Further details in English including how to buy tickets can be found here:

https://soundscape.okinawa/english

There is also a preview video of what to expect:

Sakurazaka Asylum 2020

The annual Sakurazaka Asylum festival comes to Okinawa next week in conjunction with the Trans Asia Music Meeting. Advertised as a ‘Music & Art Weekend’, numerous music showcases will take place at venues in and around Naha’s Sakurazaka Theatre on Saturday 22^nd and Sunday 23^rd February.

As before, the Asylum brings together a wide variety of musicians from Okinawa, Asia and further afield with the focus mainly on indie rather than roots music. For those wanting a taste of Okinawan roots as well there is another appearance from Sakishima Meeting pair Yukito Ara & Isamu Shimoji.

Among the overseas artists are Basque electric guitar-based rock band Willis Drummond. The trio sing in the Basque language and have just released their 6th studio album. They will be performing on Saturday (17:00) at Sakurazaka Theatre, Hall A. Before that they are touring mainland Japan and will also play in Koza, Okinawa on the 21^st.  Their tour then continues in Australia, Tahiti, and Spain.

Basque band Willis Drummond

Isamu Shimoji & Yukito Ara of Sakishima Meeting

It should also be worth seeing Fanel the project by Toulouse-born French singer Bera who mixes Asian and European music with electronics. Her album Human was reviewed here last year. Fanel will play shows on both days. Another overseas musician delving into pop and electronica is the singer Pyra from Thailand, and on Sunday there will no doubt be a big audience for Japan’s Minyo Crusaders with their strikingly original updates of traditional Japanese songs.

Mention must also be made of Okinawa’s Harahells. The drums and guitar duo played last year at a tiny venue down the street, but their increasing popularity means they will be at the main theatre this time, at Hall B on Saturday at 18:45. Their set (like many others) will be just 40 minutes but promises to be one of the most fun if last year’s is anything to go by.

These are just some of my own picks but there are many other musicians to discover and full details of all the artists are on the website below, together with times and venues. Advance tickets are 7,000 yen for both days and 4,000 for a one-day pass. Tickets for the Trans Asia Music Meeting networking event are sold separately.

http://asylum-okinawa.info

Sakurazaka Asylum in Naha

The Sakurazaka Asylum 2019 festival began yesterday in and around Naha’s Sakurazaka Theatre. The festival is held alongside the Trans Asia Music Meeting and both events continue today. These pictures show just some of the many musicians who impressed us on the first day of the festival yesterday.

The band Harukakanata from Chiba, Japan

Ishigaki singer-songwriter tidanomiyuki

South Korean duo Laybricks

Drummer Hyejin Yu from Laybricks

With Kwangmin Seo and Hyejin Yu of Laybricks after their show

The band lightcraft from Jakarta, Indonesia

lightcraft

Okinawa’s Harahells

Drummer and vocalist Ramen Maru of Harahells

 

Tubarama Taikai in Itoman

The 7th Itoman Tubarama Taikai was held yesterday. The contest to find the best singer of the traditional Yaeyama song ‘Tubarama’ was attended by 1,500 people and there were 23 singers in competition. Yaeyama singer Tetsuhiro Daiku was one of the judges. Daiku and Okinawa’s Hajime Nakasone also sang for the audience. The eventual winner was a singer and sanshin player from Ishigaki Island, Kyohei Matsukawa. Below are some photos taken last night.

Tubarama Taikai winner Kyohei Matsukawa (above left).

Trad.Attack! in Okinawa

Estonian band Trad.Attack! will play a concert this week in Naha, Okinawa as part of their “Shimmer Gold” Tour 2018. Comprising members Sandra Vabarna, Jaimar Vabarna, and Tõnu Tubli, the trio have released two albums and toured in 35 countries over the past four years.

Their mix of traditional Estonian songs and modern sounds is played on 12-string guitar, percussion, bagpipes and whistles. They manage to create a big sound with acoustic instruments and are inspired by archival recordings of the old folk singers. As their website says, these are: “Exciting Estonian sounds in which the old and new collide and spark”.

The concert starts at 17:00 on Saturday 13^th October at Sakurazaka Theatre (Hall A). Trad.Attack! will be supported by their guests the Okinawan band Maltese Rock.

https://tradattack.ee

Tidanomiyuki – Live in Naha

The Ishigaki singer, songwriter and guitarist Tidanomiyuki gave a live performance last night at Sound M’s in Naha. Presented as one of her monthly series of live shows known as Starry Nights, this one was billed as a Special Starry Night as she sang with a band and with an invited guest – the Hiroshima-born singer and pianist Hanako Kimura.

Tidanomiyuki’s band included Yuki Irei (electric guitar) and multi-instrumentalist Yoshio Hasegawa (accordion, flute, trumpet). Her warm personality engaged the audience from the outset at this small friendly venue. A trio of songs from her recent album – ‘Mother tree’, ‘Understood’ and ‘Loves’ – were the highlights in a joyful set that ended with her own take on the traditional Okinawan song ‘Tinsagu nu Hana’. She sang this with just acoustic guitar accompaniment and managed to rework the well-known song into her own individual style.

Hanako Kimura joined Tidanomiyuki and the other musicians on piano for a fun-filled finale that no-one really wanted to end.

Ajiru Music Festival

The Ajiru Music Festival is organised by the band Kachimba and was held iyesterday in hot and humid conditions at Futenma Shrine in Ginowan. This was also the last live appearance in Okinawa by Mikel Urdangarin who returns to the Basque Country next week after a successful five week visit to these islands. At yesterday’s festival he played a solo set on the small shrine stage.

Here are just a few photos of some of the many other musicians who played at the festival.

Miyako Island singer Hirara

ghen – multicultural Okinawa-based trio

Unaigumi featuring the great Okinawan singer Misako Koja