The Sakura Ensemble will be releasing its new CD, Minyo of Japan on October 6, 2008. The Sakura Ensemble, comprising three singers and traditional Japanese instruments, plays 18 among the most popular min’yō and shin min’yō (new min’yō), the Japanese folk songs.
The majority of the min’yō and shin min’yō express joy, are made for dancing, amusement or encourage work. Some are humorous.
Despite their very exotic sounds, the melodic simplicity of the min’yō makes them universal works of art, easy to remember and which everyone can hum after hearing them just once.
Line up: Fumie Hihara (shamisen); Nobuko Matsumiya (koto); Emiko Ota (wadaiko)
The booklet includes 16 pages with English and Japanese liner notes. It will be distributed in 32 countries, including Japan
1. Awa odori (Dance of Awa) 2. Owase bushi (Tune of Owase) 3. Saitara bushi (Tune of Saitara) 4. O-Edo Nippon bashi (The Edo Bridge of Japan) 5. Kaigara bushi (Shell Tune) 6. Chakkiri bushi (Tune of the Tea Leave Cutters) 7. Itsuki no komoriuta (Lullaby of the Village of Itsuki) 8. Aizu Bandai-san (Mount Bandai in Aizu) 9. Kuroda bushi (Tune of Kuroda) 10. Gion kouta (Gion Ballad) 11. Yosakoi bushi (The ‘Come Tonight’ Song) 12. Sōran okiage ondo (Song of the Fishermen of the High Seas) 13. Kokiriko (Bamboo Sticks) 14. Miyazu bushi (Tune of Miyazu) 15. Otemoyan (Little Lady Otemo) 16. Yagi bushi (Tune of Yagi) 17. Shin Takeda no komoriuta (New Takeda Lullaby) 18. Tōkyō ondo (Song of Tōkyō)
More information at: www.minyo-japan.eu
Author: World Music Central News Room
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