Here are the most important reasons why i teach shakuhachi to others in a long, round about way. The first nonjapanese person to become a shakuhachi master is the americanaustralian riley lee. How to play simple songs on the shakuhachi flute winds. Riley teaches shakuhachi to over fifty students in australia, usa, and hong kong. Shakuhachi flutes by jem klein, burnsville, north carolina. This is the second article by riley lee in this series. This instrument was introduced into japan from china in the 8th century. The best of riley lee with a new live recording with matthew doyle on digeridoo.
I describe how to properly hold, posture, and how to make a sound. The shakuhachi is an ancient chinese bamboo flute that was later introduced to japan, with a distinctive warm body and thick harmonic character. From the album the eagle and the ocean, a collaboration between geoff weenvermazen on electric guitar and riley lee on shakuhachi japanese bamboo flute. He played bass in the rock band the workouts when he was. Solo shakuhachi intertwined with the natural sounds of the rainforest. Riley lee playing the shakuhachi coffs coast focus. Nagashi reibo wandering and yearning for the bell riley lee, shakuhachi recorded on 24 and 26 july 1996 at the national acoustics.
Riley lee first went to japan in 1970 to work at the world expo in osaka. The shakuhachi is a japanese flute made out of a hollow length of, most frequently, bamboo, with five holes for fingering, creating musical notes based on the pentonic scale. Riley kelly lee born 1951 is an americanborn australianbased shakuhachi player and teacher. This recording features shakuhachi honkyoku or original music. My motivation behind teaching the shakuhachi is more than just trying to earn a living doing what i do best. In this free shakuhachi video i demonstrate the basics of how to play shakuhachi. He is the recipient of two of the oldest and most venerated lineages of traditional shakuhachi, which can be traced back to the zen buddhist komuso, or priests of nothingness of the edo period in japan. Riley was born in plainview texas usa in 1951, and moved to shawnee oklahoma usa in 1957, where, aged, he became the bass player of the award winning rock band. Lee was responsible for the world shakuhachi festival being held in sydney, australia over 58 july 2008, based at the sydney conservatorium of music. Hand crafted non root end student model shakuhachi flute made from beautiful, wellaged quality bamboo personally selected by me the maker. Every shakuhachi begins as a stalk of yellowgreen bamboo swaying in the wind.
It enables players, teachers, composers, ethnomusicologists and hobbyists to share information with a wide and sympathetic audience. Master shakuhachi player riley lee in concert sydney. This video was taken by alkis moraitis on his phone, so the quality is far from high definition. Shakuhachi free sample library by samplephonics released samplephonics has announced the release of shakuhachi, a new freebie featuring a sampled shakuhachi japanese ethnic instrument. Holes are offset for standard righthand on bottom players. It was used by the monks of zen buddhism in the practice of. With shakuhachi flute meditations, grand master riley lee presents an album of his most soothing selections, with original and traditional compositions to create an atmosphere of spacious serenity. Dear forum members as a beginner player im looking for songs for my practice. It does not cost much more than the regular priority mail option. It is also more than sharing with others what i enjoy doing. Shakuhachi flute master riley lee performs a piece called adrift on the sea of tranquility during the sunday service in the dome at sunrise ranch, loveland, colorado. The bamboo used for shakuhachi is called madake true bamboo.
Including the first recording of the immense solo piece unnamed. There are 436 videos about shakuhachi on vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Riley kelly lee the international shakuhachi society. The main or original pieces for the shakuhachi are called honkyoku. Listen to your favorite songs from shakuhachi flute meditations by riley lee now. A single madake grove may contain hundreds, or even thousands of other stalks, nearly all of which are as tall as a six storey building. The bamboo used to make the shakuhachi is a very common species called madake, which means true bamboo in japanese. Riley lee began learning to play the shakuhachi in 1970.
A master of the shakuhachi flute, it is said, can invoke an inner stillness in listeners, like a quiet pond reflecting the moon. A handselected collection of shakuhachi grand master lees most tranquil offerings. Riley lee became the first nonjapanese to attain the rank of dai shihan grand master in the shakuhachi tradition. Shakuhachi sleep music invites us to experience here the beauty and calmness of this revered tradition grand master of the zen bamboo flute riley lee plays an authentic and deeply soothing sequence of pieces to guide us, breath by breath, into the peaceful domain. He is a recipient of two of the most revered lineages of shakuhachi playing, descending from the original zen buddhist priests of nothingness of edo japan. Amazingly, nine shakuhachi from this period have survived the ensuing thirteen hundred years. This piece is from the echigo district of northern japan, where it was used as prayer for safe delivery during childbirth. The shakuhachi is an ancient japanese bamboo flute with deep ties to zen. After learning the instrument in australia with dr riley lee and in japan with furuya teruo and yokoyama katsuya, he received the title shihan master in 1996 from yokoyama katsuya. In the area of solo shakuhachi, franklin has specialized in the honkyoku lineage of yokoyama katsuya and in modern music.
