Dear All,
This weekend I heard reference to a highly respected shakuhachi maker based in California, USA. Anybody know who this might be?
Or other tried and respected makers of same?
Regards,
Harry.
Monty Levenson?
http://www.shakuhachi.com/
In California, it’s likely Monty Levenson. On the east coast, Perry Yung makes nice Shakuhachi.
Bill
Perry Yung in NYC recently refurbished an old Japanese shakuhachi for me, and I am very pleased with his craftsmanship and customer service. Perry is also a talented performer on the shakuhachi. When I get back to my home computer, I will give a link to a sound file of Perry playing my repaired shak.
Here’s the link to Perry’s MP3 of Doug’s Shak:
http://www.yungflutes.com/samples/robert17.mp3
And, Perry’s website (again): www.yungflutes.com
He’s a very talented maker, and a very nice person to deal with.
Oh, and one other link for any who might be interested, to the Shakuhachi Forum, which is set up much like this one. Nice people, all around, very informative, and some makers like Perry contribute there also. Here’s the link:
got my shaku from www.japanshakuhachi.com. good stuff (and service), check it out.
I find the Shakuhashi a fascinating and beautiful instrument, but I can see it’s a dangerous path. For one they’re even more challenging to play than a transverse flute.
But this one cost $6000 
and it’s KEYLESS!!
I have a very nice 2.55 from Perry Yung that my teacher thinks is worth twice what I paid for it. I also have one of Monty Levenson’s 1.8 student models, which is quite adeqaute to learn on.
But be aware - it takes time and patince to learn - “Kubifuri san nen” = “Three years just for the basics.” It is a very satusfying experience all the same.
Thanks to you all for the info and links.
Regards,
H.
Harry, on some other Internet forum (sorry, I can’t recall which one) I recently read a comment by some respected Irish trad musician (again I can’t remember exactly who - I should probably start paying more attention, huh?) that the next hotbed (locus, center, whatever - again my powers of recall fail me) of Irish traditional music will be Japan. (If it isn’t already.) Given that, and with your current search for shakuhachi, are you seeking to make Ireland the next hotbed (locus, center, whatever) of Japanese traditional music? Or are you just trying to engage the Japanese in some ITM on their own terms? In other words, what will you be playing on the shakuhachi once you get one?
Just curious…
John,
I don’t think I’m conciously planning a cultural revolution. 
I’m jusy very interested in the sound and history of this instrument and its music.
I’ll probably be playing this on it (if I can find a way of learning it):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honkyoku
Check out these guys: “komuso (“Priests of Emptiness and Nothingness”). The komuso wore large baskets (tengai) over their heads to symbolize their detachment from the world”:
Reminiscent of Irish wren boys who hid their identity with similar masks and played flutes (amongst other things) :
Regards,
HB.
Hmm, interesting: Was there also a history (with the Irish boys) of some being spys, as with the Komuso in later years?
Loren
Loren,
The wren boy tradition could well stem from some more ‘serious’ ritual funtion in the past, I’m not sure. But the latter day accounts of wren boy activity describe fairly light hearted ‘folk’ antics.
I’m sure there was spying and all sorts of mischief involved; nothing that you’d run a chap through with a bendy sword for though.
Regards,
Harry.
Harry, thanks for the info. Seeing as how one of the adjectives I’d be least likely to apply toward your brilliant playing of ITM would be “zen”, I’ll be most interested to hear your interpretation of Honkyoku once you decide to record or take it on tour. Keep us posted!
Good to know!
I’m somewhat familiar with the history of the Komuso Monks, but am completely ignorant of the wren boy tradition, so something to googled now on my part.
Loren