Tōhokudaigaku burūgurasu dōkō-kai
July 16, 2019 6:29 AM Subscribe
Sweet pickin' and singin', live from the Tohoku University Bluegrass Club. (mlyt)
Bluegrass in Japan has a surprisingly long and deep history. (J.D. Crowe toured in 1975 to sold out shows everywhere.) It's nice to see the younger players.
posted by blob at 7:22 AM on July 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by blob at 7:22 AM on July 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
I really enjoyed poking through these videos. Some of the vocalists' pronunciation is a little off, but their twang is spot on. Also "bibb lettuce" is a great band name.
posted by Drab_Parts at 3:23 PM on July 16, 2019
posted by Drab_Parts at 3:23 PM on July 16, 2019
Great link, thank you OE!
One of the great Country Gentlemen live albums is Live In Japan 1971. Doyle Lawson subs in for John Duffey on the mandolin - Duffey was apparently afraid of flying.
Here's a NPR article on Japanese bluegrass from a few years back.
Just for kicks, here's a duet between a banjo and a shamisen (kinda japanese banjo, in its way) trading licks on Cherokee Shuffle. There's some other great shamisen/bluegrass fusion out there to be had.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 8:35 PM on July 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
One of the great Country Gentlemen live albums is Live In Japan 1971. Doyle Lawson subs in for John Duffey on the mandolin - Duffey was apparently afraid of flying.
Here's a NPR article on Japanese bluegrass from a few years back.
Just for kicks, here's a duet between a banjo and a shamisen (kinda japanese banjo, in its way) trading licks on Cherokee Shuffle. There's some other great shamisen/bluegrass fusion out there to be had.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 8:35 PM on July 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
They sound like the kind of small town picking act I heard as a kid in the Blue Ridge mountains in the mid-90s, but bonus points for the guitar-shaped sign behind them labeled GLAND OLD OPRY because omg best transliteration ever.
posted by deludingmyself at 9:16 PM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by deludingmyself at 9:16 PM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
This is wonderful! Thanks so much!
I've always loved Bluegrass and here are hours of new music to listen to! Can't wait until I can really delve into Tohoku Bluegrass club later today.
Thanks again!
posted by james33 at 4:40 AM on July 17, 2019
I've always loved Bluegrass and here are hours of new music to listen to! Can't wait until I can really delve into Tohoku Bluegrass club later today.
Thanks again!
posted by james33 at 4:40 AM on July 17, 2019
This is awesome! I had no idea about bluegrass's presence in Japan. Thank you for posting.
posted by mixedmetaphors at 6:29 PM on July 17, 2019
posted by mixedmetaphors at 6:29 PM on July 17, 2019
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From the only Mefite in Tohoku I’m pretty sure, thank you so much.
I am moving near Sendai where Tohoku University is in a couple of months, and I would never have guessed I could see live bluegrass music here.
Charly’s Lemoncountry, here I come.
posted by sacchan at 7:01 AM on July 16, 2019 [5 favorites]