After launching the very successful Little Chilli Festival in July 2004, AMC is touring Bireshwar Gautam who is one of India’s rare artists whose talent covers both Kathak dance and the romantic vocal style of “Thumri” in October. Bireshwar Gautam, fondly referred to as “Biru”, is probably one of the finest rising stars of classical music in India and yet he still makes that rare and much cherished connection with the golden period of Indian music. He has been trained in Kathak under the guidance of some of the greatest names of this style – Guru Bandana Sen, Padmashri Late Pt. Gopi Krishna and Padmashri Damayanti Joshi. If this was not enough, he also trained in vocal music under the guidance of his father the late Sailen Pal, and specialised in the khayal gayaki with Pt. Vasantrao Kulkarni and romantic vocal style of thumri under the eminent Smt. Shobha Gurtu. This combination of Kathak and Thumri – to superb standards of rendition, make Biru a remarkable artist who has received recognition and much praise from fellow artists and public alike. He has performed in many prestigious festivals throughout India and abroad both as a dancer and as a singer.

Concert details available here.

Japanese Music: SHINICHI KINOSHITA plays the SHAMISEN

The Tsugaru-Shamisen player with divine hands

SHIN'ICHI KINOSHITA ( Tsugaru-Shamisen )
HIROSHI MOTOFUJI ( Wadaiko )
YOKO NISHI ( Koto )
SAYURI ONO ( Shinobue )

The acclaimed Tsugaru-Shamisen star and top Japanese traditional instruments players present a fusion of traditional and modern improvised rhythm and sounds.

Shinichi Kinoshita 's outstanding technique and soulful sound has given him reputation as “ the shamisen player with divine hands “

Tsugaru-Shamisen is a three-string banjo-like instrument played in the folk style in Tsugaru region of northern Japan with history of more than 100 years. Its character and spirit are often compared with jazz, both in its improvisational approach and in its roots. it evolved from blind street minstrels who played door to door. With its earthy and percussive sound, it is particularly popular with younger Japanese now.

Born in 1965 and starting shamisen lessons at age 10, Kinoshita passed a Tsugaru-shamisen audition at age 17. He went on to win the Tsugaru-shamisen Nationwide Tournament two years running (1986-87) and in 2000, he won the first championship of “Tsugaru Shamisen National Tournament of Successive Class “A” Champion Yamada Chisato Cup Contest.

Kinoshita's challenging music fuses these traditional roots with rock, jazz and contemporary music. He has established his own dynamic genre, Tsugaru Fu sion , which explores this crossover of traditional Japanese and Western instruments of any genre.

In November 2001, he released first original albums, “Den” and “Kai”. In 2002, he released “SOGU”, a collaboration album with a celebrated Hungarian violinist Roby Lakatos from avex io and toured all over Japan. His fourth album “SHOW” features authentic Tsugaru-Shamiesn style (released in February 2003).

Kinoshita has performed in over 25 countries. Last year he participated in International Istanbul Music Festival and gave concerts in UK.

Tsugaru-Shamisen 2004 features top class Japanese traditional instrument artists- Hiroshi Motofuji (Wadaiko or Japanese drums), Yoko Nishi (Koto- or long zither), and Sayuri Ono (Shinobue or Japanese traditional pan flute for Noh Theatre) whose repertories ranges from contemporary classics, avant garde to jazz.

Concert details available here.