Yoshida Brothers & Les Frères

Wildly popular in their native Japan, the Yoshida Brothers are virtuosos of the Tsugaru shamisen, a traditional three-string instrument not unlike the banjo, and they've taken the instrument outside the realms of Japanese folk, incorporating elements of pop, smooth jazz, rock and new age styles into their music. The Yoshida Brothers perform with the strength and swagger of rock guitarists, while respecting the shamisen and its rich heritage. The Yoshida Brothers hail from the city of Noboribetsu in Hokkaido prefecture; Ryoichiro Yoshida was born in 1977, and Kenichi Yoshida in...