This song is the oldest folk song passed down through the Tsugaru region and the historic port town of Jusan (also read as “Tosa”). It is a popular song, but it is also difficult to play and interpret. I myself explore different expressions throughout the song and I believe it will continue to change. For this occasion, I had asked Kogetsu Takahashi to play the shakuhachi. I was very excited to hear how Kogetsu interpreted the song when we first started recording. I’d like for you to enjoy the changes throughout the song, from the first portion with the shamisen to the other half with the shakuhachi. 

“Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi” has been an old popular song, but its style and overall sound has changed with the times. The types are divided largely into four categories: kyu bushi, naka bushi, shin bushi, and shin kyu bushi. Kyu bushi came about during the end of the Meiji era (the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century) and naka bushi was from the Taisho period (1912-1926). Lastly, it is said that the shin bushi and the shin kyu bushi were created in the Showa period (1926-1989). The biggest difference between these styles is the rhythm. For this kyu bushi, it is played in duple meter.  
Shamisen can be played in many different ways depending on the rhythm of the song. This may be a little technical, but the way you hit the shamisen is roughly divided into two. When the bachi (plectrum) hits closer to the sao (neck) of the shamisen, it is called “maebachi”. When you hit closer to the koma (bridge), it is called “ushirobachi”. And, “maebachi” with sukui (upstroke strumming) is the main technique. However, for this kyu bushi, the basic technique is the ushirobachi with the sukui. Of course, there are times when I play with this technique closer to the koma, but this is how a difference in technique can change the rhythm of a song.

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Kyu bushi along with shin bushi and shin kyu bushi are played in simple duple meter. However, for this naka bushi, it is not entirely played in triple meter, but a rhythm quite similar to it. For those who listen to pop music, it may be easier to understand it as triple notes. Playing this piece can be challenging, so there are less people playing kyu bushi and naka bushi nowadays. 
Now, this time, I asked Fujiko Yanagida to sing for this song. Ms. Yanagida was born in 1928 and she is now 92 years old (91 at the time of recording). Her voice projection shows no age and her singing is enchanting and has a distinct tone. I was able to experience Ms. Yanagida’s own style of Fushi (Bushi) and hear this song being sung, which is a rare opportunity. Ms. Yanagida joined a folk song troupe, the Mikami Tsuruko Ichiza, at 17 years old and travelled to places such as Hokkaido for a year to sing. In the folk song industry of today, no such troupe exists, but until the beginning of the Showa period, folk song groups would travel around the country to perform. We can definitely say that Ms. Yanagida has had the experience as an entertainer singing Tsugaru folk songs.

Shin bushi was originally created in the Showa period to emphasize the female vocal’s long notes and high pitched tone. Now, what is normalized as “Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi”, is the shin bushi. The tempo of the song has become gradually faster and has become a popular song to compete over as it is played at Tsugaru-shamisen contests around the country. 
For this song I had Shizuko Mizuno sing and she is a well known folk singer in the industry. The first time I met her was when I was suddenly appointed by the folk song critic, Haruhiko Iida, to accompany her as a shamisen player as she competed in the Tsugaru folk song contest. At the contest, she placed first with her performance of the “Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi” shin bushi. Ever since we met, we have performed together on various occasions and she also joined me on stage for my celebration concert upon becoming the nation’s number 1 Tsugaru-shamisen player. And with our precious relationship, I knew that she would be my first and only choice to sing this song.

Like it is said for the shin bushi that it is made for female vocals, it could be said that the shin kyu bushi is for male vocals. The reason why male vocalists do not choose to sing (or are unable to sing) the shin bushi is because the beginning of the song is too high and cannot be reached by the vocal range of a man. And for that reason, the shin kyu bushi was created (or improved) in a lower key so that the vocals stand out much more than usual. 
Now I wonder when I met Tomoya for the first time. It was once after we met that he had mentioned to me he was influenced by my performances when he first started to learn the shamisen. At that time, I was performing all around the place and my movements were rather flashy, so I wonder what he had thought about me back then. After that, I drifted off from the folk song world, so I actually don’t remember exactly when I met him. (Laughs)
Also, for the majority of this CD, I had Mika Tanabe play the taiko. In Tsugaru folk songs, the taiko is considered to be the heart of the music and taiko players must have the experience and technique to do this. Mika’s parents were also a big part of the Tsugaru-shamisen and folk song world so she had been playing alongside them at a young age. She was also Hiromitsu Nishikawa’s student, learning alongside him playing as a hayashikata (Japanese traditional theatre musician). Utilizing her experience in various genres, we recorded while exchanging each other’s opinions about how to convey each song.

We can finally relax a little bit here. (Laughs) This song is from the Ajigasawa region and is categorized as a jinku (a lively folk song) which is sung for bon odori (a style of dancing at Obon Festivals). Firstly, the Ajigasawa region is a town found in the western region of Aomori Prefecture and is famous for the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Shirakami-Sanchi. Secondly, a jinku style song is when the lyrics follow the pattern of units of 7, 7, 7, and 5. Same with the first song, “Tosa no Sunayama”, I had Mr. Kogetsu join with the shakuhachi. Here, I focused on strictly accompanying the vocalist’s voice gently while also allowing the shakuhachi to sing freely as well. I would love for you to enjoy the wonders of the shakuhachi through this song.
Like the shakuhachi and the shamisen, the more you sound the instruments the better, but I have always struggled to find this balance as an accompaniment. For vocalists, they stand in the spotlight so they gather the audiences’ attention. Even when the band behind them are lacking, vocalists have to work their way around that. An accompaniment’s job is to make sure that the vocals are being supported to allow them to sing at their full potential. To be able to play the instrument is just the basic principle of being a professional. Especially with Tsugaru-shamisen, people tend to think the more louder the better, but if it’s too loud, it won’t be music. Right?
I wanted to also mention that the shakuhachi comes in a little later. The shamisen comes in just a bit earlier before the shakuhachi. In terms of when to listen closely to the shakuhachi, it is during the end of the verse where the sounds overlap with each other.

When I first met Ms. Yanagida, I was concerned about her age and how it would affect her breathing when singing. I played a little faster than usual, but instead she became rather angry at how fast the tempo was. (Laughs) With that, I gradually began to learn how she times her singing. At first, I paid close attention to whether the tempo and timing were correct. In some way, you may call that a “groove”. Next, I wanted to know exactly what she is trying to convey through the song and so I repeatedly listened to the recordings. Especially since this CD, unlike a stage performance to be heard only once, will be a recorded piece of work. (Laughs) The Five Tsugaru Songs are all improvised music so even though they are the same song, it will always be sung differently. 
Ms. Yanagida and I went through several exchanges about how certain verses will be sung and the tune of her voice. For example, if I notice she is singing a part in her own special way, I will be cautious with how I play and produce my sound as well since there’s always a reason behind her choices.
The way she sings is very unique. Her voice projection is specific to Aomori so if someone from the Kantō region were to do the same, they would certainly hurt their throat. Also, normally people can only record three songs in a day, but Ms. Yanagida can sing seven. Isn’t that crazy for a 91 year old? (Laughs) For each song recording, you sing the same song at least three times, so in total she sang almost 21 times in a day. I started to worry one time and I asked her if she was alright or if she needed a break, but even then she reassured me and insisted on continuing. (Laughs)