Superstars in their native Japan, young Tsugaru-shamisen virtuosos Ryoichiro and Kenichi Yoshida -The Yoshida Brothers- have effected nothing short of a cultural revolution with a muscular reinvention of the ancient three-stringed instrument, giving it the fiery passion of a rock n roll guitar. Online world music portal World Music Central notes, "Clad in formal, ceremonial attire of kimonos and hakama pants, but sporting the dyed light brown hair that is trendy among Japans savvy youth, the Brothers play the age-old Tsugaru-shamisenan instrument akin to a rustic three-stringed banjo with the fervor of Jimi Hendrix."
Beyond the rock star status these Pacific Rim mavericks have achieved at home with their signature East-meets-West interpretation of a time-honored musical form, they are fast winning major international acclaim as well. By coaxing startlingly vivid sounds out of their timeless instruments, they have reinvigorated Tsugaru-shamisen for a new generation, incorporating elements of jazz, American folk, pop, Latin music, blues and more into their unique musical tapestry.
Following the release of their self-titled U.S. debut album in 2003, Interview Magazine wrote, "The duo's approach has less to do with upholding traditions than exploring new ones". And, in a 2005 New York Times review of the Brothers performance at GlobalFest, Jon Pareles said, "their set, like a shredding heavy-metal solo was all about speed and twang. They played fast unisons that would have ruthlessly revealed any mistakes; they played solos that stayed close to the tunes and built pitiless crescendos. It was music of pure sinew."
On the all-new III, their third U.S. album release on Domo Records, the charismatic duos fusion of the ancestral and the avant garde innovates further with thirteen tracks ranging from the stunningly shredding to the masterfully serene. The disc was produced by vetera
