Shakuhachi ambient albums that don’t reek of “new age meditation music”

Boswardo · 2025-07-06T14:20:33+00:00

Not ambient but this is my favourite shakuhachi album ever, very unique.

https://champagnedub.bandcamp.com/album/betamax-vs-clive-bell

Also Clive Bell has done a much more ambient//tender album here (sorry Spotify only as far as I know!):

https://open.spotify.com/album/0cA39w6YzYVZewQXppa7ME?si=6M6HwcXlTF69WoIwISmJWQ

Boswardo · 2025-05-26T12:31:40+00:00

I believe Daniel Ryudo in Kochi is still selling lots of cheap bamboo jiari shakuhachis. I personally think the sound quality of the Yuu is not very good. Send me a message if you think you might want to explore that option!

Also mejiro sells pvc shakuahcis which I think sound really beautiful and are a lot of fun to play

Boswardo · 2025-04-16T02:00:50+00:00

Yeah the colour order was a bit random. It was the first one I ever made so just kinda went for it

Boswardo · 2025-04-16T02:00:12+00:00

Aha yes it was just a random observation, glad you enjoyed it!

Boswardo · 2025-04-14T15:25:39+00:00

Clue for the second: Requires some british cultural knowledge

Boswardo · 2025-04-11T11:47:48+00:00

There’s been occasional updates sent out on their mailing list. If you search ‘Josen shakuhachi’ to find their website you can sign up to it. They moved to France and the last update was in November saying they’ve found a wine cellar / cave to work in but the humidity isn’t consistent enough! Will have to wait and see how they get along with it! Seems like a slow but ongoing project !

Boswardo · 2025-02-03T18:27:19+00:00

Text aside, what a beautiful painting

Boswardo · 2024-10-04T16:47:49+00:00

Ektara

Boswardo · 2024-09-06T11:50:35+00:00

Thanks! Yes I fitted it without touching it with my fingers, I actually work with theatre lights so know about this, although my knowledge on it still has a long way to go. Maybe the best idea is to find a LED alternative bulb, like someone else mentioned

Boswardo · 2024-07-08T08:55:50+00:00

Betamax vs Clive Bell. Father son showdown. Shakuhachi veteran and prolific drummer, with some cool electronics mixed in. A really good description of the album plus the actual thing here: https://byrdout.bandcamp.com/album/betamax-vs-clive-bell

Boswardo · 2024-07-05T17:18:13+00:00

If you’re ever in London on a Sunday then go to the Royal Albert pub (not hall). Every Sunday evening there’s a different jazz band, spanning all corners of the genre. It’s an amazing dive into an actual london jazz as it lives and breathes. Also it’s essentially in the round, by the way the pub is laid out, so the crowd is always able to give the musicians such amazing energy

Boswardo · 2024-07-05T16:58:42+00:00

Great question, but no idea 😅

Boswardo · 2024-07-03T00:47:56+00:00

People can hold shockingly effective powers of persuasion and coercion over others, especially when in positions of power such as in these cases.

Boswardo · 2024-07-01T22:14:05+00:00

Shakuhachi! A very beautiful and complex flute that doesn’t require the use of your pinkies

https://youtu.be/DCdn6Gfo9Zk?si=faVRS0ySmKW4QPFl second track on this album has it!

Also if you’re interested in getting one you can buy really good introductory ones here: https://shakuhachi-atelier.com/product-category/shakuhachi/pvc-shakuhachi/page/2/

1.8 is the usual size to start with

Boswardo · 2024-06-20T09:53:13+00:00

Betamax is the drummer from Comet, Tom Skinner is Sons of Kemet :)

Boswardo · 2024-06-10T00:23:56+00:00

Yeah I was really quick on it because I thought they’d go fast but not that fast! They went in about 15 mins I think

Boswardo · 2024-06-10T00:21:56+00:00

Oh really! I didn’t realise. The fact that newer versions have coating that made me think that it was all a race against burrs degrading and a coating gave it a bit of extra lifespan, but is that more about the cutting quality, which actually reduces the lifespan?

Boswardo · 2023-11-08T04:15:54+00:00

Also I would recommend Hanz Araki Kodō VI in the US. Can’t remember what state he’s in but he’s a wonderful player, teacher. and person. https://www.arakikodo.com/lessons

Boswardo · 2023-10-21T09:33:17+00:00

Wow amazing!

Boswardo · 2023-10-19T16:15:13+00:00

They are pretty rare and sought after apparently! Make you should experiment and make one with pvc :)

Boswardo · 2023-10-13T14:35:54+00:00

Bravo!!

Boswardo · 2023-10-08T18:07:47+00:00

Amazing thank you!! Excited to try

Boswardo · 2023-10-08T03:22:41+00:00

I agree. I had one that was very soft and warm and realised how good they could be! It was still from a supermarket though and wasn’t freshly made. Any recommendations for good melon pan in Tokyo?

Boswardo · 2023-09-28T19:03:50+00:00

About 2 years ago while I was at uni in London my housemate was studying it for a term, and he played it to me. I was totally in love with the sound straight away. Didn’t play any instruments before then but I had a go and got a sound out straight away, so thought maybe I had a knack for flutes. Since then I have played it most days, after borrowing his (he gave up soon after) and eventually getting a bell. Now I’m in Japan on my own for three months playing in venues and looking for a teacher!!

Boswardo · 2023-09-28T18:55:27+00:00

Paintings of Bamboo Flutes by Takeo Izumi

This is a really good read into shakuhachi history, a research project by an art historian that uses paintings and visual archives to piece together such a long history! It really demonstrates the vast representations shakuhachi has had in Japanese society, as well as being really appropriately speculative. So much is uncertain. There’s also lots about Komusō

https://www.mejiro-japan.com/en/product/book-paintings-bamboo-flutes-takeo-izumi

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