Beyond (review)

Agatsuma Hiromitsu (b. 1973), or simply Agatsuma as he is usually referred to, has already had a remarkable career in the world of contemporary Japanese music for someone of his age. The style of music and instrument he plays is known as Tsugaru shamisen (or Tsugaru jamisen). The instrument, the shamisen, is a three-string, long-neck, fretless lute, and while it is found in several other genres of traditional Japanese music (for example, folk music, kabuki theater, and various lyrical and narrative styles of shamisen performance), the performance practices found in Tsugaru shamisen are notably different from the instrument's other traditional contexts.

Agatsuma's success in Japan has been phenomenal. After making an impact on the world of Tsugaru shamisen as a younger player in the 1990s, in 2001 his debut album, Agatsuma, won an "album of the year" award, and his second, Beams: Agatsuma II, was the first in this style to be released internationally. His latest album, Beyond, showcases the performer's contemporary (almost rock) style of Tsugaru shamisen performance. He mixes this modern version of a traditional Japanese musical genre with a blend of folk and popular music that will likely have wide appeal among Japanese and non-Japanese audiences.

Beyond features ten tracks, each entirely instrumental, which will help accessibility for non-Japanese audiences. Most of the tracks have a synthesizer backing, with an electronic sound that is typical of much contemporary popular music. The various tracks have a range of styles, but each foregrounds Agatsuma's outstanding shamisen playing, which might be compared to the style of lead guitar performance in a typical rock band. The music in Beyond mixes styles, from fast and rhythmic rock sounds to slower, more ballad-like pieces. The choice of instrumental backing sounds varies between the different pieces. For example, "An End of Sorrow" includes an accordion sound, "Panther" has a brass section, and "Thought of You" includes a piano. Two tracks that stand out due to their distinct accompaniment are "Heartbeat" and "Bactnorae/Tsugaru Yosare Bushi." The former is a duo with drum backing and features quite astounding shamisen playing. The latter is a medley of two pieces, the first of which includes the Korean changgo drum and the next a typical piece of Tsugaru shamisen folk music. It is the Tsugaru folk music-"Yosare Bushi"-that shows Agatsuma'smusical roots with his virtuoso, solo shamisen playing style that any rock guitarist would surely admire. "Yosare Bushi" is one of several characteristic types of folk music from Tsugaru that every Tsugaru shamisen player would know. Its style features the usual extremely fast, solo and improvisatory shamisen playing that has become the distinguishing feature of Tsugaru shamisen music today.

While the review copy of this album provides no sleeve notes, it would be hoped that the commercial product does indeed include a comprehensive description of the player and his modern and developing music style. For those in search of more information on Agatsuma's phenomenal place in contemporary Japanese music, perhaps the best place to look is his website: www.agatsuma.tv.

The eclecticism in Agatsuma's popular music style is something that will make this album appealing to many listeners. Agatsuma maintains the extremely fast style of shamisen playing that is characteristic of more traditional styles of Tsugaru shamisen instrumental music, but at the same time he blends styles of contemporary popular music with an array of music sounds and sonorities. His dyed red hair, designer clothes, and teenage idol status have each contributed to one of the most phenomenal developments in Japanese music for many years. The music style utilizes an instrument thought to be wholly characteristic of traditional Japan, but while it maintains an instrumental folk music style in some contexts, performers like Agatsuma have transformed its place in contemporary Japan with their blend of folk and popularmusic genres.

What is fascinating about the genre of music known as Tsugaru shamisen is that while it has a relatively recent history and has been consolidated primarily in the years after World War II...