Shamisen - Tsugaru Shin Jonkara Bushi

[TheLongestMile]

i hope you dont mind if i sample this track in a song i am making that is subsequent;y in the key of b as well

[fiddlefella]

@TheLongestMile Go ahead. :-)

[diesasuke]

This guy kinda looks like John Lennon. Weird.

[Lovellama09]

I'm trying to learn how to play my Sanshin in the Tsugaru style. What are some songs to start with?

[TokyoAro]

try just learning just one song from the yoshida brothers :) and master it you'll be able to do anything after.

[bitesh]

art, wine, and music festival? sounds like something I'd like to attend. :P

[Rahmemhotep]

damn i love him

[jackstriker]

COOL !!!

[9400823sch]

Energetic playin, that's fer sure.

[cosmicarainia]

this is not the best example of Kevin's playing. Watch some of his other videos if you get a chance. it is worth it!

[Celtalian]

oh yeah... warmin up.

[kimiyoshiruyaminami]

えっ、撥が未熟って・・・

[kimiyoshiruyaminami]

わざとだったん？

[Lalaxiaa]

yay for Kevin-san!

[tuberjunkie7]

イャイッ　！　ケビン　メッツ、　いいぞ！　時々、　西洋音階を混ぜながら、、、

誰か、撥が未熟だといってた奴がいるけど、そんなことはない。か­えって、時折未熟そうに演奏するところが、またいいのだ。あまり­安定感のある演奏はつまらない。

[jikishijinshinken]

Right on!

[Neur0ticism]

Gods that's beautiful.

[Tenisar]

It's a plectrum used to play the shamisen..

[evolutionmb]

is that an ice scrapper? Cool stuff, and I love his Malmsteen cover.

[akinasukizakura]

上手い！

しかし堅い。

叩きつけてる感じ。

[momotarodesu]

撥が未熟です。２００８年にアップしたじょんがら中節には多少の­進歩がみられます。

[edgeofU]

たしかに。

このような演奏方法を続ければ腕をいためるね。

しかし最近はこういう撥使いをしていない。

この人にはいそがずじっくりと熟してもらいたいものだ。

[driedbanana]

damn skinny arms good music sounds like it has some different flavors to it than traditional

[PakDaeHan]

yes definately not japanese

[MJoubes]

He is  amazing!

[Cloudstriff101]

He's talented in skill. He can play that like no other... but his talent in writing things that SOUND nice is lacking. That happens with a lot of people. They can play an instrument like it's breathing... but they cannot write their own songs. In his case, he sounds like he can't write things that sound good.

[edgeofU]

No offense but have you actually taken the time to listen to Kevin`s original music? He has a degree in music compostion and has written enough music in his life to fill several volumes. What you see here is just a lame attempt from Kevin to play traditional Shamisen. It is just a damn pity for you to say he cannot "write" when in fact Kevin is one of the most Amazing composers alive today. please listen to some of his real work instead.

[edgeofU]

Listen to Estradasphere`s Those who Know or the Last Shamisen Master by Fishtank ensemble to get a feel for Kevin`s actual skill as a composer. Amazing tunes! He also has several CDs out of his original songs and compositions.

[Cloudstriff101]

Listened to what you suggested, my opinion on his ability to write still stands. I'm not denying he's great at playing his instrument. I just feel he doesn't have the ability to write music that sounds nice. Oh, and he is definitely not the best composer alive today. Nobuo Uematsu, Bruce Falconer, Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Anders Fridén, Björn Gelotte, Jesper Strömblad, Adam Dutkiewicz, Howard Jones, Joel Stroetzel, Justin Foley and Mike D'Antoni are all better composers IMO

[PakDaeHan]

his music is not relaxing but noisy

[edgeofU]

Not all of his music is noisy.

[shamisendemon]

eh? No I disaree... ALL of his music IS noisy! HA HA HA!

[XVeriandomNess]

omg do you know how seriously hard it is to find a shop that sells these on the Net!

[jonnyvue]

Wait. An non-Japanese person playing the shamisen? That's a first for me.

[DarkBillie]

lol it's just take some practise and allot of watching videos and stuff...atleast i think so

[cosmicarainia]

You obviously didn't do your homework.

[TehKoolGeek]

I've heard better.

[cosmicarainia]

Well, then let's hear it then?

[TehKoolGeek]

Im not saying he Bad I just saying he isnt the best Geez.

[cosmicarainia]

and I said let's what you think is better, smart ass.

[cosmicarainia]

do you wear diapers?

[fiddlefella]

Let's settle down kids.

[shamisendemon]

It's called "drums and Shamisen rocking out!"

[LJKNY40]

Kevin played the guitar in The J.S.Bach Expeience and LEFTY'S HEAD. One of his compositions from his LEFTY'S HEAD days, "Monarch Of Antarctica" is now played on Shamisen.

[yokok1910]

He was a lead guitarist of J.S.Experience.

[joshuamurphy]

kevin is lead guitarist of foxycock!!!!!!

[narusakufan92]

wow....beautiful. his fingers are amazing

[LJKNY40]

Demon!

[shamisendemon]

Kevin is much better now a days! He has recently trained with a great master!!