Riley lee, shakuhachi give it time, for shakuhachi and fixed media composed by annika k. Riley lee was born in plainview, texas, of a chinese father and caucasian mother. These high quality instruments will be difficult to find anywhere else. First i listened vide awake and liked this music very much. Most of all, when played by a master, the shakuhachi captures the quality of stillnessthe essence of meditation itself. Support quality, curated music and the artists who create it. Tuned to the key of d in the traditional minor pentatonic scale. Shakuhachi grand master riley lee plays nagashi reibo. Breathing creatively the body sphere radio national. The shakuhachi is a japanese end blown flute, traditionally made of bamboo.
Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Shakuhachi flute meditations by riley lee on amazon music. Shakuhachi flute master riley lee performs a piece called adrift on the sea of tranquility during the sunday service in the. Shakuhachi simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. However, express mail is very safe, faster and can be tracked. Shakuhachi score can load midi files as well as first song data. Sunreed is offering shakuhachi as well as transverse flutes from aromatic western cedar. Feel good supporting a music service that ensures artists are paid fair rates so they are able to keep creating and cultivating their art. Check out shakuhachi flute meditations by riley lee on amazon music. Shakuhachi free sample library by samplephonics released. It first arrived in japan in the 8th century as one of many instruments in the court ensemble imported from tang china. Japanshakuhachi sells fine, new shakuhachi made in japan by some of japans most seasoned craftsmen. Jo kondo has written that denyer has made music of such remarkable. Riley lee began playing the shakuhachi bamboo flute in japan in 1971, studying with chikuho sakai until 1980, and has been a student of katsuya yokoyama since 1984.
So i will only touch on some basic information and a few key figures. Free samples shakuhachi virtual instrument download. Videos from sydney world shakuhachi festival 2008, and of riley lee. Download breath sight by riley lee on the independent record store by musicians for. Riley lee began playing the shakuhachi, a traditional japanese bamboo flute, 40 years ago and in 1980 he became the first nonjapanese to attain the rank of dai shihan or grand master. The shakuhachi is made of bamboo, a logical choice of material for flute making, as it is already hollow and it was plentiful in japan.
Part 1 of 15 how to play simple songs on the shakuhachi flute. Shakuhachi maker jem klein handcrafting flutes and more in the blue ridge. First of all, the hocchiku style of shakuhachi is closer to the original state of the bamboo as opposed to the ji pastelinedlacqured, refined bore of the modern shakuhachi. The shakuhachi is a bamboo flute with a distinctive warm body and thick harmonic character. Home acquiring your own shakuhachi home riley lee shakuhachi. When playing jinashi shakuhachi aka hocchiku it is a much different approach than with the standard modern shakuhachi jiari. Learn how to find notes as well as intervals and octaves on the shakuhachi flute in this free music lesson video series. The family moved to hawaii in 1966 where as a high school student. Nicholas hall, art raiche, david fredric, cecilia lee, felicity clark, riley lee. Private online shakuhachi lessons shakuhachi yuu flute. Michael chikuzen gould is now offering private online shakuhachi lessons, using computer video conferencing, for domestic and international students. Learn about fair compensation for artists, performance rights and how yogitunes supports the yoga community. Riley and satsuki odamura play their favourite shakuhachi and koto duets.
Shakuhachi lessons are being offered for beginners to advanced players, in the traditions of dokyoku, meian, kinko and modern compositions for koto and shakuhachi. For a more extensive and complete study, please refer to adreas gutzwillers dissertation on the kinko ryu, christopher yohmei blasdels book, shakuhachi. Mosman art gallery hosted a rare jewel of a concert sydney was privileged to hear revered shakuhachi master riley lee in a solo performance as part of the sacred music festival. Riley lee playing traditional honkyoku and other pieces. Has someone got shimabara no komoriuta in shakuhachi notation, no western notes please and other material simple beginners songs. The international shakuhachi society is a world forum for people interested in the japanese bamboo flute. In 1980 he became the first nonjapanese person to attain. Weve wrapped it up into an awesome playable virtual instrument sample library for you to enjoy, absolutely free. Encounter with shakuhachi master riley lee performing san. As the first westerner to attain the rank of grand master of the shakuhachi flute, riley lee has gained international acclaim for his ability to express the meditative. We catch up with him in the leadup to his performance at the bellingen music festival.