Utasaa great Misako Oshiro is making 2007 a year to remember. She started off the year with her first full-album in 10 years, “Uta Umui” (UBCA-1008, Tuff Beats), and held her 50th anniversary (in Okinawa’s performing arts) recital last month (7/8/07) at the Naha Shimin Kaikan. She’ll be performing around Japan from August to October and she has a DVD out titled “Uta Kataree” (INDN-70708, Indie Network). The must-have 12-track DVD will also include an interview with the “Okinawan Shimauta Queen”. If you’re not in Okinawa, I think it’ll be pretty hard to get your hands on this DVD through the regular channels so I’d have to recommend going with Sanshin’s Matsuda. Not to fret tho’, come 10/14/07 Tuff Beats (the record label responsible for “Uta Umui”) will be releasing a DVD (UBBA-2001) of her recital which will be available online at Tower Records Japan as well as, I believe, CDJapan and Amazon.co.jp. I should also add that she has one of the best utasaa-related websites out there: Shima Umui (which is the name of her minyou bar in Naha).
Utasaa (utasha in Japanese): Okinawan folk singer.
[Image and tip on the “Uta Kataree” DVD via Campus Record Staff blog.]
