Japan: Shakuhachi - The Japanese Flute

Japanese gardens, Japanese interiors, kimonos, banzai, ikebana, the novels of Kawabata and Abe, the films of Kurosawa -- I hear them all in the sound of the shakuhachi, the bamboo flute. Like all the court and temple arts of Japan, the music of the shakuhachi is an art of simple refinement, of natural minimalism. The instrument is just a length of bamboo with a notch cut in one end and a number of carefully drilled finger holes. Half the tone of the instrument is simply the player's breathing. Virtuosity on the shakuhachi is a matter of expressive sighs and silences rather than racing fingers.

It's such a simple instrument, and yet it's not easy to play well. I went to Japan to learn it, and spent a glorious year there, but I wouldn't dare play my shakuhachi for Japanese friends. They would have to compliment me, and I'd have to demure, even if for once I played something decently.

This is the best recording I know of, of solo shakuhachi. The music is as good as the cover photo.

A beautiful album from the cover to the music inside. Unfortunately, I can't say the word "shakuhachi" without tittering. Too many years covering vice on the TMPD police beat. ....if you are a male, and you hang out with a lot of cops in Japan, never say you want to learn the shakuhachi. Just some friendly advice.

The playing is superb and the music also. My only reservation is that at 34 or so minutes the album is too short, almost cruelly so.

I bought this CD to get a basic idea of the some of the classic sounds of Shakuhachi. I am a beginning player so this was essential to hearing a particular style and capabilities of a master artist.

I'd recommend this to anyone interested in Shakuhachi or if you just want some meditational style music.

For anyone curious about Shakuhachi music, this is a great place to start. Traditionally this is a contemplative music, played alone or with a very small audience, hence it is devoid of crowd pleasing flourishes, allowing the listener to focus in on tiny subtleties. The first couple of tracks feature a longer and deeper sounding shakuhachi, rarely heard but possibly even more hauntingly beautiful than the standard sized instrument.
This was originally released on vinyl from a 1976 recording, so at 34 minutes it's rather a short CD, the recording is excellent, capturing every nuance.