Atsuya Okuda
Encyclopedia
Atsuya Okuda is a Japan
ese-born master teacher and craftsman of the jinashi shakuhachi, an unrefined bamboo
flute
. Prior to dedicating his efforts to the bamboo flute
, he was a professional jazz
trumpet
player from approximately 1965 until 1985.
Since the death of Watazumi Doso
in 1992, some regard Atsuya Okuda as the greatest living jinashi shakuhachi player. His style is very quiet and subtle and his patience has been described as "geological in dimension".
Okuda has taught shakuhachi since 1985 but until releasing The Sound of Zen
in 2002, he refused to record his playing. He believed that only live sound leads to an understanding of jinashi shakuhachi.
As of 2005, Atsuya Okuda lives and teaches in Kokubunji
, a suburb of Tokyo
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese-born master teacher and craftsman of the jinashi shakuhachi, an unrefined bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
. Prior to dedicating his efforts to the bamboo flute
Bamboo flute
Flutes made of bamboo are found in many musical traditions.Some bamboo flutes include:Flute Country of Origin Atenteben Bashi Bansuri Chi Dizi Daegeum...
, he was a professional jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
player from approximately 1965 until 1985.
Since the death of Watazumi Doso
Watazumi Doso
Watazumi Doso Roshi was a master of the end-blown Japanese bamboo flute. He studied Rinzai Zen, attaining the title of roshi...
in 1992, some regard Atsuya Okuda as the greatest living jinashi shakuhachi player. His style is very quiet and subtle and his patience has been described as "geological in dimension".
Okuda has taught shakuhachi since 1985 but until releasing The Sound of Zen
The Sound of Zen
The Sound of Zen is a 2002 solo shakuhachi album by Atsuya Okuda. The album contains recordings of six honkyoku, the music of Japanese Zen monks, played by Okuda....
in 2002, he refused to record his playing. He believed that only live sound leads to an understanding of jinashi shakuhachi.
As of 2005, Atsuya Okuda lives and teaches in Kokubunji
Kokubunji, Tokyo
is a city in Tokyo, Japan.As of 1 June 2008, the city has an estimated population of 117,335 . The total area is 11.48 km²...
, a suburb of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
External links
- A Modern Bamboo Cutter's Tale (page 2), by Doug Jackson, a student of Atsuya Okuda
- Biography at the International Shakuhachi Society
- http://www.shakuhachi.com/R-Shaku-Okuda.html