News & Columns > News Staff Member > Monsters Invade Running Springs

Monsters Invade Running Springs

Monster of Shamisen to Perform at the Bus Stop Coffee House

By News Staff Member
Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Running Springs, CA - "Monsters of Shamisen" will hold a show at The Bus Stop Coffee House on Friday, December 5 at 7:00 p.m. It is a rare opportunity to see Japan's top shamisen player, along with both shamisen players from Fishtank Ensemble.

Monsters of Shamisen was formed in the spring of 2006, when California-based Tsugaru shamisen performers Kevin Kmetz and Mike Penny, both from Fishtank Ensemble, joined forces with Japan-based shamisen virtuoso and two-time tournament champion Masahiro Nitta.

Monsters of Shamisen offers audiences the most exciting and innovative examples of modern Tsugaru shamisen in the world. Pooling their respective musical backgrounds, the Monsters draw inspiration from a wide variety of musical styles including: baroque/classical, Balkan gypsy, American bluegrass, Irish folk music, and even modern rock/pop. To see this ensemble live is to experience one of the most unforgettable fusions of not only east and west, but of past and future, good and evil.

(Photo by Monsters of Shamisen.)

MASAHIRO NITTA: Easily the best shamisen player in the world. He was inspired by his father at the age of 14 to begin playing Tsugaru shamisen. Masahiro won the Junior High School National Championship Title for Tsugaru Shamisen in 1998, after only playing for seven months. In 2000 and 2001, he was awarded the championship title at Kanagi's National Tournament, and again won the championship title in Tokyo in 2002. In 2004, he starred as Oishi Seichiro, in the motion picture "Overdrive".

KEVIN KMETZ: First foreigner in history to win the honorary Daijo Kazuo Award at the Tsugaru Shamisen Championship Competition, in Kanagi, Japan, May 5, 2005. He also took the "Judge's Choice" Award at the Hirosaki Championship Tournament on May 4, 2005. In both 2006 and 2007, Kevin placed Nyusho (runner-up) at Hirosaki and Jyun Yuusho (2nd place) at Kanagi.

MIKE PENNY: The second foreigner ever to have been awarded for his performance in the National Tsugaru Shamisen Tournament, held annually in Kanagi, Japan. There, he won 3rd place in his class of over 200 competitors in the Spring of 2006. He also performs with Aaron Seeman (Duckmandu) in the accordion/shamisen duo, "Shamalamacord."

Also appearing: Shamalamacord is Mike Penny on Tsugaru shamisen and Aaron Seeman on accordion. They formed an essential element of the acclaimed Gypsy band, "Fishtank Ensemble".

Shamalamacord draws from a wide range of styles, including Balkan Gypsy music, Classical, Klezmer, 1920's Jazz, traditional and popular Japanese Music, and original compositions. As a duo and as solo players, they are each actively engaged in extending the capabilities of their instruments.

For interested individuals, there will be a workshop with the Monsters of Shamisen on Saturday, December 6 from 5 - 6:30 p.m. The work shop is being held at the Grand Annex in San Pedro and the cost for attending is $10.

For the December 6 workshop, bring any instrument(s) that you play and learn traditional Japanese folk music. Those who attend the workshop will have a chance to play the shamisen themselves and learn more about the interesting origins of this ancient instrument. After the workshop, there will be a performance at 8 p.m.

The Grand Annex is located at 434 W. 6th Street, San Pedro. Contact them at (310) 833-6362 for additional information.

Friday's performance will be at the Bus Stop Coffee House, located at 32150 Hilltop Boulevard, in Running Springs. For additional information on this performance, call (909) 867-2001.

For more information on the performers and the groups schedule:

http://www.myspace.com/monstersofshamisen
http://www.myspace.com/shamalamacord
http://www.duckmandu.com/