Yoshida Brothers 2

Yoshida Brothers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 14, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Domo Records
• ASIN: B0002RQ302
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,365 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The Yoshida Brothers' star continues to rise with their highly anticipated album, Yoshida Brothers II. Mixing traditional Japanese music with Western influences, their brash, signature sound incorporates jazz-like improvisation, pop-rock sensibilities, and disparate global music idioms into their virtuoso shamisen mastery. The Brothers play the age-old Tsugaru shamisen - an instrument akin to a rustic three-string banjo. The framework of the Yoshida Brothers' art may be traditional, but its essence and spirit are revolutionary!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yoshida Kyodai - their second album in US, September 14, 2004

By 

amazonka - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yoshida Brothers 2 (Audio CD)

Well, actually this album is a compilation of two CDs released in Japan - Renaissance (2004) and Frontier (2003). I heard both, and I must tell you that this US version contains the best of the best of these two Tsugaru Shamisen virtuosos.

There are 11 original compositions, one remix and a music video of Nikata.

Frontier is a beautiful breathtaking New-Age theme for strings and percussion, featuring background vocal.

Gales of Wind, Mirage and Nikata are disco/pop compositions. They are very energetic, bright and shining, featuring professional guitar and drums arrangements. By the way, don't forget to check the music video of Nikata, which is also included in this CD.

Lullaby of Takeda, Evening Calm and Arigato are New Age relaxing beautiful themes arranged for uillean pipe, strings, piano, guitar and many other instruments.

Indigo is a Jazz theme featuring drums, bass, saxophone and keyboards.

Kagero sounds like flamenco. You'll hear guitar, palma, tabla, percussion, bass and violin.

Kodo and Old/New - are solo Shamisen themes.

CD is furnished with an 8-page colour booklet. MP3 samples for all 12 tracks are available on the web-site of Domo Records.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A new generation of music, March 5, 2005

By 

Mark Amaral - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yoshida Brothers 2 (Audio CD)

Many have complained that this is not traditional music of this type. Yes, it is quite different because it is a blend with modern instruments and melodies that make it a project of our times today. I love the creative input into each of the tracts and the overall creativity of the artists. I would not call this new age music but post-modern music with a traditional "twist". The brothers are quite young, so be prepared to hear from them for many more years!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, February 10, 2007

By 

William K. Maruyama (Morgantown, WV United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Yoshida Brothers 2 (Audio CD)

For those who are familiar with the sound and music of the Shamisen instrument, you will be blown away by this album if you enjoy giant leaps in musical creativity. Like playing rock and roll on a Harpsichord, these two brothers take their Shamisens, instruments created hundreds, if not, thousands of years ago, and play various genres of modern music with them. Some musical genres lend themselves better to the Shamisen than others but the experimentation is both appreciated and brilliant. The tract, "Kodo" is played with a Break Beat and is nothing short of genius. These two brothers have introduced the Shamisen to a whole new generation of young Japanese fans and I hope to the World. I can't wait to get to Japan to go to one of their concerts and hope I can see them even sooner in the States. Brilliant!