[fiddlefella]

And may I ask, just who is this "great master"? The devil of shamisen?

[XT1870]

lolololololol

[jjmetalhead84]

even if this guy were to be playing slayer tunes it would still sound like traditional japanese shamisen

[giggleblaggle]

It would be cool to see a banjo player and a shamisen player do a song together. That would be such a cool mix. I play the banjo, by the way, so that's why I would like to see that.

[p1noydragonslayer]

This guy could be a great guitar player too with his.. as you said "dexterous left hand".

[JLC981]

Know Kevin personally. Love his implementation of western ideas. (Unfortunately this pisses a lot of traditionalists off...)It's swim or sink, and unless the shamisen adapts, it will go extinct. Well done Kevin.

[wopice]

nice clear sound...good job

[ITGveteran]

Thats me playing right there (jk). That guy rocks.

[elHippieSupremo]

this guy shreds!

[bigfuckingcock]

man it just gets me at 1;45 !!!!! damn!!!!!

[JinsukeHP]

Slow and fast both have their merits, but the spirit in Kmetz's work is undeniable.

[mysticalwonder7]

It's all about speed nowadays. The Japanese used to play very slow and melodic, very pretty stuff. Now, it's all about who can play faster.

[shamikami]

Check out Kevin's Jonkara Nakabushi uploaded Jan.5.

[shamikami]

Check out Kevin's Jonkara Nakabushi posted Jan.5.

[TTTTTHUNDER]

こなしてる感じがしてイヤ。

[xChronoSoundx]

uruseenabakayaro. omaegakonnanohikaruwakeneedaro­.

[KokoroNoSama]

a red neck instrument thats been played in castles, kabuki, formal gatherings, and in the wii commercials... definately an intrument I wanna learn to play.

[yoyomotion]

he is sooo great is'nt it that is why you call it tsugaru shamisen is to express your unique way of playing it I guess he is unique and me not japanese, not american I want to learn that instrument and I think he is awesome!!! keep playing!! and have it your way!!!!

[tenchimuyo69]

Half Japanese hippie. Half American hippie. Shamisen is a Japanese redneck instrument. In all its 100s year old goodness.

[Nanny6969]

His Father is an American and his Mother is Japanese. I know it to be a fact.

[uniarare]

he sounds so real. it seems there is no good shamisen player among japanese today. i miss takahashi chikuzen.

but we got kevin anyway. no matter he is japanese or not. he understands how shamisen sounds and what the shamisen music is, much better than japanese players do.

[mrsladyigraine]

If you ever meet him, I'd suggest speaking Japanese to him.

[YAYOISUIKA]

i respect his technique but his shamisen doesn't touch me. not as expressive as ones i;ve heard. well done anyway

[IchLiebeTsugaru]

Ich liebe der Tsugaru shamisen.

[japa1990]

Not being japanese doesnt mean u wont play well, but it does mean that you dont have the Japanese feel or swing in it. I do still admire him for adventurin into a different kind of music and instrument as a "fusion" artist. But this is definitely not traditional Japanese music at its best.

[mrsladyigraine]

How do you know he isn't Japanese? If you speak Japanese to him, you better watch out. I bet he knows the language better than you do!

What is a Japanese feel or swing anyway? Swing is usually associated with Jazz music. And that is America! What is Japanese music at it's best?

[japa1990]

I didnt say he wasnt Japanese, im explaining that even if ur not japanese doesnt mean u cant play the instrument and the teqnique. And by the feel or "swing" (I use swing rather than feel because I play jazz) i mean that generally I dont believe there is that one little thing missing if you venture into a foreign music.

[mrsladyigraine]

Well rock on then! Do have any clips on here?

[rithban]

That's a little arrogant, considering Kmetz's accomplishments in Japan. He can play traditionally, and quite well. This wasn't supposed to be a traditional tune in a traditional style. Not all 吉田兄弟 music is traditional either.

But being *Tsugaru* shamisen... it is simultaneously traditional and not. That's the nature of the style... exploration... improvisation... pushing boundaries.

[japa1990]

I myself am Peruvian and I love Jazz, I listen to american Jazz all the time and there is that something thats always there from the experienced jazz players that makes it all good and not artificial. Thats why I play Jazz as well as Jazz-Peruvian music.

[bubuthesummoner]

kakkoii!

totemo iki desune!

[tatujin]desu!!

[Bevveh]

This is pretty fricken sweet. \m/

[bebopgirlie22]

Oh my goodness! He was really good, and he wasn't even Japanese^^ Joutou!

[yakan1kou]

Oh my... he is more than Japanese.

[ssreshta]

lol

[tenchimuyo69]

Japaneseses?

[Jihad1453]

no its African

[tenchimuyo69]

It sounds like an African lute in many places...

The extra "ses" was a joke to "more"

I like the African lute too...

I prefer a shamisen...

[Jihad1453]

lol i was trying to be sarcastic

[tenchimuyo69]

Japaneseses is far from serious too actually...

[cosmicarainia]

sarcasm on You tube???? That is illegal!

[jksatojpterra]

SUGOI!!! HAGESHIKUTE SUBARASHI!

[chikun07]

that was so good i think i watched it 10 times

[Otacon144]

KEBIN METOZO!!!