Tracings - Fumon by Curtis Patterson & Bruce Huebner Duo

Patterson’s koto rings out like an ancient wagon court zither as he strings together soft morsels of sound, and Huebner’s shakuhachi moves freely, complementing the simple palette. The music comes to life, a natural product of the distinctive qualities of Patterson and Huebner’s respective chosen instrument."

Curtis Patterson / Koto

A native of Chicago Illinois, Curtis Patterson studied with modern koto great Tadao Sawai. He holds a master's license from the Sawai Koto Institute and is the first non-Japanese national to graduate from the NHK training program for young performers of traditional Japanese instruments. Currently residing in Tokyo where he also teaches koto and shamisen, Patterson has performed with a wide variety of artists including screen actress Matsuzaka Keiko and popular singer/songwriter Kei Ogura. He was part of the AUN drumming unit's 50 concert tour in 2002 and appeared on the main stage at the 2004 Rain Forest World Music Festival in Sarawak, Malaysia. A member of the Sawai Tadao Koto Ensemble, Soemon and the US based Koto Phase, Patterson released a solo CD "Oto No Wa" in 2002 and was musical director for the 2005 documentary film "Magnificent Obsession : Frank Lloyd Wright's Buildings and legacy in Japan."

Bruce Huebner / Shakuhachi

California-born Bruce Huebner studied shakuhachi under the late Goro Yamaguchi (Living National Treasure) at the prestigious Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music. He is the first non-Japanese to receive a master's degree in traditional Japanese music performance at the university. He earned his masters license from Chikuyusha, one of the oldest shakuhachi guilds, in 1997, and gave two solo shakuhachi recitals of Japanese classical music. In 1998 Bruce produced an instructional video on shakuhachi performance in English, and in August 2000 he led the Contemporary Sankyoku Ensemble's six-state US Tour while releasing a solo CD of traditional shakuhachi music, "Song of Daybreak." In 1999 Huebner co-founded the Jazz/World Music group "Candela," which has recorded and performed to wide acclaim in Japan, as well as at venues in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Average Customer Review: 4