Full of songs you’ll want to listen to with just the shamisen, from “Sake to Onna” to “Ura no Tate Tokikya”, which was sung in Shinsei’s “Inu no Disaster”! This is an album that you can enjoy in a relaxed mood.
“A number of masterpieces in which Master Umekichi’s delicate and lovely heartbeats have been sublimated into masterpieces!”
Storyteller Kanda Matsugoi (Living National Treasure)
Umekichi, a unique Japanese-haired artist who grew up in the rakugo world of Yose, has released an impressive 19 albums to date! In these days of the heyday of subculture, his style sticks to traditional lines with his own unique taste, giving off a strong antithesis to those who see it.
At the end of his teens, Umekichi suddenly became aware of Japanese culture, and with the aim of becoming a shamisen player, a job where he would be required to wear a kimono every day and be immersed in storytelling, he entered the rakugo world of Geza and Ohayashi, and spent his junior years in the world. send.
Became an apprentice to “Sakura Hiyama”, a vaudeville entertainer born in the Taisho era, who was well known. At the recommendation of his master, the popular musician “Umekichi Hiyama” was born. At the same time, he studied the basics of Nagauta and Shamisen with Kazushiro Kineya, and Japanese dance with Motoyuki Hayashi of the Hayashi school. Studied kouta under Chie Chishi, a leading figure in the kouta world born in the Meiji era.
This album depicts the short yet elegant world of Edo kouta with Umekichi’s unique, slightly glossy taste, and is enjoyable in a pleasant way.
■Product title: Horoyoi Kouta
Release date: Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Product number: COCJ-42386
Price: 3,000 yen (tax excluded price 2,727 yen)
Contents:
1. Depth of water
2. Plum and nightingale
3. Water blooms
4. Namiki Komagata
5. Shall we stop by?
6. Silver Pirapira
7. Each other
8. Alcohol and women
9. Dew is a tail flower
10. Rain and strong winds 11. A single plum blossom
12. Mountain and valley boat
13. Fukukawaiya
14. Udonyasan
15. We meet on a moonlit night
16. Too much shower
17. Sunny and cloudy
18. Three Thousand Worlds
19. Let’s die together
20. First snow
21. Cleaning rice scoop
22. I tried to stop it, but
23. When you’re angry
24. Husband in a box
25. So Mafuto
26. The color is autumn leaves
27. Scent of Kara
28. We meet each other
29. The snow is falling
30. On the lotus leaf
Also, on the same day, November 13th, “Standard! Yose Music Collection” supervised by Umekichi Hiyama will be released!
Please check this out as well.
Umekichi Hiyama Profile
Born in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
After two years of training at the National Theater’s Yose Music Training Institute, he joined the Rakugo Arts Association.
While working as a professional hayashi musician, he also studied hata and folk music under Sakura Hiyama.
In 2000, he made his vaudeville debut as popular musician Umekichi Hiyama. It is attracting attention as the emergence of a young folk music artist.
In addition to Yose, he produces CDs containing pre-war and post-war popular songs and performs live. He continues to pursue new Japanese-style entertainment, performing in the United States, Vienna, Paris, Bremen, Romania, and other parts of Europe.
CD “Okuni Meguri” and 19 other CDs, 2 live DVDs released
Book “Let’s do Umekichi’s Japan!” (Mainichi Shimbun)
November 17th “Umekichi no Kai 4th volume” held at Yokohama Nigiwaiza
https://columbia.jp/artist-info/umekichi/live/88993.html
Artist official website
http://ofuku-sha.co.jp/ume-schejule.html
Artist official X (formerly Twitter)
https://x.com/umekichinet
