June 21st was the Japanese Cultural Fair here in Santa Cruz. We got together with Kevin to play a few Tsugaru pieces on stage. Here, Kevin kicked it off the set with a rousing Aiya Bushi. Complete with both major and minor versions!
After, Luke and I came up on stage to play the folk song Yasaburo Bushi while Kevin…got jiggy with it.
Then, we played Kita no Hibiki, originally written by Nitta Oyako. we’ve yet to pay Nitta Oyako royalties for playing it, so don’t tell them!
After that, Kevin and Kyle join together (musically) to preform a duet of the Yoshida Brother’s piece, Hyakka Ryouran. Despite the audiences plea, neither of them spiked their hair with mousse to imitate Ryoichiro Yoshida.
Even though I prefer a good seiza position, I took the chair to clang through Shin Jonkara Bushi. However, adrenaline made my bachi move a lot faster than my fingers could keep up with.
