Japanese fluters

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:19 pm

I've just been noticing a lot of my flutes are going to Japan lately.

Kind of cool that the IrTrad culture is getting a foothold in the Far East. It would be interesting to hear their stories as to how they were exposed and came to the deciseion to be Irish Fluters.

Doc

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:27 pm

Doc Jones wrote:I've just been noticing a lot of my flutes are going to Japan lately.

Kind of cool that the IrTrad culture is getting a foothold in the Far East. It would be interesting to hear their stories as to how they were exposed and came to the deciseion to be Irish Fluters.

Doc

Quite a lot of "Wooden Flute Obsession" CDs make it over to Japan. Either directly through me, or decent size batches from the distributor.

Kevin Krell

Jumbuk · Post by **Jumbuk** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:55 pm

Reminds me of a session I attended a few years ago. Someone had brought along a visiting business contact from Japan. He turned up in his business suit, armed with a 5-string banjo. When asked to play something solo, he ripped off a Scruggs-style bluegrass piece.

Here in Australia, aside from having people like Terry McGee, Michael Grinter and Mark Hoza making "Irish" flutes, there is a considerable interest in Shakuhachi making and playing. Riley Lee is one of the highest profile players, and David Brown makes well-regarded wooden shaks.

I wonder how Japanese approach the culture behind Irish music? For many of us Westerners, part of the difficulty (and lure) of Shakuhachi music is the cultural difference.

Aanvil · Post by **Aanvil** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 7:44 pm

There certainly seems to be a great interest.

I remember when years ago when my Japanese friends had a fierce interested in anything "cowboy"/

The just keep going farther eastier for their westernier needs I suppose.

There is a young flute player over there that I reciently found out about...

A kid named Hatao.

Not sure if you guys are watching him... proably are. He seems to be an upcomming force to reckon with.

Has a band called Butter Dogs. They just released a first CD in June

http://www.irish-butterdogs.com/music-e.htm

There are a few full MP3s on that little sight. Its worth a listen I think.

Here is his personal website. Brush up on your Japanese.

http://www.geocities.jp/six_holes_flute/

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:08 am

This is good news since I've thought about trying to distribute a cd in Japan.

Romulo · Post by **Romulo** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:06 am

Well, in my case I was "exposed" and got "contaminated" before coming to Japan (I'm originally from Brazil - go figure).

I think what happens here is not much different from the other hobbies that japanese take. Usually they choose something that pleases them and go deeply into just one hobby, taking that very seriously and methodically.

Though you can find many irish pubs in big cities and I already heard irish slow airs as background music in bookstores, I think irish culture is confined to very specific niches. As far as I know, there are just two whistlemakers (that sell their products) and the number of pipers is very reduced. There is a CCE (Comhaltas) regular rehearsal and practice once a month - have never been there, it's around 2 hours and half from where I live.

I don't think with all the globalization and easy access through media it's difficult to get exposed to any culture of the world and Japan wouldn't be an exception. You can find people studying hula dance, playing quenas and charangos, doing latin ball dance or even capoeira (brazilian martial art, or martial dance, if you please).

rh · Post by rh » Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:21 am

Very sweet video of Paddy and Bridget with Gerdy Commane (RIP).

hatao · Post by **hatao** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:12 pm

Hello everyone.

Thanks Aanvil for finding and introducing me.

I have been playing Irish music in Japan for 7 years.
Studied with Eamon Cotter in Co.Clare,Paul McGrattan and Harry Bradley
in Achil summer school,and Jean-Michel Veillon at his house in Brettany.
And I'm plannning to study with Chris norman in Canada because
now I am forcusing on studing Classical music on the Irish flute.
It's very hard though,I believe it works.
Then,I hope to adapt Irish way of plyaing to Japanese music someday
just like Jean-Michel did.

I play Thomas Aebi 9 key flute(with B foot.)
Here are some short videos of mine recorded couple of years ago.
http://www.geocities.jp/six_holes_flute ... Flute1.mpg
http://www.geocities.jp/six_holes_flute ... istle1.mpg
http://www.geocities.jp/six_holes_flute/movie/LowD1.mpg
http://www.geocities.jp/six_holes_flute ... histle.mpg

In Japan,Irish music was started playing about more than 30year ago.
Influence of English folk revival,some started listening to Irish folk music.

And now,there are many pubs in major cities in Japan.
I live in Osaka area,where is the second biggest area in Japan,there are
4 pubs in Kyoto,2 pubs in Osaka which have irish music live.

Concerning about flute,as far as I know,there are more than 50 players
including beginners.most of them are self taught, some go to Ireland
to study.

Romulo · Post by **Romulo** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:22 pm

Hello Hatao!

Are you sure the links are working? I tried to open them, but none worked. I just got a lot of kanji scrambled with incomprehensible symbols (mojibake).

dow · Post by **dow** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:32 pm

Try it again, Romulo. They work for me.

Welcome, Hatao!

Romulo · Post by **Romulo** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:13 am

Still not working for me

hatao · Post by **hatao** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:16 am

Hi,Romulo & Dow.

Romulo,do you live in Japan?Are you a Japanese?
Meeting Japanese at the forum in English is a nice experience.

Oh,I forgot to tell this.
We have Ms.Alex Burke in Gifu pref.She joined in the
compilation recording of Australian fluters "Southerly Breeze".
And Colin Goldie's borother John Goldie lives in Nagoya.
He doesn't play anything though.

Terry McGee · Post by **Terry McGee** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:54 am

Hi Hatao

Please give my regards to Alex Burke when next you see her (she is from Canberra).

Terry

Romulo · Post by **Romulo** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:00 am

Hi Hatao!
Actually, as I said before, I'm brazilian

I live in Ota city, Gunma prefecture.
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu

hatao · Post by **hatao** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:18 am

Terry.
Pleasure to see you.I studied a lot about flute at your web site.Thanks.
Yes,I will say hello from you when I see her next time.

Romulo.
Sorry! I didn't read well.

Do you go to sessons in Gumma?

You may see many Japanese players and dancers participating in
classes at summer schools in Ireland this season.
But I haven't seen Chinese,Korean,other Asian people there.
We do every kind of music in the earth as a hobby.
You can see Turkish,Swedish,Chinese,American,Brazilian,
African ...etc.music played by Japanese so well.

I wonder how this happens.

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