Old Town School of Folk Music Review

By Bannon Puckett

Greetings! As a current Chicagoan, I was fortunate enough to see Agatsuma and company in the first concert of their latest U.S. tour, which I hear will take them around many of the Midwestern states and culminate in San Francisco.

Two years ago, I was working at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in D.C. when they hosted their large-scale “JAPAN!” festival, so it was a pleasure to experience such a talented group of Japanese artists performing in a more intimate “community space” at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood.

Agatsuma and his ensemble began the evening with a work called “Rainbow Wind,” which took me by surprise with its very jazzy, upbeat sound. From my limited exposure to the shamisen, I suppose I expected to hear something more somber and reflective from the instrument—but suddenly I felt like I was transported to a smoky jazz club, drinking a bourbon and coke and tapping my feet to the soft but funky rhythms. Perhaps this was a nod to Chicago’s rich jazz and blues scene, but it definitely altered my expectations of what the concert would be.

In the middle of the first act, Agatsuma performed a solo that really spotlighted all that a great shamisen artist can do with their instrument. At times, the shamisen’s sound reminded me of the banjo, but with a slightly incisive edge to it. I was struck by how Agatsuma took full advantage of his instrument’s percussive qualities—playing up sharp staccato notes one moment, while letting other notes linger the next. The range of octaves he explored also impressed me. His lightning-fast fingerwork made my knuckles feel raw just watching him!

Following intermission, Agatsuma’s ensemble members each got their chance to shine. The two taiko artists, collectively called “Yosoro,” jolted the audience back into focus with their mesmerizing interplay on an array of drums and cymbals, including a dramatically large drum facing the audience that was probably 4 feet or so in diameter. Beginning with a near-ceremonial stance in front of their instruments, they struck the drums with their wooden bachi, ranging from lighter touches that explored different tones, to full-out explosive power. In a few very brief moments, their movements would unexpectedly align in choreographed parallel, to exhilarating effect. By the end of their solo, the guy playing the large drum had clearly experienced an athletic workout—he was sweating from head to toe!

Yoichi Nozaki, the pianist in the quartet, was also a scene-stealer. He was a funny guy, joking about how much he loved pizza, Chicago style, before he sat down at the piano to perform one of his own original compositions. The title translated to “bath house,” which he explained was an ode to a gathering place in his childhood hometown. The music was playful and evocative, interjecting short bursts of silence between some of the notes, which made for a very memorable piece.

Perhaps my favorite part of the evening, though, was when the ensemble fused “Kagome, Kagome,” a Japanese children’s song, and “Yosare,” a folk song from the region of Tsugaru, into an extended riff that alternated between deep melancholy and manic outbursts. Shamisen, drums, piano, cymbals—all of it came together to produce an interpretation that really got the crowd roaring. Through this piece, I felt I got the closest taste of traditional music in Japan, but at the same time, it came alive with a sense of freshness and innovation through the ensemble’s unique take on the songs.

Thank you Agatsuma and company for bringing spark and imagination to the middle of my week. I wish you great success (and plenty more “pizza!”) and as you travel the rest of the country sharing your gifts!

You can get a taste of the performance by listening to the track “Rainbow Wind” on our Music & Video page for Agatsuma.

Agatsuma & Company with Arts Midwest Program Director Ken Carlson and Tour Manager Shigeyo Henriquez